The Hoosier Farmer - issue 43 by Indiana Farm Bureau

Indiana State Fair Page 6

The Big Pig Adventure Page 5

INSIDE: News in Brief................ 2 Around Farm Bureau.... 3 Around IFB................... 4 Communication............ 7 Around Indiana............ 8

The Hoosier Farmer

A Publication for Voting Members of Indiana Farm Bureau

SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 Issue No. 43

Through phone calls, emails, social media, in-district meetings, farm tours, town hall meetings and other events, farmers and ranchers used Congress’ August recess to “Bring the Heat” to lawmakers on three key issues: the farm bill, ag labor reform and waterways infrastructure. Left, Jason Sweet of Converse, Ind., gives Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Indiana, a tour of his hog operation. The tour was part of a farm visit organized by Grant County Farm Bureau to familiarize Brooks with farm issues. (Photo by Andy Dietrick) Right, Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., answers questions from farmers at an event sponsored by IFB District 1. Jim and Deb Walsh hosted the event on their Fulton County Farm. Among the issues discussed was ag labor reform, the farm bill and the Affordable Care Act. (Photo by Kathleen M. Dutro)

Delegates support eliminating direct farm payments, controlling local annexations —By Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team Indiana Farm Bureau delegates approved policy in favor of limiting the ability of cities and towns to annex farm ground, and they also reaffirmed their support for significant changes in the federal farm program – specifically, eliminating direct payments in exchange for improving crop insurance. During the delegate session, which was held Aug. 24 in Indianapolis and included representatives of county Farm Bureaus from across the state, the delegates also added policy in support of keeping farmspecific data confidential. “Annexation is becoming more and more of an issue Indiana Farm Bureau P.O. Box 1290 Indianapolis, IN 46206

across the state as cities and towns are trying to expand their tax base,” explained IFB President Don Villwock. “One of the ways they’re doing that is annexing ag land, and we don’t think that’s right. We want to make sure our farmers have a fighting chance to say whether or not they want to be annexed.” “We are opposed to a city or town gaining control of or attempting to control property and resources outside of its jurisdiction,” the new policy says. “Any such attempt should have to be approved by a majority of landowners in the new area being annexed to include in the city or town’s boundary.” On the federal farm bill, the delegates reaffirmed

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their support for doing away with all direct payments, using the dollars saved to improve the crop insurance program. “I think Indiana and Midwestern farmers think it’s time for direct payments to go away, but we also reinforced that those dollar savings should shore up our crop insurance program,” Villwock said. “That’s very critical as we’re in the final hours of trying to pass a farm bill before the end of September.” On the topic of data sharing, delegates voted to recommend changes to the American Farm Bureau Federation policy in support of legislation that would treat all farm-specific data as private property that is controlled by the farm owner/ operator. “Farmers are concerned about who owns their data,” Villwock explained. Data on many aspects of agriculture are now shared with fertilizer dealers and seed dealers, and farmers don’t have a major problem with that, he said. “But they’re more con-

cerned about how that national data, the collection or aggregation of all farmers’ data, could be used by these big companies, could potentially be sold to other entities. Who controls that data?” he said. Another reason why this has become such a hot issue is that earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released personal information about thousands of livestock and poultry farmers and ranchers in 29 states in response to requests from three environmental organizations. The massive data release contained tens of thousands of lines in spreadsheets often including home phone numbers, home emails, employee contact information, home addresses and in some cases personal notes about the families. Delegates also: • Added language in support of state policies and initiatives that promote locally grown meat and produce in Indiana restaurants, farmers markets, schools and other publicly supported institutions.

• Supported “initiatives to protect farms from the dissemination of misinformation regarding production practices.” • Reaffirmed Indiana Farm Bureau’s commitment to “support all areas of agriculture, regardless and size” and “grow Indiana’s livestock industry regardless of size.” Added a new section that supports “laws that protect the rights of farmers to use modern farming practices and everchanging technology available to agriculture.” • Added language in support of adequate funding for the state Board of Animal Health’s dairy inspection program, but also asking for greater notification for farmers in the event of new milk inspection regulations. • Supported allowing producers more flexibility in applying manure to frozen ground. • Supported measures that would help make highspeed Internet service available to all citizens of Indiana.

