Braun to create one-stop, online shop for farmers to work with state agencies 

By Gov.-Elect Mike Braun
Republican Party 

Touring all 92 counties every year, I’ve had the privilege to meet so many of the Indiana farmers that feed our country and support our state’s economy. 

Here’s my promise to Hoosier farmers: You will have a friend, an advocate and an open door in the Governor’s office when I’m sworn in. 

Here are a few of the ideas I’ve proposed to make life better for Indiana’s farmers. 

I want to make sure that when our state is working on economic development, the benefits are spread throughout the state – not just in high-population areas. I’ve proposed a Hoosier Rural Business Growth program, where the Indiana Economic Development Corporation would attract qualified private sector investors to raise and invest capital into rural communities and help rural businesses expand their operations. This model has been successful in Ohio, Oklahoma and Utah. 

Customer service was a key part to why my business became so successful, and that’s something I’ll bring to farmers as your Governor. I want to create a simple, one-stop-shop online portal for farmers where they can interface with state agencies, receive technical assistance, and learn about state funding opportunities and regulatory impact on their businesses. 

My property tax plan caps year-to-year increase in farmland property tax bills at 3 percent. Average farmland tax bill increases in 2024 would have been spread out over nine years with this cap in place. We also need to update the Farmland Base Rate Formula to more accurately reflect the true farm economy. 

Serving on the Senate Aging and Agriculture committees, I discovered that the farm economy tends to have older workers than most other sectors on average and fewer young people are choosing agriculture for their careers. This is a problem not just for family farms but the industry as a whole. 

One solution I’m interested in is a Young and Beginning Farmer Tax Credit that would help young farmers secure affordable farmland to begin their careers in this important line of work. Older farmers under this program would receive an adjusted gross income tax credit in exchange for selling or renting their assets to a beginning farmer. Kentucky and Pennsylvania have had some success with a program similar to this one that helps farmers younger and older. 

I also want to work with the General Assembly to enhance the safety net for farms through a new Farm Savings Account, so farmers can create a tax-advantaged rainy-day fund to dip into when gross revenues fall below a statutory threshold or to make certain on-farm investments. 

These are just a few of the ideas I’m interested in pursuing to help Hoosier farmers, and I hope that you will get in touch with me to make your voice heard on issues important to your business and your families. 

It’s an honor to be your next Governor of Indiana.