INDIANAPOLIS – Growing Indiana’s livestock industry to sell more grain is a top priority for the state’s corn and soybean checkoffs.

The goal is contained in the new three-year strategic plan of the Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Growers Association.

“Livestock is the largest customers for corn and soybeans in Indiana, so it’s an important part of the strategic plans,” said Courtney Kingery, CEO of the ISA, ICGA and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council.

The strategic plan discussed at the annual Indiana Corn and Soybean Forum in Indianapolis during the week of November 30 also calls for things like developing new products and uses from soybeans and corn.

“This is all about moving the pile and increasing demand,” she said.

The form held virtually this year because of COVID-19 also addressed coronavirus related issues that could have the largest impact on Indiana farm policy in 2021.

Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler said costs related to battling the virus will mean belt tightening next year for state government and ISDA.

“Our department is no different than any other.  We’ve been asked to cut back and we have,” he said.

Kettler said ISDA has already cut staff by about 10-percent from not filling open positions and the goal is to maintain essential services with the funds available.

Another priority is making sure farm and food related workers are right behind health care and long term care employees to receive COVID-19 vaccines once they become available.

Christy Seyfert, Executive Director of Government Affairs for the American Soybean Association, said a concerted effort will be made to get to know the different faces in Congress resulting from the November 3 election.

There are more than 60 new members of the House and at least seven new members in the Senate.

“Just by the numbers here, you can see we have a lot of relationship building ahead of us,” Seyfert said. 

She said the expected change from Donald Trump to Joe Biden as president will also require attention.

Seyfert advised farmers to keep an eye on any changes in appointees not just at USDA but U.S. EPA, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Trade Representative.

“These are just a few of the many appointments that can impact agriculture,” she said. 

Potential changes to the Indiana Grain Indemnity Fund during the upcoming session of the Indiana Legislature was also a focus during the forum.

Steve Howell, Senior Director of Industry Affairs for ISA, ICGA and the ICMC, said the fund, generally speaking, is considered a good insurance policy for a producer to guard against losses when a grain buyer goes belly up financially.

However, he said changes expected to be considered by state lawmakers include a third party performance review of the Indiana Grain Indemnity Corporation every five-years and a third party review of the Indiana Grain Buyer’s and Warehouse Licensing Agency auditing processes.

Communication and transparency between the two groups are also expected to come up for legislative debate.

The keynote presentation for the week was about faith, family and farming by Nick Welker, a Montana farmer with hundreds of thousands of followers on You Tube.

He farms with his father, Bob, and brother, Scott, on land worked and owned by his family since 1912.

The Welker’s raise spring wheat, winter wheat, yellow peas and garbanzo beans on more than 10,000 acres.