NEWS IN BRIEF

News Bites —Compiled by Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team

Ag, business groups seek action on WRDA—

Illinois Farm Bureau, in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau Federation, ADM, Illinois Corn Growers and Carpenters’ District Council of Greater St. Louis, held a press conference Aug. 27 during the Farm Progress show to urge Congress to act on and appropriate funding for the Water Resources Development Act. The legislation would authorize new projects for flood protection, port improvements and upgrades to the nation’s locks and dams

infrastructure. Additionally, it would improve U.S. transportation capacity, relieve growing congestion on U.S. highways and foster a more competitive transportation environment. In addition to legislation being passed, appropriations must also be allocated to fund the bill. WRDA legislation has been approved previously, but no appropriations have been allocated to fund the projects. “The Farm Progress Show is traditionally a display of progress and technology in farming and agriculture,” said Illinois Farm Bureau President Philip Nelson, also a member of the AFBF board. “Still, with all of this growth, technology and advancement, farmers, business and industry are stuck working

with a river system that hasn’t been updated since the depression.” (AFBF 8/28/13)

Former U.S. commerce secretary talks immigration reform in Indiana—Immigration

reform was on the minds of guests at the recent Fresh Impact Tour event on Aug. 5 in Poseyville, Ind., hosted by Frey Farms and the United Fresh Produce Association. Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez delivered the keynote address in front of an audience of 263 participants that consisted of local farmers, farm workers, the economic development and local business community, agricultural advocacy and extension, and congressional staff members. Gutierrez highlighted the

challenge to American farmers of not having access to enough workers to meet their demand, which has a negative impact on the American economy. He noted that the current immigration system in the U.S. simply does not provide enough visas for farmers who need them due to a cap on the total number of visas issued annually. Currently, only 100,000 such visas are issued despite the estimated labor market demand for such workers of nearly 1 million. While opponents of immigration reform say that such reforms would take away jobs from American workers, Gutierrez responded that jobs that were once acceptable to many Americans in the ’50s and ’60s simply are no longer a consideration.

Dig IN: A Taste of Indiana was held Aug. 24 at White River State Park. Sponsored by Indiana’s Family of Farmers, among others, the event was a big success, drawing in more than 4,000 people eager to taste food and beverages from Indiana farms, chefs, winemakers and brewers. A producer panel consisting of Hoosier farmwives provided needed balance to the discussion of agriculture. From left are Jennifer Campbell of Franklin County, Leah Beyer of Bartholomew County and Heather Hill of Hancock County. Photo by Andy Dietrick Administrative/Finance Team

Legal Affairs Team

Public Relations Team

Regional Managers

President...................................... Don Villwock Vice President.................................Randy Kron Second Vice President................. Isabella Chism Chief Operating Officer/Treasurer....Mark Sigler Receptionist...................................... Kim Duke General Fund Accountant.............. Tiffanie Ellis Office Manager & Meeting Planner.Kay Keown Controller.......................................Elaine Rueff Administrative Assistant....................Jill Shanley Executive Secretary..................... Beverly Thorpe

Director & General Counsel ...Mark Thornburg Staff Attorney ........................Sara MacLaughlin Legal Assistant........................... Maria Spellman

Director & Editor .......................Andy Dietrick Web Designer/Developer..............Diane Brewer Administrative Assistant...................Charla Buis Publications Managing Editor & Media Relations Specialist...... Kathleen Dutro Marketing & PR Specialist.............. Mindy Reef

Wayne Belden (1 & 3) Greg Bohlander (6) Jennifer Chandler Gish (9) Andrew Cleveland (4 & 6) Janice Deno (3) Seth Harden (7 & 9) Amy Hutson (5) Susan Lawrence (2) Chancey May (10) John Newsom (1 & 2) Kermit Paris (8) Keegan Poe (5 & 8) Brad Ponsler (10) E.B. Rawles (7) Allie Rieth (4)

District Directors Larry Jernas (1) Kerry Goshert (2) Kevin Underwood (3) Steve Maple (4) Dave Wyeth (5)

Scott Trennepohl (6) Jeff Gormong (7) Mark Bacon (8) Philip Springstun (9) Robert Schickel (10)

