Jun 15, 2026 by Robert Herrington, INFB Marketing
On June 24, Indiana Farm Bureau will host a virtual educational program on data centers from 9 a.m. to noon ET. This webinar is exclusively offered only to INFB members as a benefit to their membership.
“The program is designed to provide factual, balanced information about data centers without advocating for or against their development,” Indiana Agricultural Law Foundation Director John Shoup said. “The program will help participants better understand the role of data centers and the issues communities consider as the industry continues to grow in Indiana.”
INFB hosted a similar educational in-person meeting on March 9 in Fulton County. Since then, INFB created a webpage with more information and the state office has received numerous phone calls from members about the topic. To reach all 92 counties simultaneously, INFB created the June 24 webinar as way to proactively bring the topic to all parts of the state.
“Data centers are a hot topic in our state and across the country and we recognize that members have differing options,” Shoup said. “The goal of this program is to provide more information so members are better equipped to discuss or ask questions if the topic comes up in their community.”
The agenda includes county Farm Bureaus sharing their local experiences on data centers, learning data center basics from Dr. Roberto Gallardo of Purdue University, zoning considerations from attorney James Federoff, and local finance and property tax implications from Ryan Hoff, INFB’s senior director of government affairs.
The webinar will take place prior to INFB’s delegate session on August 22 – the culmination of the organization’s grassroots policy development, where member delegates meet to debate, vote on and establish official policy positions for the upcoming year.
Director of Grassroots Advocacy Jesse Cordray said INFB is a staunch defender of private property rights and advocates in instances, when necessary, for control closest to the farm gate. Currently, INFB has two positions on data centers – both address member concerns about water use. Cordray expects that given the increase in economic development proposals – like data centers – across the state, this topic will be discussed by delegates in August.
“Economic development and land use continues to be a topic our members have concern with, and rightly so,” Cordray said. “As data centers continue to be proposed in rural communities across Indiana, it’s important that we have our member’s direction on how we can best advocate for them at the local and state level.”
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