Indiana Ag Policy Summit focuses on electrical grid challenges, biofuels future and more

COLUMBUS, Ind. (July 31, 2026) — More than 200 farmers, ag stakeholders and federal and state policymakers attended the 2026 Indiana Ag Policy Summit at The Commons in Columbus, Ind., on Wednesday.

The Indiana Ag Policy Summit is an annual policy-focused program presented by the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Membership and Policy Committee (M&P) and the Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA). This year’s Summit explored how rising demand on Indiana’s electrical grid is creating new energy challenges for farmers and rural communities, while also highlighting the role of biofuels, such as higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel as part of a reliable and domestically produced energy future. In addition, USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics Dr. Scott Hutchins offered an update, and the policy organizations presented their Friend of Farmer award to State Representative Beau Baird.

U.S. Rep. Jefferson Shreve (R-Dist. 6) opened the Summit with comments regarding the value of energy, biofuels and agriculture to his district’s economic health. Shreve’s district includes Columbus and the surrounding area. The congressman said that ag policy isn’t contained in an ag committee. Farm issues also appear in defense, appropriations, labor and many other committees.

“Agriculture has always been more than just crop production; it’s about innovation, it’s about entrepreneurship. It’s about science, it’s about stewardship, and it’s about building something that lasts,” Shreve said. “I’m just about to finish one term in Congress, but that’s been long enough to become convinced that nearly every major policy debate comes back to the farm. We just don’t always call it that. We call it food security. We call it energy. We call it infrastructure. We call it workforce development. We call it supply chains. We call it national security. Sooner or later, these conversations end up at the farm gate.”

He added that Hoosier farmers are proactive. “Indiana agriculture has never succeeded by standing still,” Shreve said. “Each generation has found new ways to produce more, conserve more, innovate more, and leave something stronger for the next generation. That same spirit carries through whatever challenges come next, and they are sure to come. This state has a strong, informed and consistent voice at the table. I will work to make sure that continues.”

Under Secretary Hutchins reiterated the congressman’s comments and added that USDA wishes to become a strong partner with Indiana farmers.

“I’m so pleased to be from Indiana because I think Indiana punches above its weight class in almost every way and leads the nation, I think, in terms of being thought leaders for U.S. agriculture,” Hutchins said. “Today at this Summit, I heard so much optimism, but I also heard opportunity. Following my remarks, I hope farmers have confidence in the things we need to do to improve USDA. We’re actively engaged in improving the things that we need to develop for farmers and ranchers and for U.S. agriculture more broadly. We understand the priorities, and we’re focused on impact.”

Data centers and the electrical grid

Offering a unique perspective on the debate about the state’s electrical grid and the expansion of data centers that power artificial intelligence and other online tools was Brandi Davis-Handy, President of AES Indiana, a Central Indiana power company formerly known as Indianapolis Power and Light. Davis-Handy said the issue isn’t about picking winners and losers in securing more energy for customers but seeing how all customers could benefit.

“We want to have good growth for the state of Indiana. We also understand our obligation to ensure affordability and reliability, as we embark on the opportunity to power the needs of new customers, some of which are data centers,” she said. “We are doing it with affordability, reliability, resiliency, top of mind. We are focused on bridging the gap between our communities and data centers. There’s just so many unknowns about data centers, what it means from an affordability standpoint, a reliability standpoint, and an environmental standpoint. All of those questions are reasonable, and they deserve good answers. It’s really going to take forums like (the Summit) where you have the utilities, you have policymakers, you have farmers, you have neighbors who are sitting down having the conversation of how we can go about this growth in the State of Indiana in a way that benefits all of us.”

Courtney Kingery, CEO of the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) and ICGA, moderated a “fireside chat” with Indiana Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources Suzanne Jaworowski and Indiana Utility Regulatory Commissioner Bob Deig. Both Jaworowski and Deig stressed that increased energy demand may create dynamic changes to the state’s energy policy. Increased demand due to data centers, expanding manufacturing and higher customer usage is all pulling more power from the electrical grid.

“We’re at a time where a lot of our infrastructure is aging – gas lines, transmission lines for electric substations, poles – all of that costs money,” Deig said. “That’s brought a lot of the capital improvements and the cost increases to the rates. We need to find a way to make it more affordable and more reasonable for the consumer. I hope people understand they have control over the power they use. They have options to contact utilities and their co-ops to try to help them with peak demands and time of use for their grain storage, grain fans, their irrigation systems, and just make sure they can contact utilities and talk to them.”

Jaworowski added that Indiana may have the opportunity for some of the capital improvements to the utilities to be funded by power companies looking to expand.

“Right now, Indiana has one of the most important opportunities to develop additional generation and transmission by growth and that could help us to lower our cost of electricity,” Jaworowski explained. “We have a unique moment in time where there are companies willing and, by law, committed to helping build and pay for our new generation. It’s an opportunity for us to take advantage of that third party investment in Indiana.”

Sarah Ash Simpson, Senior Director of Industry Affairs for ICGA and M&P, led an energy panel with Indiana State Sen. Gary Byrne (R-Byrneville, Ind.) and Indiana State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer, Ind.). Both work on agriculture, energy and environmental committees in the state government. Sen. Byrne said adding small nuclear power plants to Indiana’s electrical grid would help offset power demands at a lower cost.

