As the U.S. prepares for the Nov. 5 election, Indiana Farm Bureau members are asked to connect with candidates at both the state and national level to ensure that those candidates know what is important to agriculture.

“We rely on public officials who will advocate on behalf of Hoosier agriculture and serve as our voice at the Statehouse and in Washington, D.C.,” said INFB President Randy Kron.

Campaign events, town hall meetings and tool shed/shop talk meetings are all great ways for members to talk directly to candidates, said Andy Tauer, INFB executive director of public policy.

At the federal level, key issues include the farm bill, taxes and ag labor. Background information on these and other national issues can be found at www.infb.org/nationalissues.

Key issues at the state level are water, taxes and land use ( www.infb.org/public-policy/state-issues).

Taxes and land use have been priority issues for INFB for a long time, but water quantity has become a concern as competing interests fight for access.

“We want to be proactive and work on water quantity before it actually becomes a problem,” Tauer said.

If you need to register to vote, or you’re not sure if you’re registered, it’s not too late to do something about it. The deadline in Indiana to register to vote in the Nov. 5 election is Monday, Oct. 7, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. This includes registering in person, by mail or online. Those who wish to vote absentee need to make their request for a postal ballot by Thursday, Oct. 24, or make an in-person request by Monday, Nov. 4.

You can check your registration status, register to vote or find the answers to many voting questions at the Indiana voter portal, www.indianavoters.in.gov.