Farmers have led the discussion on water quantity this year. Although no major legislation passed this session on the topic, the groundwork was laid for future discussions.
“We’re grateful for the legislators who presented new water policy this year hoping to start the process of enacting change in areas where Indiana sorely needs it,” said Kron. “Ultimately, no major water policy was added this year and that’s okay. I think we need more information and more time to create a framework that makes sense. Creating water policy is something we need to get right, not fast.”
Although this was not a budget session, taxes were still a major focus for INFB, particularly the farmland formula. Ultimately, the language we supported ended up as a charge to do a summer study committee on the topic.
“We really fought for a change in the farmland formula in SB 256 this session,” said Katrina Hall, senior director of policy strategy and advocacy for INFB. “There was a 17% increase in farmland taxes in 2023 and there will be a 27% increase for 2024. Farmers cannot sustain those attacks on their bottom line. We’re hopeful we can get this taken care of in the 2025 session, but there’s still some work to be done.”
Other bills supported by INFB include:
- House Bill 1183 – This would ban the sale of land to foreign adversarial countries.
- House Bill 1106 – This would end the need for Department of Homeland Security permits and inspections for agritourism facilities unless they have a reported problem.
- House Bill 1093 – This is a rural opportunity bill for youth employment. It aligns rules with federal standards and allows 14- to 16-year-olds to get work experience, develop work ethic and help support themselves when needed.
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