Farm Bureau Pancakes Kick Off Farmers Day

Farm Bureau kicks off another Farmers Day

Farmers Day at the Indiana State Fair is a long standing tradition, a day many around the state marked on the calendar as a day to make the trip to Indianapolis. Dating back to elementary school it was that way for current Indiana Farm Bureau vice president Kendell Culp from Jasper County, who started Farmers Day yesterday helping at the pancake breakfast.

“We would come two times to the Indiana State Fair,” he said. “We would always come for the beef cattle show, which was always at the beginning of the fair, and then we would come back for Farmers Day. If there was a day that they were going to come to the state fair they would always choose Farmers Day to do that, and it was kind of a homecoming of sorts.”

Now as part of Farm Bureau, Culp talks with farmers at the fair and in trips he makes around the state about the issues important to them, helping them “Find their Voice” when working with media and legislators.

“It’s important that our members tell their story, and they need to share those concerns and things that affect them on their farm, and affect their families and their communities and share those with others that are decision makers and can make a difference on those issues. And so we work with our members. We have training programs and educational opportunities to try to help them feel more comfortable with having those conversations. We have programs throughout the organization as far as how to deal with media and how to have interviews and just how to have one on one conversations, for example with legislators.”

He said it makes a world of difference when members know their legislators on a first name basis, whether discussing issues with them at home or the statehouse.

“They’ll be the first to tell you that they’re really anxious to hear from their constituents,” Culp said.

Take advantage of the training and education available to Farm Bureau members. To become a member of Indiana Farm Bureau for just $32.50 annually visit their website, www.infb.org/findyourvoice.

(Also Pictured: FB president Randy Kron presents donation of FFA state officers)