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Hoosier farmers discuss importance of Indiana Farm Bureau

Indiana Farm Bureau members are discussing their involvement in the organization.

Justin McKain of Sullivan County says “we often say around farm bureau that we are the voice of agriculture and since I began in this organization, I’ve really come to believe that to be true. As an individual, my voice is very small but whenever we unify our voices and take that to the statehouse and the capital, it’s a larger voice. And, it’s that voice that’s truly protecting agriculture, protecting our way of life, and offering opportunities to my kids to continue in the agricultural realm.”   

Advice he has for getting involved in INFB is to jump in.

“Whatever you put into it you’re going to get twice as much back out of it,” he says. “The opportunities I’ve had through this organization, I don’t think I would have found anywhere else.”

Kevin Underwood of Tippecanoe County says INFB is critical to Indiana agriculture.

“Indiana Farm Bureau’s involvement with policy process is critical and shapes what we’re going to look like as an agricultural organization and an industry as a whole as we move forward for the next generations coming up,” he says.

He encourages new members to get involved at the county level.

“If you’re not getting involved and getting to know the folks at the county level you’re missing a lot of what this organization has to offer, he says. “Being involved at the local level gets you ready to take those next levels of leadership as you move forward.”

Mark Seib of Posey County says…”Indiana Farm Bureau is an organization that has a tremendous ability to work with state legislators and make sure policies being brought before legislators are ag friendly. We can talk to legislators one-on-one, but we need an organization that has a lot more voices and this is the organization that provides that in Indiana.”

Brownfield interviewed McKain, Underwood, and Seib during the 2021 Indiana Farm Bureau State Convention in French Lick.