Frequently Asked Questions

Trade is a vital component to keeping family farms viable. Farmers in the United States and Indiana are very efficient and they produce more than we can use domestically. Having open markets and fair trade agreements give farmers access to markets where the surplus of goods can be sold.

Indiana is the eighth largest agricultural exporter in the nation, exporting just over $4.6 billion in 2017. Hoosier farmers need trade agreements to be retained and expanded to continue running their operations, and to continue to be able to feed the world.

For more information on the value of trade, visit: USDA.

Crop insurance, like home or car insurance, is a risk management tool used by farmers. If there are extreme weather conditions or drastic market changes that affect a farmer, crop insurance enables them to recover financially. This allows farmers to continue their operation in the event of a loss. Without crop insurance, it would be nearly impossible for operations to pay their debts after they experienced a significant event that damaged their crops.

There are private insurers who provide crop insurance, as well as Federal Crop Insurance. To learn more about crop insurance visit Crop Insurance in America.

Crops need water to grow, but if they receive too much water, root health may be compromised. Tile drainage refers to an underground system that removes excess water from the soil. With the remaining amount of water left in the soil after drainage, roots are able to flourish without the risk of drowning. Drainage tile can reduce crop damage and increase yields for farmers.

These systems originally utilized concrete or clay tiles, which is why it’s known as tile drainage. Today, many of these systems are built using a network of corrugated pipes. You can learn more at: Agricultural Drainage.

Wind energy has seen an increase across the country and throughout Indiana in recent years. The wind turbines produce clean energy and provide new sources of revenue for those living in rural areas. These sources of renewable electricity are seen on large and small scales in Indiana. Some of the turbines divert their generated power to a local utility, while other installations provide power directly to homes and businesses.

There are many incentives that exist to help fund these projects. There are state and federal-level incentives, as well as incentives from utility companies. To learn more about wind power in Indiana visit the Indiana Office of Energy Development.

To ensure that future generations of farmers are able to work the land and feed the growing population, it is imperative that today’s farmers take care of the soil. Farming does have an impact on the soil, but modern agricultural operations work to limit erosion and maintain optimal nutrient levels. There are many techniques used by farmers to protect the quality of their soil.

Some of those techniques include utilizing cover crops, rotating crops and no-till farming.

To learn more about these and other techniques visit: the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

Public concerns about the environment have increased steadily in recent decades, and that is a good thing! Farmers rely on the land they work to provide for their family, their community and the world. A good farmer is a good steward of the environment. Most farmers work with the goal of passing their operation down to the next generation, and it is in their best interest to have as little negative environmental impact as possible.

New technology plays a big role in reducing undesirable environmental impacts. However, farmers have other tools at their disposal like conservation and preservation to help keep natural resources intact.

To learn more about how farmers care for the environment visit Animals Smart.

It’s understandable that food safety is a major concern for the general public. With many people disconnected from the production process, the framework of protection in place may be unknown. Farming is a heavily regulated industry. The Environmental Protection Agency regulates farms regarding their impact on natural resources and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) works to ensure public health regarding meat, poultry and egg consumption.

The USDA is constantly working to protect consumers. In 2012, they implemented a “test and hold” policy to reduce recall rates. Operations must now hold off on distributing products until microbiological testing determines that the meat, poultry or eggs are safe to release into the market. The USDA also has oversight in processing plants to ensure sanitary practices are being utilized.

To learn more about what the USDA is doing to keep consumers safe visit: Health and Safety.

Many people have an image of evil corporations pulling the strings of large farming operations. However, the fact remains that 96 percent of Indiana farms are still family-owned. Indiana Farm Bureau has members that farm on all scales. These farmers strive to be good stewards of the environment and provide quality products. After all, their families live in the communities they work in and consume the very products they produce.

The economies of scale and technological advances have allowed farming operations to expand over the last 50 years or more. With new technology, farmers can plant more crops and raise more animals, and they can do so more safely and efficiently.

To learn more about how technology has made farming more efficient.

Modern agriculture has seen many changes in the last few decades. Today, farmers use sensors, aerial images, GPS and more to increase yields and efficiency. This technology also has allowed farmers to treat crops with pesticides and fertilizers with much more precision. They’re able to focus on certain sectors of a field or down to a single plant, instead of spraying the entire field. These tactics result in lower food prices, reduced impact on natural resources and increased worker safety.

Learn more about technology advancements in farming.

The United States Department of Agriculture looked into farm ownership on a national level in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Of the 2 million farms in the country, 96 percent of them are family-owned.

Indiana falls right in line with that Census data with 96 percent of farms being family-owned. The average acreage of an Indiana farm is 264 and there are over 56,000 farming operations in our state.

To see more facts on Indiana agriculture visit: ISDA.

Confined Feeding Operations (CFOs) and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are animal agricultural operations. There are size guidelines that must be met to designate an size guidelines that must be met to designate an operation as a CFO or CAFO as a CFO or CAFO. In Indiana, regulation and enforcement of confined feeding operations fall under the purview of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).