Indiana Agricultural Law Foundation Director..................... John Shoup

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Public Policy Team Director........................................ Megan Ritter Policy Development & Industry Relations.........................Bob Cherry National Government Relations Policy Advisor................. Kyle Cline State Government Relations Policy Advisor & Counsel..........Amy Cornell Administrative Assistant .................... B.J. Fields State Government Relations Director...................................... Katrina Hall Administrative Assistant .............Wanda Hunter Public Policy Advisor.......................... Bob Kraft Senior Policy Advisor & Counsel..................................Justin Schneider Livestock Development Specialist... Greg Slipher Direct Retail Business Specialist........Bob White

Organizational Development Team Director............................................... Kim Vail Field Services Program Director.....Chris Fenner Program Assistant.......................Kathryn Rogers Education Coordinator.................... Julie Taylor Member Services Coordinator...........Anna Todd Administrative Assistant.................. Tracie Trent Young Farmer & Women’s Program Coordinator................... Meggie Foster

Indiana Farm Bureau Inc./ Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Director of Affiliate Relations..... Julie Volbers-Klarich

With regard to the potential impact to food security of not reforming our immigration system, Gutierrez said “good immigration reform means that your produce will continue to be local. No agriculture solution means more foreign produce.” “If we get immigration reform right, we are set for the 21st century”, said Gutierrez. For more information, contact Kyle Cline, IFB national government relations policy advisor, at kcline@infarmbureau.org, 317-692-7845. (IFB 8/7/13)

Educators say students are heading back to school hungry—An overwhelming

three in four teachers and principals report regularly seeing hungry kids in their schools, says a new report released by Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. “Hunger In Our Schools: Teachers Report 2013,” surveyed more than 1,200 K-8 teachers and principals nationwide. As Americans gear up for back to school, the report highlights the onthe-ground view of hunger as told by public school teachers and principals. Half of teachers surveyed say hungry children in their classroom is a serious issue – the highest level measured in the four years of conducting this research. Educators surveyed saw bright spots too. Nine in 10 see breakfast as key to turning the tides on hunger and achievement. Many identified creative approaches to serving school breakfast as a critical part of any effort to help children. The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, both of which offer free and reducedprice meals to low-income students. However, of the 21 million low-income students who eat a free or reducedprice school lunch, only about 11 million currently also eat a school breakfast. (AFBF 8/27/13) Address Letters & Questions To: Indiana Farm Bureau Inc. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290. Phone: 1-800-327-6287 or (317) 692-7776 E-Mail Address: askus@infarmbureau.org Duplicate Magazines If you are receiving more than one copy of The Hoosier Farmer®, please cut out both labels and return them to the address above. Magazine Design and Layout Davis Graphic Design www.davisgraphics.com The Hoosier Farmer® is published 14 times per year by Indiana Farm Bureau Inc., P.O. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206, and is furnished as a service to voting members and others. Controlled circulation. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Hoosier Farmer® P.O. Box 1290 Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

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AROUND FARM BUREAU

Women’s contributions to agriculture lauded at state fair

Retired four-star general to keynote AFBF annual convention

Purdue Extension recognized the leadership and achievements of two Indiana women by honoring them with its Women in Agriculture awards. The annual awards, presented Aug. 14 at the Indiana State Fair, recognize innovative women who have made significant contributions to Indiana agriculture. “We need to spotlight women who are committed to the success of Indiana agriculture,” said Danica Kirkpatrick, engagement program manager for the College of Agriculture and co-chair of the awards committee. “We look for hard-working women who are dedicated to their communities and the industry. These recipients are very deserving of this recognition.” The Achievement Award, which recognizes women directly involved with a home farming operation, was presented to Deborah J. Jordan of Jordan Farms, a 3,000acre family-owned grain farm and farrow-to-finish swine operation in Richmond. Jordan’s work includes keeping records for the 1,200 sows, weaning more than 500 piglets a week, administering vaccines and monitoring herd health. Jordan is also the District 6 Farm Bureau woman leader, advocating for Indiana agriculture across the state and supervising educational activities for women’s programs in eight east-central Indiana counties. A mother of five and former elementary school teacher, Jordan volunteers for the Wayne County Farm Bureau’s “Ag in the Classroom” program and educates more than 500 students on how food is produced. After budget cuts reduced local Extension educator positions, Jordan stepped in to coordinate the “Chick It Out” program, which delivers incubators and fertile eggs to elementary classrooms in Richmond. Jordan has also served as founder and leader of a 4-H club and Parent Teacher Organization president for Garrison Elementary School. She is a member of the Wayne County 4-H and Extension boards, Extension Homemaker Club, Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Marketing Council. Jordan volunteers at the Preble County Pork Festival and Wayne County Conservation Days. The Leadership Award,

