Neither Suzanne Crouch, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, nor Christina Hale, the Democratic candidate, are at a loss for words when asked about their views on agriculture. It’s an important question because both want to be Indiana’s next secretary of agriculture.
Here are comments both made when given time to address any topic of their choosing related to their potential role as secretary of agriculture and rural development.
CANDIDATES ADDRESS LIVESTOCK: Both lieutenant governor candidates addressed livestock issues, including opportunities to promote Indiana products like beef.
Crouch: The discussion needs to start with infrastructure. As state auditor, I have visited all 92 counties in Indiana, and have come to recognize the importance of infrastructure wherever I go. We must not rest until we have found a permanent solution for infrastructure in this state. Infrastructure also includes broadband and access to internet. That is especially important to rural areas.
I also know that rural communities need economic development opportunities, and flexibility to realize those opportunities. We all need to work on this together. We don’t need more government; we need less government. Our state agencies [that farmers interact with] must be customer-friendly. Regulations need to be uniform and consistent.
The answer to the challenges facing Indiana agriculture and rural communities is not in government. It’s not government that makes Indiana great. It’s the people within Indiana that make this a great state.
Hale: We need to change the conversation to the public about agriculture. Agriculture is business. Agriculture is impact [on our economy], and agriculture is opportunity. We need to double-down on infrastructure issues in rural Indiana, especially in regards to broadband.
HOW CROUCH SEES AG VALUE: Suzanne Crouch, the Republican candidate, believes agriculture is important to Indiana’s economy.
Agriculture is also a pillar of our economy here in Indiana. John Gregg and I feel we can work within this area and help. We know we need uniform regulations [so people in agriculture know what to expect]. We also know we need to focus on the youth pipeline and keep talented young people in agriculture at home here in Indiana.
We know there are a lot of challenges in rural Indiana to address. We hope to have the opportunity to work with local officials and make improvements in these areas. We are also committed to making sure government gets out of the way when it makes sense to do so.
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like