Banks: Serving Indiana means robust commitment to agricultural economy 

By U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana 

Washington works best when it is close to the people it serves. Serving the people of Indiana means that we must pledge a strong commitment to agriculture and the economic growth it drives across our state. 

Earlier this year, I led a group of Indiana stakeholders to meet with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to make the case for locating a new USDA regional hub in our state. We presented a clear argument: Indiana has the resources, expertise and infrastructure to support a more efficient and responsive U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

A month later, Secretary Rollins announced that the USDA will move a significant portion of its operations out of Washington and establish five regional hubs across the country, including one in Indianapolis. 

This move represents a major step forward for Indiana. It will bring new investment and job opportunities while ensuring that federal decisions affecting agriculture and rural development are made closer to the people and communities they impact. It also reflects a more efficient use of taxpayer dollars by reducing unnecessary layers of bureaucracy and aligning the department’s structure with its core mission. 

While some USDA staff will remain in Washington, many will now work directly in the regions where their programs take effect. That proximity will lead to better communication, quicker responses, and a stronger partnership between federal agencies and the states they serve. 

Indiana is a natural home for enhanced collaboration and partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agriculture bioscience is a $72 billion industry in Indiana. We are home to more than 54,000 farms and the overwhelmingly majority of them — some 94 percent — are farmer owned. 

Purdue University ranks in the top 10 best colleges for agricultural sciences in America. And Indianapolis is one of the only metropolitan cities in the nation that is home to industry leaders in plant science, animal health, and medicine. 

Indiana earned this opportunity through years of steady leadership and a proven track record of producing results. I am proud of the role my office played in securing this new USDA hub for Hoosiers and confident that it will strengthen our position as a national leader in agricultural innovation and economic growth.