‘Wins for Hoosier farmers’: Braun cites tax cuts at Ag Policy Summit

LEBANON, Ind. — Around 160 people attended the annual Indiana Ag Policy Summit, hosted by the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Membership and Policy Committee and the Indiana Corn Growers Association.

The event featured a “fireside chat” with Gov. Mike Braun, who said he will continue to advocate for Hoosier farmers.

“Indiana farmers feed, clothe and fuel America, and I’m glad to have the opportunity to share the wins we secured for Hoosier farmers this year — cutting property taxes and creating new opportunities to get fresh, local produce into Indiana schools and homes through our Make Indiana Healthy Again initiative,” the governor said.

ICGA President Chris Cherry emphasized the importance of affordable input products to farmers.

“Glyphosate, atrazine and other pesticides are important,” the farmer said. “Take those away from us and the cost of production is going to go up and our productivity will go down.”

Citing talks with President Donald Trump, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cherry noted “Governor Braun has had conversations with President Trump, USDA Secretary Rollins and RKF Jr. about how important it is to keep those products.”

“I am hopeful that they won’t take those products away,” he said.

Other event highlights:

• Republican U.S. Reps. Jim Baird and Jefferson Shreve talked farm policy with farmers.

• John Baugh, Purdue University’s director of agricultural services and regulations, received the 2025 Friend of Farmer award.

• Presentations emphasized the importance of corn and soybean checkoff programs.

• No Bull Founder and Market Analyst Susan Stroud said that the Trump administration has boosted the soybean oil market by proposing higher volume requirements for biodiesel blends of diesel fuel.

• In addition to Baird and Shreve, other event attendees included state Sen. Brian Buchanan, R-Lebanon, and state Reps. Beau Baird, R-Greencastle; Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron; and Mark Genda, R-Frankfort.

• Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Don Lamb presented a “State of Indiana Agriculture” speech.