The plan was unveiled to the public at an event on Monday and included presentations, panel discussions and speakers that touched on the plan’s strategic priorities, initiatives and actions to lift up all of Indiana agriculture through 2027. The plan’s vision is for Indiana agriculture to “enrich lives through innovation, education and collaboration.” This can be realized by focusing on the plan’s seven priorities:

• Economic & Community Development
• Education & Career Development
• Food and Agricultural Innovation
• Infrastructure
• Leadership Development
• Natural Resources, Stewardship & Environment
• Public Relations & Outreach

Each priority includes several key initiatives, which list specific action items. To create a clear path forward, each action item includes a champion(s), designated timeframe and resources required to complete the action.

The plan was developed by a diverse committee of leaders and representatives from Indiana’s agricultural organizations encompassing agricultural boards, universities, non-government and governmental organizations. As a way to create additional buy-in from all sectors of agriculture, the strategic planning committee conducted nearly two dozen listening sessions and gathered feedback from more than 100 online surveys, which went to farmers, agribusinesses and other industry organizations.

A copy of the strategic plan and other materials can be found at www.in.gov/isda/3547.htm.

All year long Indiana FFA members look forward to state convention, not only because it serves as the culmination of all of their hard work, both inside and outside the classroom, but it’s also a great time to see old friends and make new ones. It also provides a great opportunity to develop their leadership skills while giving back to the community, which is something Indiana FFA members are very passionate about.

To put purpose to action, nearly 300 Indiana FFA members participated in this year’s community service project making blankets for children in need. The blankets were delivered to four locations, including Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital and Riley Hospital, and each blanket included a personalized note from one of the members. This was a great example of how Indiana FFA not only enriches the lives of its members, but also the lives of others in schools and communities across the state.
 

When the students weren’t participating in one of the community service projects, they were competing for different awards, going to a workshop or attending one of the main general sessions, led by the Indiana FFA state officer team.

Attending a general session is a lot like being at a concert. There is a giant stage, lots of excitement, and sometimes even celebrities. This year, Grant Baldwin, Valerie Earley, (National CRVP) and Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch all attended state convention. To add to the excitement, it was announced during the first general session that Indiana FFA set a new record in 2016 reaching 12,506 members! Click here to see an Indiana FFA membership infographic.

The general sessions also provided the opportunity to recognize outstanding FFA members for their efforts in leadership excellence. Below is a list of this year’s honorees:  

• To see the 2017 Indiana FFA State Stars, click here
• To see the Hoosier FFA Degree recipients, click here

Overall, the four-day event provided an excellent opportunity to reward Indiana’s finest students for their hard work and dedication to promoting agriculture as well as improving their academic and leadership skills.

Every state officer put in considerable time and effort, preparing months in advance, to make the convention a success. Without their efforts, as well support from all of the sponsors, the Indiana FFA Association, the Indiana FFA Foundation, staff, volunteers, and of course, the FFA members themselves, state convention would not have been possible.

We would also like to congratulate the new Indiana FFA state officer team, and for more information about them, or Indiana FFA in general, please visit www.inffa.org.

In addition to powering IndyCars, driving over 200 mph for 500 miles, ethanol powers the economy by bringing jobs and growth to rural communities. Growth Energy cites that the ethanol industry created and supported nearly 400,000 jobs across the country in 2015.  Ethanol is also a cleaner and cooler burning fuel and reduces greenhouse gases by 57 percent when compared to unleaded gasoline.

While E85 is only approved for flex-fuel vehicles, E15 has been approved by the EPA to run in cars 2001 and newer – meaning 80 percent of all vehicles on the road today are equipped for E15. 

Do you want to fill your tank with Indiana grown ethanol?  Use this link to find the station nearest you.