—From the AFBF Information Team

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Deborah J. Jordan (left) of Richmond, and Marianne Ash of Lafayette were honored with Purdue Extension’s Women in Agriculture Awards on Wednesday (Aug. 14) during a ceremony at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis. Jordan, who is IFB’s woman leader for District 6, received the Achievement Award and Ash the Leadership Award. Purdue Agricultural Communication photo by Keith Robinson given to a woman in an agribusiness or policymaking position, was presented to veterinarian Marianne Ash of Lafayette. As the director of Animal Health Programs for the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, Ash plans and coordinates state-level responses to animal health emergencies and disease outbreaks. She has pioneered disease traceability and biosecurity work in Indiana, spearheading new software programs such as the USAHERDS database, which was created to help protect animal health, public health and the economy in the event of animal health emergencies and other disasters. Ash also acts as a link between the Board of Animal Health and producers and recently worked

with swine operations in their effort to control porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. Her other leadership roles include serving as a board member of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, a chairperson of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee for Disaster Preparedness and Public Health, an adjunct professor at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and a member of the U.S. secretary of agriculture’s Advisory Committee on Swine Health Protection. She previously served as a member of the Purdue Extension Agrosecurity Team and the U.S. Animal Health Association’s Committee on Foreign and Emerging Diseases.

General Stan McChrystal, a retired four-star general and former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, will deliver the keynote address at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2014 annual convention, Jan. 12-15in San Antonio, Texas. More than 7,000 Farm Bureau members from across the nation are expected to gather in San Antonio for the 95th annual convention to hear from distinguished leaders and participate in a grassroots policysetting process that will guide AFBF through 2014. McChrystal has been referred to as “one of America’s greatest warriors,” dedicating 34 years of military service to the U.S. He is a former leader of the Pentagon’s Joint Special Operations Command, which oversees the military’s most sensitive forces. His leadership of JSOC is recognized for the December 2003 capture of Saddam Hussein as well as Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, in June 2006. “Farm Bureau is excited to announce Gen. Stan McChrystal as our keynote speaker,” said AFBF

Gen. Stan McChrystal

President Bob Stallman. “His dedication to our country, marked by one-of-a-kind leadership skills and a noteworthy record of achievement, is truly motivating,” he added. McChrystal retired from the military in 2010. He currently teaches a leadership course at Yale University and is the co-founder of the McChrystal Group, which delivers innovative leadership solutions to organizations. He is also the author of the best-selling leadership book, My Share of the Task: A Memoir. Farm Bureau members can register for the 95th AFBF Annual Convention through their state Farm Bureau. Learn more about convention events and related activities at http://annualconvention.fb.org/.

Policy advisory groups identified —By Mindy Reef Public Relations Team While commodityspecific issues still play an important role in Farm Bureau policy making, many issues today affect farmers who have less in common when it comes to crops and more when it comes to farm types, regulations or resources. Policy advisory groups have been identified to better address these issues within Indiana Farm Bureau. “Many issues overarch all facets of the industry, not just one segment,” said Bob White, IFB’s retail agriculture program coordinator. “The issues themselves have become more

complex. Current regulations, proposed regulations, relationships and many other factors beyond the specific crop a farmer grows have to be considered when discussing and recommending policy.” The groups’ topics came about from internal and external conversations with members and other stakeholders. The advisory groups exist to enhance issue discussion, policy development and policy implementation. White also noted that the groups may look at the future of an issue, determining if something that only affects one or two counties today has the potential to affect the entire state or even national policy at some point.

Work has started or will start with the following nine areas of PAGs: • Education. • Government and Fiscal Policy. • Livestock and Animal Care. • Property Rights. • Ag Labor/Immigration. • Rural Development. • Crops and Farm Policy. • Water Resources. • Nutrient Management. Members are selected for the groups based on experience with the topics, involvement in Farm Bureau and geography. Most groups have a minimum of 15 members. Half of the members of a group will serve two-year terms and half will serve for four years.

