Stay Informed

AFBF President Zippy Duvall visited southwestern Indiana recently, touring a variety of agribusiness facilities and talking to many Indiana Farm Bureau members.

Despite that variety, there were some things that nearly everybody he talked to in Indiana was concerned about, and the biggest one, Duvall said, was the cost and availability of labor.

“The big theme – not just in agriculture today but for everybody – is lack of labor,” he said, adding that the cost of labor is just as important.

“Being able to afford the labor is one of the biggest costs our farms and ranches have,” he said, noting that this was a major concern for the Hoosier farmers that he talked to during his visit as well as for the businesses that serve farmers.

“Our policy and our board have determined that the law that passed through the House definitely needs some help in several areas,” Duvall said, referring to H.R.1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. He added that AFBF is working with the Senate to produce a more comprehensive solution to the farm labor problem. Among the issues that AFBF wants to see addressed are year-round agricultural work visas and a new streamlined, flexible visa program that would replace the cumbersome H-2A program.

Duvall visited Indiana July 19 and 20, and that visit included informal meetings with county presidents and other county leaders. He also toured:

• Ethanol producer Valero Energy, Mount Vernon.
• Consolidated Grain & Barge (CGB), including a visit to the Ohio River port at Mount Vernon.
• CountryMark Co-op LLP, also in Mount Vernon.
• Frey Farms, Poseyville.
• Leibering Dimension, a family business in Ferdinand that produces hardwood flooring.
• Dewig Meats, Haubstadt.

This was Duvall’s second official visit to Indiana since being elected AFBF president in 2016. His first visit focused on farms, so for his second visit, Indiana Farm Bureau President Randy Kron thought he might want to see something a little different.

“I knew he’d been to a lot of different farms, so I thought visits to some of the businesses that depend on farmers would be educational, and that they would give him a broader picture of Indiana agriculture,” Kron said.

“I’d really like to thank those members who welcomed us to their businesses, and also to the members who met with President Duvall informally,” he added.

Duvall said he learned a lot, but one of the big surprises for him was the existence of major ports in a landlocked state like Indiana.

“This far up the river, you wouldn't picture it being that big,” he said. “And it wasn't just a port for grain, it was a port for fertilizer, for cement, ethanol and coal.”

Two other issues that were of major interest to the Indiana farmers he talked to, Duvall said, were transportation and ethanol.

“I always knew how important (ethanol) was to farmers. One out of three rows of corn goes into ethanol production,” he said. “But I've got a greater appreciation for DDGs (dried distillers grains) and how valuable they are to the livestock industry.

“We are always in the conversation with EPA when it comes to the Renewable Fuel Standard rulings to try to make sure that they understand the importance of that infrastructure and what it means to rural America,” he added, as well as the contribution ethanol makes to lowering emissions.

As for transportation, Duvall noted that a common theme among the Hoosiers he talked to was the difficulty in getting trucks and drivers, as well as the increase in the price they're being charged.

“We work hard on transportation all the time at American Farm Bureau because we know how key it is to agriculture,” he said.