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McCowan honored with AgriVision Award

Yesterday was Farmer’s Day at the Indiana State Fair.  In recognition of his vision, innovation, and leadership, Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann presented Norman McCowan, president of Bell Aquaculture, the Indiana Agrivision Award.

McCowan says the honor is humbling.  “We’re in a niche sector, aquaculture, which is now a growing industry in Indiana,” he says.  “To be recognized was unbelievable.  I’m very excited, it’s very exciting.”

A recent Purdue Extension study showed that aquaculture is a growing contributor to Indiana’s agriculture economy.  McCowan tells Brownfield he doesn’t see that slowing down any time soon.  “In 2010, which China became a net importer of seafood and they actually consumed more than they produced it really put us in a situation where we realized we had to produce our own seafood.  So with that, in the state of Indiana and across this nation with this $11 billion trade deficit there are a lot of opportunities for us to grow a lot of different types of species.”

And anymore you don’t have to be on a coast to do that.  McCowan says it can be done in a local corn field right here in Indiana.

AUDIO: Norm McCowan, Bell Aquaculture (1:50mp3)