STATEHOUSE (March 22, 2023) – The Indiana Senate on Monday voted in support of State Rep. Kendell Culp's (R-Rensselaer) legislation launching a statewide inventory of lost Hoosier farmland, sending the legislation to the governor where it could be signed into law.
Culp, a grain and livestock producer, and vice chair of the House Environmental Affairs Committee, said House Enrolled Act 1557 would task the Indiana State Department of Agriculture with conducting a statewide inventory of agricultural land lost from 2010 to 2022, and reporting on the causes for the losses.
"This measure is about looking out for our local farmers, agriculture industry and Indiana's ability to continue producing what it needs well into the future," Culp said. "I understand the impact that agriculture has on the state's economy, and that every acre of Hoosier farmland counts. We have to protect this great asset if we want to secure Indiana's success."
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture reports that agriculture contributes an estimated $35.1 billion to the state's economy, and that Indiana is the eighth-largest agricultural exporter in the nation and the 10th largest farming state.
According to the American Farmland Trust, reported acreage of Indiana farms in 1950 was over 19.6 million, making up 84.8% of the state's total land area. Based on the last census in 2017, Indiana's total farm acreage was 14.9 million.
To follow legislation considered for new laws by the governor, visit in.gov/gov/newsroom/2023-bill-watch/.
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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.
