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Indiana agriculture launches new strategic plan

Indiana’s agriculture industry has unveiled a new strategic plan to advance the state’s ag sector.

Indiana State Department of Agriculture director Ted McKinney tells Brownfield the industry has changed significantly since the last strategic plan was released – and it was time for an update.  “Crop and livestock yields are going up,” he says.  “More and more processing are coming online.  We’re just on a roll and we’ve got to take advantage of it and make sure there is alignment so we can accelerate even more over the next 10 years.”

He tells Brownfield by the plan, announced today, doesn’t supersede individual organization’s goals.  “What it does is it takes everybody’s plans and unifies them and builds on them,” he says.  “Groups found out there were some gaps they should be filling and they also found there was some duplication that they just didn’t know existed.”

AUDIO: Ted McKinney, Indiana State Department of Agriculture

The seven target areas for the strategic plan focus on Economic Development, Natural Resources and Conservation, Education, Public Relations, Leadership Development, Infrastructure, and Food and Agribusiness Innovation.

Randy Kron, president of the Indiana Farm Bureau says agriculture is fundamental to the states history. “This plan ensures that Indiana agriculture not only remains competitive, but also a leader both nationally and internationally over the next decade. This is an exciting time to be a part of the industry,” he says.

AUDIO: Randy Kron, Indiana Farm Bureau

Indiana’s ag leaders have spent nearly two years developing the new plan and will implement it over the next 10 years.