As issues in agriculture evolve, new groups may be added and other groups disbanded. Groups have the opportunity to develop strategies to meet the needs within their categories as well as offer policy direct recommendations. The group members are also encouraged to share their policy ideas with their county Farm Bureaus. Some policy advisory groups have already met, while appointees and schedules for others are being finalized. Keep reading The Hoosier Farmer for updates on these groups.

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AROUND IFB

IFB’s New Public Policy Team

Megan Ritter Public Policy Director

State Government Relations Katrina Hall Director Statehouse strategy, tax, education, local government, legislative and regulatory

Industry Relations Bob Cherry Industry Relations Relationships with agriculture partners

Livestock Greg Slipher Livestock Development Program Coordinator Livestock production and siting, policy impact

Retail Agriculture Bob White Retail Agriculture Program Coordinator Retail agriculture expertise, policy impact

National Government Relations Kyle Cline Policy Advisor National government relations strategy, congressional delegation relationships, RFS, national energy, crop production

Public policy team reorganizes to improve service to members —By Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team

Justin Schneider Senior Policy Advisor & Counsel Water, environment, natural resources, legislative and regulatory with legal strategy input

Amy Cornell Policy Advisor & Counsel Production ag, rural development, transportation, utilities, legislative and regulatory with legal strategy input

County recognition program wraps up Sept. 30 —By Julie Volbers-Klarich Administrative/Finance Team Counties across the state are wrapping up their final activities for the County Recognition Program 2013 which ends on Sept. 30, 2013. Activities in the public relations and education areas have been flourishing. Examples of some of these activities include:

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building relationships with non-ag groups; updating Farm Bureau websites; hosting farm tours and donating agriculture books to schools and libraries. We look forward to recognizing counties’ volunteer efforts at our convention in December in Ft. Wayne. Thank you for your membership and your volunteerism.

There are some new faces in Indiana Farm Bureau’s public policy team, but the essentials remain unchanged, according to public policy director Megan Ritter. “The new public policy team will be consistent with the old public policy team in our efforts to contribute to successful implementation of Farm Bureau policy and support for our members,” she said. With the retirement of Kent Yeager, the former public policy director, and Bob Kraft, former state government relations director, the public pol-

icy team (also known as the PPT) has hired new staff and organized positions around each individual’s issue-specific areas of expertise. Overseeing IFB’s Statehouse lobbying effort is Katrina Hall. She will be assisted by Justin Schneider, who has moved from the legal team to the PPT in order to become senior policy advisor and counsel, and Amy Cornell, recently hired as policy advisor and counsel. IFB’s national government relations strategy will be overseen by Kyle Cline, who joined the organization in August. Bob White, Bob Cherry and Greg Slipher work in the

area of commodity expertise and ag partnerships – White with retail agriculture, Slipher with livestock and Cherry with industry relations. Still to be added is a replacement for local government program coordinator Pete Hanebutt, who is leaving IFB to head up the lobbying effort of the North Dakota Farm Bureau. “With the complexity of issues growing, we feel that more issue-specific targeting will provide more support for members and more successful policy implementation and advocacy for agriculture,” Ritter said.

Governor Pence honors Kraft, Yeager —By Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team Gov. Mike Pence has bestowed one of the state’s top honors on two long-time members of Indiana Farm Bureau’s staff. During the Midwest Legislative Conference sponsored by the American Farm Bureau, Pence called on retiring IFB public policy advisors

Bob Kraft and Kent Yeager to stand before their peers and receive the Distinguished Hoosier Award. This award is granted by the governor and is one of the highest honors given to Hoosiers who have made significant contributions to their community. Kraft and Yeager were recognized for their decades of dedication to Indiana agriculture and farm

policy. “Both Bob Kraft and Kent Yeager have had a very, very positive impact on our state through their farm policy expertise and by communicating clearly to lawmakers just how important agriculture is to Indiana,” said IFB President Don Villwock. “They truly deserve this award and I couldn’t be more proud of the both of them.”

