COLUMN: Gearing up for session, promoting local agriculture
The Agricultural Promotion and Regulation Task Force recently submitted its final recommendations on agricultural topics for the upcoming legislative session and as a member, I am excited to see the legislation that will come forth as a result of these discussions.
Indiana ranks 38th in land size yet is the seventh largest agricultural exporter in the nation. This makes agriculture a priority for many legislators going into the next legislative session and a topic of several committees throughout the year including the Agricultural Promotion and Regulation Task Force.
During this interim, the task force, made up of legislators and agricultural leaders, met three times to produce the 18-point final report focusing on the future of the Indiana Department of Agriculture, support for young Hoosier farmers, financial assistance programs for veterinarians, promotion of locally grown food sources and more.
These recommendations are then presented to the Indiana General Assembly for consideration and potential adoption. View the full list of recommendations and watch all committee meetings, visit iga.in.gov.
In response to the meeting discussions and concerns in our rural communities, I plan to author and support legislation directly correlating to the eighteen recommendations produced by the task force. Key finding topics include:
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Incentives for preserving family farms: provide incentives to promote young farmers taking the reins in owning and operating generational family farms
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Promotion of local food: promote local food producers and consumers through programs such as Indiana Grown
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Vet assistance programing: encourage students in veterinarian and veterinary technician programs to stay in Indiana through state-based loan repayment programs
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Sustain rural communities: look at ways to attract rural doctors, improve childcare options and expand access to broadband
The 2027 legislative session will begin in January. To learn more about the upcoming legislative session and track bills as they are introduced, visit iga.in.gov.
As your state representative, I am eager to hear from you on this or other issues. Please reach out to my office with any questions at in.gov/h16 or by calling 317-232-9819.
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State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer) represents House District 16,
which includes portions of Jasper, Pulaski, Starke and White counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
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