Latest news with #IndianaStateDepartmentofAgriculture
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Indiana among top states for cover crop adoption
Hoosier farmers planted about 1.6 million acres of overwinter living covers – cover crops and small grains, like wheat – this spring. (Photo byHoosier farmers planted about 1.6 million acres of overwinter living covers – cover crops and small grains, like wheat – this spring, elevating the state to the top in the nation in cover crop adoption, according to a survey by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. The conservation survey, conducted between March and May, recorded 651,000 acres of corn and 916,000 acres of soybean covering the state. Posey County led the state with about 87,000 acres under cover crops, followed by Gibson County with 70,000 acres and LaPorte County with 60,000 acres. 'Hoosier farmers are committed to preserving one of God's most (precious) gifts – Earth,' Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith said in a press release. 'Overwintering covers are just one tool that farmers use to preserve and enhance our farmland — ensuring they can pass down their property for generations. This is no easy task, and it can be costly. I applaud them for the extra effort.' Farmers plant cover crops after the fall harvest to keep roots in the ground throughout the winter. They help build organic matter in the soil, improve overall soil health and reduce erosion. Some, such as legumes, also act as natural fertilizers. Cover crops have grown to cover more acreage in Indiana than any other commodity crop apart from corn and soybeans. Acres of Living Green Cover Planted The survey estimates that cover crops helped prevent 1.8 million tons of sediment from entering Indiana's waterways — enough to fill about 18,000 train freight cars. According to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, constructing roads, buildings and the moving earth can cause sediment to enter waterways – making sediment the number one water quality pollutant in Indiana. The survey also revealed that 70% of row crop acres were untilled — a method where crops are planted directly in residue of the previous crop. Additionally 18% had used reduced tillage over winter following the 2024 harvest. Last year, Hoosier farmers broke the conservation record, planting 1.7 million acres under living cover. The Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, who assisted in conducting the survey, was among the many hit by federal funding freezes. The federal funding freezes left the Allen County district in turmoil – hurting operations and terminating an employee.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signs first bill into law, creating new online portal for farmers
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signs his first bill into law during a Statehouse ceremony on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed his first bill into law Tuesday, establishing a new online agricultural portal for Hoosier farmers. House Bill 1149, authored by Rep. Kendall Culp, R-Rensselaer, creates an online hub coined by Braun as a 'one-stop-shop' for farmers to communicate with state government and 'get information they need to be successful.' The governor additionally said the new law will help farmers 'avoid red tape.' 'Hoosier farmers feed America and power our economy, and this bill makes their important job a little bit easier,' Braun told reporters at a Statehouse bill signing ceremony. The Indiana State Department of Agriculture is tasked with creating and maintaining the new online portal. Its features will provide Hoosier farmers with centralized funding information, including a searchable database of grants with deadlines and eligibility; regulatory checklists to help avoid violations when entering new markets; tools for tracking lost farmland; and communication channels to provide feedback on federal regulations and state-level agricultural services. The bill was part of Braun's 'Freedom and Opportunity' agriculture agenda. Six other measures were signed into law on Tuesday, including a bill to update Indiana's '25-foot rule' — first passed into law in 2023 — which allows law enforcement officers to move witnesses back 25 feet from an active crime scene. In response to lawsuits filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and others, House Enrolled Act 1122 clarifies that officers can only invoke the rule if they have a 'reasonable belief' that a person's presence will interfere with their lawful duties. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