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SPECIAL FEATURE

The Big Pig Adventure

Fair Oaks’ latest venture focuses on commercial hog production —Story & Photos By Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team As visitors ooh and ah over cute little baby pigs and play with the high-tech interactive displays, the folks at Fair Oaks Farms’ new Pig Adventure hope they pick up two important messages: • That pigs, even the really adorable ones, are destined for the table. • And that, thanks to modern agricultural practices, it’s possible to get them there while remaining mindful of the welfare of the animals, protecting the environment and producing healthy food. “We lead with the truth,” said Jed Stockton, Fair Oaks’ communications director. “We say exactly where they (the pigs) are going, exactly what we’re breeding them for. That’s what this is about more than anything. It’s more about educating the public. “Every pig in this building is going to be bacon or sausage at some point, and we’re not trying to hide that,” he said. The Pig Adventure, which is located in Jasper County right next to the wildly popular Dairy Adventure, held its grand opening Aug. 5. Hours, admission fees and other information about

the facility can be found at http://fofarms.com/adventures/pig-adventure. “We love our cows, but… we saw the bigger picture and we thought we could maybe educate folks on modern agriculture in the 21st century, how things are done,” Stockton explained. “How we can take care of the land, make more food with less land and less water, power our facilities without causing any irreparable damage to the environment.” The facility is approximately 120,000 square feet for pig production and 22,000 square feet for “edutainment,” Fair Oaks says in a news release. The farm has a maximum sow capacity of 2,750 and will produce about 80,000 pigs annually. The public touring destination is a joint effort between Fair Oaks Farms and Belstra Milling Company, with some funding from organizations such as the National Pork Producers. Estimated total cost of the project is $9.6 million. Visitors can see all phases of the pork production process by walking through a building that allows them to get a birds-eye view of pigs in all stages of growth from newborn to full-grown gilts, which are a crossbred of Landrace, Large White and Duroc. Glass partitions

protect the pigs from contamination. “We’re trying to keep it as biosecure as possible to keep the pigs safe,” Stockton said. So far, visitors seem to be enjoying it, said Leah Lentini, assistant manager at the Pig Adventure. All tour guides, who are called “adventure guides” at Fair Oaks, go through and extensive training process that includes hands-on experience in the barns themselves. “They get that hands-on experience so when they come up here (to the center), they can say ‘I’ve actually done that.’ That builds their credibility instantly,” she said. “This is a full production farm,” Stockton added. “We want them to show that modern production agricul-

ture practices can be done with extreme animal care. “Without them, we’re not here. The animals are the stars of the show; we’re just costars. We realize that. We have to keep them happy and well taken care of be-

cause if we don’t do that, then why are we here? We treat them with the utmost respect, and that’s bottom line.” That’s what Fair Oaks wants visitors to remember, too.

The Pig Adventure tries to represent modern production agriculture. All of Fair Oaks’ sows, including this imitation one, are fitted with tags that tell the electronic sow feeder when and how much to feed them.

The Pig Adventure, located near the popular Fair Oaks Dairy Adventure, officially opened Aug. 5. Fair Oaks is planning additional “adventures” as well, said communications director Jed Stockton, including a beef adventure, a chicken adventure, a crop adventure – “basically any aspect of agriculture you can possibly think of, we’re going to have it represented at Fair Oaks Farms so that it’s a one-stop agriculture experience.” Photo courtesy of Fair Oaks Farms

Visitors can look down through large glass windows and see all phases of the growth process. This birds-eye view is of what Fair Oaks calls the “growing barn.”

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The facility, which took about 15 months to construct, includes 22,000 square feet for “edutainment.”

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INDIANA STATE FAIR

Farm Bureau communicates with consumers during state fair

IFB public relations director Andy Dietrick assists dietician Kim Galeaz during one of the food demonstrations held in the Dupont Food Pavilion. Galeaz writes the popular “Eat In” column that runs in My Indiana Home. Photo by Hannah Klare

Cornucopia Farms, owned and operated by the Baird family of Scott County, was one of the Indiana farms featured in Savor the Flavor, a food event sponsored by Indiana Farm Bureau. Photo by Hannah Klare

Lieutenant Gov. Sue Ellspermann spoke at the OldFashioned Pancake Breakfast sponsored by Farm Bureau that benefits the Indiana FFA Foundation. Photo by Hannah Klare

IFB and its partners in Indiana’s Family of Farmers again sponsored the Recipe Trail during the fair’s 17-day run. Shown here are fairgoers visiting the IFOF booth in the Dupont Food Pavilion. Photo by Kathleen M. Dutro

