STATEHOUSE (Oct. 31, 2025) – State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) recently welcomed U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to the Hoosier state, her first visit to Indiana since she was confirmed to lead the USDA earlier this year.
Baird said that Rollins visited Everett Farms and Seed, LLC in Lebanon and then traveled to Indianapolis where she gave the keynote address at the National FFA Convention and Expo. Baird authored a new law earlier this year that provides FFA and 4-H students in Indiana with excused school absences to participate in these educational events.
"Agriculture is synonymous with Indiana and our farmers are the cornerstone of the state's economy, providing crop production, raising livestock and feeding Hoosiers across the state," said Baird, who chairs the House Environmental Affairs Committee. "As former vice chair of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, I was honored to welcome Secretary Rollins to Indiana and show her how our state continues to lead the nation in agricultural and rural initiatives."
Baird said Indiana continues to rank as one of the nation's top agricultural states. Indiana is the country's top producer of popcorn, gourds and duck, the No. 2 producer of pumpkins and No. 3 producer of spearmint and turkeys. Hoosier farmers are also a top-five producer of soybeans, corn and hogs.
Taiwan recently signed letters of intent with both the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and the Indiana Soybean Alliance to purchase nearly $6.4 billion of U.S. corn and soybeans over the next four years.
The National FFA organization also recently announced that its annual convention and expo will stay in Indianapolis through 2040. Annually, the convention brings an estimated $40 million to Indianapolis.
To stay up to date with Indiana's agriculture news and accomplishments, visit Baird's website at in.gov/h44 and subscribe to his weekly e-newsletter.
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State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) represents House District 44,
which includes all of Putnam County and a portion of Montgomery County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
PHOTO CAPTION: State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) (far right) joins U.S. Rep. Jim Baird (center) and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins (far left) in Indiana on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. This marked Rollins' first visit to the Hoosier state since she was confirmed to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this year.
PHOTO CAPTION 2: State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) (left) welcomes U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins (right) to the Hoosier state on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, with U.S. Rep. Jim Baird (center).
