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For more information:
Mindy Reef, 317-692-7822, mreef@infarmbureau.org
Kathleen Dutro, 317-692-7824, kdutro@infarmbureau.org

Note to editors, news directors: The release below mentions many different county Farm Bureaus, but it should be of particular interest to media that cover Clark, Clay, Decatur, Franklin, LaPorte, Pike, Rush, Shelby, Vermillion or White counties.

Recognizing the achievements of Indiana’s county Farm Bureaus was the focus of the awards program held Dec. 9 during Indiana Farm Bureau’s annual convention.

The Impact Award recognizes county Farm Bureaus for efforts that result in a significant impact or an increase in political influence and clout. This year’s Impact winners were honored for achievements in four categories: influential organization, issue engagement, public relations and education, and young farmers and youth.

Influential organization

• Decatur County for its “Meet the Candidates” night for county commissioners and county council.
• Pike County for its “Agribusiness Forum.”

Issue engagement

• Clark County for the “Vote ‘No’” campaign (Greater Clark County Schools referendum).
• White County for its leadership role in the effort to amend the county’s CFO ordinance.
• Franklin County for its involvement in the county’s livestock zoning discussions.

Public relations and education

• Clay County for the Books to Barn project, presented during three days of the 2016 Clay County 4-H Fair.
• Rush County for its expanded Ag in the Classroom program.

Young farmer and youth

• LaPorte County for its lawnmower winterization service event.
• Shelby County for increasing youth involvement in the county board.
• Vermillion County for the “Drone School” that it organized in cooperation with Fountain, Warren and Parke County Farm Bureaus.

INFB’s County Recognition Program was developed five years ago to recognize contributions to the organization in five categories: membership outreach, issue engagement, influential organization, young farmer and youth, and public relations and education. Counties earn bronze or silver status in each category; a county that reaches silver in all five categories is awarded gold status. Sixty counties achieved gold status this year.

During the awards program, special recognition was given to the 16 counties who have consistently achieved the highest level of performance in all categories since the inception of the County Recognition Program five years ago: Allen, Benton, Boone, Cass, Clinton, Decatur, Delaware, Franklin, Posey, Rush, Shelby, Tippecanoe, Vanderburgh, Warrick, White and Whitley.