Farm Bureau Members Make Open Trade, Local Government Control Top Priorities

The Indiana Farm Bureau says maintaining township government is one of its top priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

The organization met with farmers from across the state over the weekend to lay out its policy plans for 2019.

House Republicans proposed a bill earlier this year that would have eliminated about one-third of Indiana’s townships. While it failed, the Farm Bureau anticipates a similar proposal could come up next year.  

Public Policy Director Katrina Hall says members are against government mandates for abolishing smaller townships.

"At the end of the day, our members have entirely supported local process and have faith in the local officials."

In addition to local government issues, farmers expressed concerns over the availability of open trade markets for their goods.

Members supported an addition to the policy book that clearly opposes trade restrictions. The Farm Bureau says President Trump's tariffs on imported goods have caused retailatory tariffs that have hurt Hoosier farmers. Indiana is one of the leading states for corn and soybean production. Hall says that makes trade a top issue for farmers.

"The concepts of open and free trade are really the basis of an agricultural economy from day one," she says.

The farm bureau delegation consists of 262 members from all of Indiana’s 92 counties.