Taxes and water rights were the top priorities discussed by delegates during the Indiana Farm Bureau policy session on Aug. 17.

The delegates gathered at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds consisted of 233 farmers and agribusiness professionals from across the state. Other major topics discussed included renewable energy, land use, rural broadband and more.

“INFB’s annual delegate session provides the opportunity for our members to create policy positions for issues directly impacting agriculture and rural communities,” said Randy Kron, INFB president. “It is the foundation of our grassroots policy process and vital to the advocacy work INFB will be doing during the upcoming legislative session.”

INFB’s policy development process begins at the local level. Each year, all counties can make policy suggestions or edits. Then, those suggestions are debated by a resolutions committee before being brought to the full delegate session. The grassroots structure is vital to ensuring that INFB members can voice their opinions.

During this year’s debate, the delegates proposed increased protection of agriculture’s right – not just farmers’ rights – to water resources, which broadens protection beyond irrigation to livestock, food processing industries and others. The delegates also proposed establishing a transparent regulatory framework for large groundwater withdrawal facilities to ensure proper monitoring occurs.

The delegates supported specific policies related to property taxes, including:

• Prioritizing the reduction of property taxes over the reduction of income taxes.
• The use of property tax caps on farmland as a buffer against rapidly rising farmland values.
• Modernizing the farmland formula.

“Water and taxes continue to remain our top policy priorities here at INFB, and that was evident by the discussions we heard from the delegates,” said Andy Tauer, INFB executive director of public policy. “There were conversations about a statewide water plan and the need for a better understanding for what we have in terms of the resource, as well as dialogue around a comprehensive review of farmers’ tax burden, modification to the tax code and where tax dollars are being spent.”

Tauer added that farmland property taxes rose dramatically due to changes in the base rate. In 2023, the base rate rose 17%, followed by another jump in 2024 of 26.4% and a projected jump of 20% next year.

“With net farm income predictions to be lower this year while the costs of inputs remain high, farmers can’t take more tax increases,” he said.

Other discussions focused on the support for renewable energy while striking a balance regarding land use and farmland preservation. Additionally, there was conversation among members around expanded rural broadband access and support for a standard height when constructing overhead communication cables to allow for farm equipment. Delegates continue to support improving access to high-speed internet “to the last acre.”

During the session, delegates also voted on the members who will represent INFB at the 2025 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention, to be held in San Antonio, Texas, in January. The INFB delegates chosen will discuss policy positions for the national organization with representatives from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Five county Farm Bureau presidents were elected as delegates for the AFBF Convention:

• Mike Beale, Carroll County.
• Josh Boxell, Howard County.
• Sarah Delbecq, DeKalb County.
• John Feutz, Gibson County.
• Nick Wenning, Decatur County.

Over the next few weeks, the INFB board of directors will determine the priorities for the 2025 state legislative session. Federal priorities are set at the AFBF level based on input from all state Farm Bureaus. Now the INFB public policy team will work with regional managers, district directors and county Farm Bureau members to decide which priorities will set the stage for the organization’s efforts at the Statehouse and in Washington, D.C.