The Indiana State Department of Agriculture has unveiled a new Indiana Dairy Strategy, which focuses on dairy business expansion, development and attraction to our great Hoosier state. Indiana Dairy Strategy 2.0 is an update to the previous dairy strategy released in 2015.
“This updated dairy strategy highlights our strengths as an agriculture focused state along with our unprecedented business climate,†said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch. “We want to encourage processors and dairy businesses to think of Indiana when realizing expansion or adding an additional location is on the horizon.â€
America’s dairy farmers are critical to agriculture, not just in Indiana, but around the world. Dairy products provide a rich source of protein and other vital nutrients at an affordable cost for consumers and it is readily available in almost all grocery stores. While the coronavirus pandemic did cause some disruptions for the dairy industry, this strategy focuses on data pre-COVID-19.
“Our dairy industry is crucial for our state and we are incredibly thankful for our Hoosier farmers and processors,†said Bruce Kettler, Indiana State Department of Agriculture director. “Our dairy farmers are committed to their profession and we are proud to support them on the state level and will continue to do everything we can to increase milk processing in our state and add value to our dairy products.â€
The Indiana Dairy Strategy 2.0 was developed to better understand our current dairy industry environment and its strengths. It also gives an overview of the data trends the industry has seen play out over the past few years. A goal of the dairy strategy was to find new ways to strengthen our dairy industry and work with our current processors to increase milk outlets.
“The dairy industry is something I have been a part of all my life, and it is an industry that teaches me something new each day,†said Doug Leman, executive director of the Indiana Dairy Producers. “This updated strategy is a big step forward in making more opportunities available for Hoosier dairy farmers.â€
Some highlights of the dairy strategy are as follows
- Indiana produces a net surplus of 3.5 million pounds of milk each day
- Indiana producers and farmers have made strides around sustainability and work each day to reduce ecological impact
- A key asset in growing Indiana’s dairy sector is the state’s advantage of critical infrastructure
- Indiana has a positive regulatory and tax environment for dairy producers and processors
To view the full dairy strategy click here.
To view the dairy strategy one page document click here.
