Drainage school, a popular workshop offered annually by Indiana Farm Bureau, will be held this year on Aug. 26 – but with a difference. The 2.5-hour event will be offered via Zoom, an online video conferencing service.

The decision to take the workshop online was made to ensure the safety of speakers, staff, members and guests, said Mark Thornburg, INFB’s director of legal affairs.

Another difference is that the event will be free. In recent years, the cost for members was $50 and the cost for non-members $100.

Although the event is free, registration is required. Register online after July 15.

“Drainage School: How to Understand the Laws Impacting Drainage Decisions” will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. EDT. Topics on the tentative agenda include:

• Legislative update plus updates on the Stormwater Task Force and joint waterways permitting – Jeff Cummins, INFB’s associate director of policy engagement.
• River Basin Commission update featuring state Sen. Rick Niemeyer, state Rep. Doug Gutwein and former state Rep. Scott Pelath.
• Interactions among overlapping drainage jurisdictions featuring Vince Urbano, Jasper County surveyor; Kendell Culp, INFB vice president and Jasper County commissioner; and Dan Blaney, counsel for Iroquois Conservancy District and partner with Blaney & Walton.
• WOTUS update, including information on the Maui/Clean Water Act case from Fred Andes of Barnes & Thornburg.
• Boucher case and its effect on the farm program’s swampbuster provisions from Michael Cooley, Allen Wellman McNew Harvey, LLP.