Indiana Farm Bureau (INFB) celebrated legislative successes for farmers and rural communities as the 2023 Indiana General Assembly came to a close last week. INFB monitored and engaged in a number of issues to protect Indiana agriculture during the budget session. INFB President Randy Kron thanked INFB members for attending Third House meetings, visiting their representatives and senators at the Statehouse, and responding to action alerts to help move issues forward. The group also hosted a breakfast at the Statehouse to give members another opportunity to interact with elected representatives.
INFB's fiscal priorities were included in the budget bill, such as funding to upgrade Purdue Extension County staff, a major increase for the Clean Water Indiana program at $6 million per year, and restored Career Technical Education as a categorical grant. A contested issue that made it back into the Statehouse this year was carbon sequestration, which INFB was able to compromise on, including a higher compensation rate and a deadline for the project to get their federal permit.
INFB supported other bills, such as House Enrolled Act 1557, which directs the State Department of Agriculture to conduct an inventory of farmland lost in Indiana from 2010 to 2022, and House Enrolled Act 1132, which would create a Land Use Task Force to better position communities to attract economic development and protect prime farmland. INFB also supported House Enrolled Act 1454, the Department of Local Government Finance bill, which helps taxpayers filing assessment appeals and creates more transparency on Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district reporting.
Kron expressed pride in the accomplishments made during the budget session and acknowledged how much legislators rely on INFB's advice on bills that could impact agriculture and rural communities. Kron emphasized that INFB has a hand in anything that could impact members' livelihoods.
Photo Credit: Indiana Farm Bureau
Categories: Indiana, Business