Nearly 6,000 visitors sampled foods produced in Indiana during Taste From Indiana Farms, held Aug. 13-15 in the Farm Bureau Building. Here visitors taste the apple juice provided by IFB District 10. Photo by Kathleen M. Dutro

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COMMUNICATION

State fair a good venue for outreach —By Andy Dietrick Public Relations Team

New discussion format comes to state convention —By Mindy Reef Public Relations Team IFB members will have a new issue discussion format to try at the annual convention in December: interactive roundtable breakouts. “We’ve seen this session format work well at other conferences, so we thought we would try it,” said Bob White, IFB’s retail agriculture program coordinator and chairman of the breakout session committee for the convention. “The timeline gives the opportunity to touch on a number of topics, and because the roundtables happen early in the convention, there is a chance for further discussion whenever members gather.” The roundtable breakout session runs 10-11:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 13. The activity takes place in a large room with numbered tables. Each number will correspond to a topic. Participants will receive a topic listing during the event. Three rounds of discussion will take place. Some tables will have a facilitator while others will depend on participants to drive discussion. After the

designated amount of time has passed for a round, participants will move to another table and topic. A full listing of roundtable topics will also be available online closer to the event. Regular breakout sessions will also be available during the event. From 2:30-4 p.m. on Dec. 13, sessions on policy development, current legal issues in agriculture and successful county programs will take place. A session on personal leadership and development from the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership and an Ag in the Classroom update take place on Dec. 14 from 8:30-10 a.m. Leadership education and update sessions will also be available by invitation for PR coordinators, secretaries and treasurers, membership chairmen and public policy leaders. IFB state convention runs Dec. 13-14 at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne. Keep reading The Hoosier Farmer for more information. Online registration and additional details are available at www.infarmbureau.org/convention.

The Indiana State Fair is a great consumer outreach opportunity for IFB. Nearly a million visitors, most from urban and suburban areas, hit the fairgrounds every August in search of food and fun. Even though the audience comes to us, reaching them in a meaningful way can be challenging. The fairgrounds is home to dozens of buildings, barns and venues spread out on more than 250 acres. Fair weather is usually hot and sticky, and learning about today’s agriculture isn’t top of mind for most fairgoers – food is. Many visitors are on the grounds for only a few hours, and attention spans are getting shorter. So how does IFB cut through the clutter and create a positive ag experience for fairgoers? As seen in the photos from the fair found on the page opposite this one, it’s all about links, food and fun.

First, we create links from the Farm Bureau building to other ag-related spots on the fairgrounds. IFB sponsors the Wonder Trail, where kids and parents work together to answer questions about a dozen exhibits on the fairgrounds. We also participate in the Indiana’s Family of Farmers Recipe Trail, where food and farmers come together on 10 recipe cards. These “trails” give fairgoers pertinent information and a logical path around the grounds. Completing the Wonder Trails earns you a prize; completing the Recipe Trail earns you a prize and helps feed hungry Hoosiers. Second, the fair is about food, and free food is always a winner. All you have to do is watch the line for free popcorn form early in the Farm Bureau Building, or follow the even longer line during the Taste from Indiana Farms. Nearly 6,000 visitors tasted samples over three days. Each taste is an opportunity to talk with consumers about

how today’s farms operate. And last, help visitors learn while they relax. The Farm Bureau building is set up for taking it easy, whether it’s a comfortable seat for mom and dad while the kids play with toy farm machinery or stretching out in the Grain Bin Theater to watch the show. But while our visitors are, they are hearing and seeing factual information about today’s agriculture.

2013 Farm Science Review slated for September 17-19 —From Purdue University The 2013 Farm Science Review presented by Ohio State University and Purdue University runs Sept. 17-19 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio. The farm trade show, now in its 51st year, merges agricultural education, science and technology through presenters, exhibitors, vendors and field demonstrations. More than 130,000 visitors from the U.S. and

Canada attend the show each year to learn about advances in agricultural research, conservation, family and nutrition, landscape and gardening. Each day, review attendees can participate in a variety of harvest, tillage, global positioning and manure demonstrations. Cooperative Extension Service educators and other agricultural experts from both universities will present daily on a variety of agricultural topics. Farm Science Review

tickets are $7 in advance and can be found at many agribusinesses and online at http://fsr.osu.edu/visitors/ tickets. Tickets are $10 at the gate. Children 5 and younger are admitted free. The Molly Caren Agricultural Center is at 135 State Route 38 NE, London, Ohio. The show runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 17-18, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 19. More show information is available at http://fsr.osu.edu.

