Thank you for years of support at ICGA, and let’s keep it going

Policy staffers Rachel Conner and Steve Howell, and CEO Courtney Kingery have navigated the murky COVID waters with great success. We have actually increased membership in each of the past three years. Membership staff leaders Lauren Taylor and Macy Mead were instrumental in making that happen. Their accomplishments and work didn’t go unnoticed. Both have been scooped up by a large ag corporation and given a greater opportunity to showcase their abilities. We wish them well.

THANK YOU, also, to all of the sponsors who have made many of our activities possible. Shop Talk meetings with federal lawmakers, legislative breakfasts, policy seminars, the Ag Policy Forum and Zoom presentations all require funding. ICGA’s sponsors have all been enthusiastic to support the changes in protocol and procedures required in this ever-changing social environment.

THANK YOU to all of Indiana’s farm organizations for your willingness to work together for the benefit of all of Indiana agriculture. I’d like to give a special shout-out to Bruce Kettler, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch for unwavering support of Hoosier farmers.

My most sincere THANK YOU goes to my board of directors and all members of ICGA! Your support becomes action in many ways. Members take time out of their busy schedules to attend meetings with legislators; they establish relationships with legislators and make those important contacts when a corn farmer’s voice is necessary. These efforts are invaluable. As Courtney likes to say, “Indiana punches above its weight,” and it is your involvement that makes it happen.

As you will read throughout this magazine, there are many ag policy issues that Hoosier farmers will need to continue to watch. As I step away from leadership, the need to continue to advocate for Indiana agriculture will go on. ICGA will keep its eyes on lawmakers in Washington, D.C. and Indianapolis. I am looking forward to the things that a new generation of farmer leaders will accomplish.

As I write this column, it’s a couple days after the Thanksgiving holiday. I’ve been thinking about what I want to say on this page. This is the first major holiday that I’m spending without my wife and partner of nearly 54 years, Pam. And I know I’m not the only corn farmer to suffer personal loss recently. I am reminded of another group of people we need to thank for making ICGA successful in these last few years. That is all of those people who support us when we need to be away at meetings or spend time listening to seminars and all of the other time-consuming actions we do to support ICGA. THANK YOU to those who drive us to the airport, attend endless meetings with us, who keep the farm going while we attend to ICGA business.

Last, and perhaps more personal, I thank God for the opportunities He has put before me. Above all, I thank Him for the personal relationships that I am blessed with throughout the Indiana ag community.

Thanks for the memories!