Tom: Bring supply chains back to U.S., Indiana

From escalating energy prices to a crisis in the food supply chain, the war in Ukraine continues to have widespread impact on the global economy. Can Indiana agriculture play a role in long term solutions? Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture Kip Tom thinks so. The Kosciusko County native is traveling the globe, working with private sector companies and others in search of answers that he believes can be found closer to home.

“There’s no question we need to bring some of these supply chains back to the United States and certainly would like to bring some back to Indiana,” said Tom, the CEO of Tom Farms in Leesburg.

Tom was a guest on this weekend’s edition of Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.

Tom points to the production of key fertilizer elements like nitrogen and potassium as an area where the U.S. in general, and Indiana specifically, can play a role.

“Nearly one-third of the world’s nitrogen that is exported comes out of Russia. Belarus is a producer of potassium. Those products we can get out of Canada. We can get nitrogen production started here in the United States and hopefully here in Indiana, whether on the Michigan coast or down on the Ohio River, the reality is we have the potential to do it right here.”

Tom admits it will take an all hands-on deck approach with private sector companies like Corteva, organizations like Agrinovus Indiana and state lawmakers selling Indiana as a place to do business to companies around the globe.

“I really believe this is an opportunity now for us to move forward to bring these supply chains back and to create more jobs and grow the economy of Indiana.”