New staff position to strengthen relationship between membership organization and insurance company —By Andy Dietrick Public Relations Team In an effort to strengthen the relationship between Indiana Farm Bureau Inc. and Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, Dr. Julie VolbersKlarich will take on a new role and title at the home office: director of affiliate relations. This new position will receive direction from both the CEO of Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Companies and the president of Indiana Farm Bureau Inc.

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“We are proud of the relationship the two organizations have had throughout the many years of our affiliation,” said insurance CEO Jerry Canada. “However, as both organizations have grown, it has become increasingly difficult for both entities to stay current with each other’s needs and goals. This position will assist the organizations in finding ways that we can be of benefit to each other.” In her new position, Volbers-Klarich will be re-

sponsible for developing and implementing strategies that will enhance and strengthen the business relationships between the two organizations. She will also develop and participate in programs that connect insurance products and incorporated programs in ways that will benefit members of both organizations. “Julie has been a great asset to IFB Incorporated, and in her new role she’ll be very involved with both organizations’ planning and

strategizing sessions,” said IFB President Don Villwock. “This will enable her to plug in ideas and uncover some areas that we can work together that possibly had been overlooked before.” Volbers-Klarich most recently served as the professional development program director for Indiana Farm Bureau. She was responsible for leadership development, staff and volunteer training, strategic planning and the county Farm Bureau recognition program. She is

Dr. Julie Volbers-Klarich

a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University and earned her doctorate in organizational leadership in 2009.

September 10, 2013

AROUND INDIANA

Game teaches kids about makin’ bacon Story & photos by Kathleen M. Dutro A new activity offered at the 2013 Indiana State Fair and 10 Indiana county fairs helps teach young people a little bit about the economics of raising livestock. Called the Commodity Carnival, the Plinko-style game is an educational effort from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, which in 2013 partnered with the National 4-H Council to bring the activity to 130 state and county fairs in 11 states. “We’ve been working on risk-management education for a long time,” said Laurie Bischel, executive director of corporate marketing and communicationns for the CME Group. “Mostly what we’ve done in the past was at the university level. This time we wanted to go to a lower school-age level to really target the future producers of America.” The game itself was developed by Ohio State University. “Even though we have lots of people who know that pork is produced in Indiana, people don’t always know what goes in to raising those pigs. All they know is that they go and pay $2.49 for a pound of pork chops,” said Tony Carrell of Indiana 4-H. “This (game) helps them better understand what happens between the farm and the plate.” While Indiana’s 4-H fair season is over, Bischel said CME plans to offer the Commodity Carnival next year. Those interested in having the activity at their 2014 county fair should contact their local 4-H chapter, she said. 1. Claire Slomski, a member of the Pike County 4-H who was one of the activity’s youth leaders during the Indiana State Fair, gets a fairgoer started assembling his “pig” – a pink plastic Easter egg.

4 2 2. Into each “egg pig” are inserted small slips of paper that represent the major costs of rearing a pig to market weight: facility costs and wages, health and nutrition, and transportation and energy costs. 3. As livestock producers know all too well, the biggest expense is feed. Here Slomski fills up the egg pig with real hog feed made of corn and soy meal. The egg pig is then weighed.

4. Once all the inputs have been inserted in the egg pig, it’s time to drop it into “Pig Linko,” which incorporates some of the other factors that might affect the price a farmer receives such as seasonal demand, weather and regulations. Wherever the egg pig ends up at the bottom represents the price the farmer receives. All participants earned a participation ribbon, but those who play the game five times and make a profit each time earned a special prize.

Calendar of Events September____________________________________________________________________ 9-11

IFB Leaders in Action trip to Washington, D.C.

District 10 Fall Meeting, Salem.

18, 19

IFB board of directors meeting, Indianapolis.

October______________________________________________________________________ 3, 4

Indiana Rural Summit, Indianapolis

23, 24

Joint meeting, Indiana Farm Bureau Board of Directors and

Women’s Leadership Committee.

September 10, 2013

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