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Indiana Farm Bureau members attend Leader Trip in D.C.

Twenty Indiana Farm Bureau county leaders are in Washington D.C. this week for the annual Leader Trip.

Bob White, the director of national government relations with Indiana Farm Bureau, says it’s critical for members to get in front of elected officials.

“It’s very important for our members to go in and tell their story and how legislation or impending legislation will impact them and their operation,” he says.

He tells Brownfield trade and getting the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement ratified remain top priorities.  

“Mexico and Canada have agreed to it and are voting on it sometime in the near future so let’s get our house and senate to vote on this,” says.

White says it will also be important to move the agreement forward before the 2020 election year.

“Nothing is going to come easy during that time frame because there’s going to be a lot of political posturing,” he says. “There a lot of belief that if we don’t get this done by the end of September that it could be stalled out until the next election.”

He says broadband is another priority for Indiana Farm Bureau.

“Farmers take data from the field and aggregate it for their farm, and they need to be able to send that information,” he says. “That is vitally important because input expenses are so high, and we don’t want to put more inputs on the land than we need.”

White spoke to Brownfield during the 18^th annual Indiana Farm Bureau Leader Trip to Washington D.C.

He says the trip gives members confidence to talk with elected officials and tell them their stories. 

Audio: Bob White, Indiana Farm Bureau