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Celebrating Ag Day at the Statehouse

Indiana’s Family of Farmers celebrated National Agriculture Day at the Statehouse on Wednesday.  Indiana State Department of Agriculture director Ted McKinney says it’s important to raise awareness about the state’s agriculture industry.  “The last time I checked, most people ate two, three, or more times a day,” he says.  “Food is relevant to everybody.  Everybody.”

More generations are removed from the family farm – and McKinney tells Brownfield that makes talking about agriculture even more imperative.  “The importance of celebrating Ag Day is celebrating some of the heritage, and the traditions, and the technologies, and methods of production, and all the things that go into agriculture,” he says.  “We have to celebrate it more and more than we ever have before.”

Ted McKinney, ISDA Director

And with only 2 of the 150 state legislators employed as farmers full-time, State representative and House Agriculture Chair Don Lehe says Ag Day is a great educational opportunity.  “We have to do as much as we can to educate and advise legislators,” he says.  “We have a lot of friends in the legislature that support agriculture, but a lot of them don’t understand it.  This is an opportunity for them to get more information and understand the challenges agriculture has.”

Don Lehe, Indiana State Representative

To wrap up Indiana’s Ag Day celebration, State FFA officer read the governor’s proclamation stating March is Ag Month in Indiana.