Indiana Agriculture Regulatory Council Holds First Meeting

Lt. Governor Becky Skillman says the group will meet quarterly as a way to keep the lines of communication open as the state works to grow Indiana agriculture.

Source: Inside INdiana Business

Press Release

Today Lt. Governor Becky Skillman announced the success of the first meeting of the Indiana Agriculture Regulatory Council. This newly formed group is made up of state agencies having regulatory responsibilities related to Indiana food and agriculture. The Council met Monday with the goal of improving interagency coordination and communication.

“In order to grow Indiana agriculture, our administration needs to be aware of all of the issues that confront this important sector of our economy,” commented Lt. Governor Becky Skillman, who also serves as Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “By opening the lines of communication between state agencies, we are aware of what each other is doing in the regulation of agriculture. We are also able to brainstorm on ways that we can work together thereby increasing the effectiveness and efficiency in our dealings with Indiana’s agriculture stakeholders.”

The laws and regulations affecting agriculture are housed in various government agencies in Indiana. To ensure coordination and clarity in agriculture dealings, Lt. Governor Skillman and the state agency directors discussed each other’s roles, responsibilities and authorities related to this sector.

Members of the Indiana Agriculture Regulatory Council are Lt. Governor Skillman; Andy Miller, Director, Indiana State Department of Agriculture; Kyle Hupfer, Director, Indiana Department of Natural Resources; Thomas Easterly, Commissioner, Indiana Department of Environmental Management; Judith Monroe, State Health Commissioner, Indiana State Department of Health; Bret Marsh, State Veterinarian, Indiana State Board of Animal Health; Rodney Noel, Office of the Indiana State Chemist; David Steen, Executive Administrator, Indiana State Egg Board; Myron Bozell, Manager, Creamery License Division; Leon Thacker, Director, Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory; and John Baugh, Director of Ag Services/Regulations, Purdue University College of Agriculture.

The Indiana Agriculture Regulatory Council is not a regulatory body and has no decisionmaking authority. The group will meet quarterly as a way to keep the lines of communication open as the state works to grow Indiana agriculture.

Source: Office of Lt. Governor Becky Skillman