STATEHOUSE (Feb. 14, 2023) – The Indiana House of Representatives today approved State Rep. Kendell Culp's (R-Rensselaer) legislation that would launch a comprehensive study into food insecurity and growth trends to help Hoosier communities address issues and plan for the future.
Culp said his bill would create the Land Use Task Force, which would take a deep dive into growth trends in rural, urban and suburban communities, as well as how they can better position themselves to attract economic development. The task force would also look at barriers to community growth and areas where food insecurity exists.
"As communities seek and plan for growth, we need the tools and information to make decisions wisely," Culp said. "Our land is a limited resource and economic development is booming in many areas of the state. We need to zoom out to better understand how we can better balance land use for agriculture and other purposes."
The 13-member taskforce would include legislators and members from key industries, including agriculture, business, development, economic, food and beverage, local government, planning, real estate and zoning. Their findings and any policy recommendations would be reported to the Indiana General Assembly, which could take further action.
Feeding America reported that nearly 1 out of 9 Hoosiers face some form of food insecurity or the lack of access to enough food for a healthy life. Culp said food insecurity needs to be addressed as it hurts low-income Hoosiers, undermines efforts to lift up communities and poor local land use decisions can exacerbate the issue.
"Our communities want to attract economic development, which benefits everyone," Culp said. "That development requires land, which impacts our food sources. Through effective land use planning and management, we can be better prepared for balancing growth with land utilization."
The Indiana Association of Realtors and Indiana Farm Bureau voiced support for Culp's legislation. House Bill 1132 now moves to the Indiana Senate for consideration. Watch session live and view legislation at iga.in.gov.
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State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer) represents House District 16,
which includes portions of Jasper, Pulaski, Starke and White counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