“Energy is important to farmers, but it’s important to the whole state, and we want affordable energy, and we want reliable energy,” Sen. Byrne stated. “I think the biggest thing I want Hoosiers to know is that we are working to make sure we have that reliability, and we’ve taken the lead on the push for the small modular nuclear. I think we’ll see Indiana being one of the first states to get those small modular nuclear reactors.”

Expanding biofuels opportunities

The afternoon sessions zeroed in on opportunities for biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, to be an energy solution for the transportation sector. Tim Phelps, Senior Vice President of the Indiana Ethanol Producers Association, lead a panel talk about biofuel opportunities with Matthew Ward, Senior Manager of Government Affairs at POET ethanol, Cathy Melton, Executive Director of Indiana Food and Fuel Association, and Bailey Arnold, Director of Healthy Air Solutions at the American Lung Association.

Phelps said getting the U.S. House of Representatives to finish year-round E15 was an important legislative victory this year.

“We’re trying to work with our federal partners to get done in the Senate now. If there’s one thing that we can get done that will help biofuels and ethanol, as well as Indiana’s ag economy, it’s getting year-round E15,” Phelps said. “I want people to know the vital nature of biofuels on our state’s rural economy. About half of all the corn grown in Indiana initially goes to one of the state’s ethanol plants. It’s one of the most important things that we do. Being able to find more markets for Indiana grain in Indiana ethanol is really at the core of what our state’s ag policy needs to be.”

Arnold added, “I think there’s a great opportunity to help increase use of soybeans crushed here in Indiana, produced into biodiesel and other products that we use and have developed right here. I think there’s also, from our perspective, the Lung Association, a huge opportunity to help lower emissions and benefit community and public health. I’m really looking forward to continuing to share that message and work with our ag partners.”

Also, Megan DeVelvis, Market Development Director for ISA, ICMC and ICGA, moderated a talk about new engine technology with Josh Garetson, John Deere Director of Renewable Fuels and Corporate Strategy; Dr. Greg Shaver, a professor of engineering at Purdue University; and Lawrence McCormack, Director of Government Affairs at engine-maker Cummins, Inc.

“The ag community is coming together stronger than ever to push on biofuels as a great option, not only for farmers, but for consumers,” Garetson said. “I hope that farmers and policymakers see that collaboration needs to continue to get stronger. I hope that people are starting to think and continue to leverage this concept that biofuels aren’t just ethanol at a higher blend level in the car; it can be for many different things, and we need to continue to explore and find those.”

McCormack said Cummins has advocated for better biofuels legislation at the Statehouse in recent years. “We’ve been working with legislators for a number of years now on a biofuels tax credit in the Indiana Statehouse,” he said. “We hope that we’ve given policymakers additional things to think about and reasons why they should support that in the upcoming session.”

State Rep. Baird Friend of Farmer

ICGA and ISA awarded State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) as the 2026 Friend of Farmer award winner. State Rep. Baird assisted ISA during the 2026 General Assembly with legislation that would continue the state soybean checkoff program if the federal soybean checkoff law was ever eliminated. Baird said he believes in the benefits of the checkoff program, and he was surprised and honored to receive the award.

“Working with Indiana farmers, to me, is probably the highlight of my job,” Baird said. “We work with so many different people over the course of a year, but Hoosier farmers are really there because they believe in what they do, and they have such a passion for their family farms and for their communities and for the products they’re producing. To be able to help them do what they love to do means a lot to me.”

U.S. Rep. Jim Baird (R-Dist. 4), and Baird’s father, is a past recipient of the Friend of Farmer award along with several other state and federal lawmakers. “Over the years, I’ve watched so many tremendous people receive this award. I would never consider myself in their caliber,” he said. “Just to be a name within their ranks means more to me than I can express. I’m just extremely humbled to receive this award.”

Sponsors and membership

The Ag Policy Summit cannot happen without its sponsors. This year’s sponsors include Farm Credit Mid-America, Bayer Crop Science, Corteva Agriscience, FMC, POET, Indiana Food and Fuel Association, Valero, Indiana Ethanol Producers Association, First Farmers Bank and Trust, B20 Club of Indiana, Indiana Pork, Conexus Indiana, Halderman Real Estate and Farm Management, Beck’s Hybrids, Fischers Inc., and Lallemand Biofuels and Distilled Spirits.

ICGA and M&P rely on sponsorship and membership dollars to advocate on behalf of Hoosier farmers. For details about membership or corporate partnerships, contact Khyla Goodman, Industry Affairs Outreach Manager for M&P and ICGA, at kgoodman@indianasoybean.com.

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About Indiana Soybean Alliance Membership and Policy Committee: The ISA Membership and Policy Committee works to enhance the viability of Indiana soybean farmers through the advocacy and promotion of state and federal policies. ISA Membership and Policy Committee is led by members of the Indiana Soybean Alliance farmer board who are charged with directing advocacy efforts on behalf of approximately 600 dues-paying members.

About Indiana Corn Growers Association: The Indiana Corn Growers Association works with state and federal governments to develop and promote sound policies that benefit Indiana corn farmers. The ICGA consists of nine farmer-directors who provide leadership to the organization on behalf of more than 700 members statewide.

This communication was NOT funded with Indiana corn and soy checkoff dollars.