When it comes to animal agriculture, concerns of the general public have been growing in certain areas. Public health and safety are very important, and IDEM works to protect Indiana’s citizens. There have been laws regarding confined feeding in Indiana since 1971. Since that time, the regulations have been updated several times, and the most recent updates occurred in 2014. IDEM is responsible for stringent oversight on the design and construction of CAFO and CFO facilities. They also regulate nutrient management, storm water from manure-applied fields, compliance and manure handling and storage.

Citizens may still have concerns about living near one of these operations. And while IDEM works hard to ensure public safety, it’s important to note that residents have opportunities to have a say in where these facilities are located.

Before a new CAFO or CFO is approved by IDEM, the community has an opportunity to comment during a 33-day period. It also is important to note that IDEM isn’t the sole authority on the approval of CAFOs or CFOs. Local zoning laws provide another opportunity for each community to have a say in the location or construction of these operations.

Food safety is a major topic for a lot of Americans. What people put in their bodies directly affects them, and it’s important to make sure products are safe. Antibiotics are used to prevent or treat diseases in animals. Like humans, animals are susceptible to bacteria, and antibiotics provide veterinarians and farmers with a tool to mitigate risks. Antibiotics are used following strict guidelines to ensure antibiotic residues do not remain in the final product distributed to consumers. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the body that regulates the use of antibiotics in livestock production.

Milk is tested for antibiotics before it goes to market, and if the milk doesn’t pass the FDA antibiotic residue standard, the milk is discarded. The producer also can face heavy fines and penalties if their product doesn’t pass the standard. The same stringent regulations and penalties exist for meat processing, as regulated by the Food Safety Inspection Service. 

Learn more about antibiotic use in food supply.

Similarly, some members of the population have questions about hormones used when raising livestock. There are hormones that are used for reproductive purposes and others used to promote growth. Please note that growth promoting hormones are not used at all in pork or poultry production.

For beef cattle, there are six approved hormones. Some of these hormones are naturally-occurring and others are synthetic. However, every hormone approved for use has been vetted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Hormones are approved only once studies show that food from animals using a specific hormone is safe for human consumption. The hormones work to increase feed efficiency and lean muscle mass.

Delve deeper into hormone use and safety.

The grass-fed beef movement has picked up steam as more people make attempts to buy locally. There have been claims, highlighted in this study, that grass-fed beef contains more beneficial nutrients, but those statements need to be investigated further. So, it’s hard to determine whether one type of beef is truly better than another nutritionally. There are other considerations a person may want to take when choosing between the two options like taste, environmental impacts and retail price.

To learn more about this topic visit: Digital Commons or North North American Meat Institute Meat Institute.

Like healthy soil is important to farmers working with crops, healthy animals are vital to those working in animal agriculture. Farmers care for animals by taking preventive measures against sickness, developing nutrition plans for their animals and ensuring that the animals have suitable living conditions.

To learn more about animal care on the farm go to Animal Ag Alliance.

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. In farming, GMOs refer to crops developed with genetic engineering. There are nine GMOs available today. Those GMO crops are sweet and field corn, soybeans, cotton, canola, alfalfa, sugar beets, papaya, potatoes and squash.

For thousands of years, farmers have cultivated plants to improve on existing crops and create new ones. Through techniques like selective breeding and genetic engineering, desired characteristics are applied to crops. Some of these desirable characteristics include increased pest resistance, drought resistance and disease resistance, among others.

Some people have expressed a fear of consuming GMOs. Scientific authorities, such as the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association, have confirmed that GMOs are safe to eat. A major study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine was release in 2016. The study concluded that there was no link between human health and the genetically engineered crops available in today’s market.

Learn more about GMOs at GMO Answers.

Farmers use pesticides to protect crops from damage caused by pests. The overall use of pesticides has declined in recent years. Technological advances have allowed for more precise application of pesticides, which means less pesticide is used. The existence of Genetically Modified Organisms created in the form of crops that are more resistant to pests has also led to a decrease in pesticide use. The use of cover crops also serves as a pest control tool.

When pesticides are used by farmers, the practice is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA looks at the ingredients, frequency of use, the amount of use, and the timing of pesticide use. They also regulate storage and disposal.

Learn more about pesticides.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates many activities on farms in the United States. The use of pesticides is one area the EPA handles. The EPA works with state agencies to carry out a number of processes.

Learn more about the EPA and pesticide regulation.

The farm bill is a piece of national legislation that governs many agricultural and food programs. The legislation is renewed every five or six years and contains a variety of focus areas. Some of these focus areas, called titles, include crop insurance, trade, commodities and conservation.

The farm bill also has a nutrition title. This title actually covers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known colloquially as food stamps. The current  farm bill was enacted in 2018, and the discussions for the next farm bill are already underway. The goal is for the policy to be completed by 2023.

Learn more at Congressional Research Service.

For most people, the internet is all-encompassing and easy to access. That is not necessarily the case in rural areas of our country. Many people in these rural communities don’t have access to broadband internet.

Many in rural areas must resort to using dial-up internet, which results in much slower speeds than needed. This makes it difficult for some farmers to manage their business efficiently, run their technologically-advanced farming equipment or provide opportunities for their children to do schoolwork at home.

As part of the Indiana Broadband Strategic Partnership, INFB is promoting the Indiana Speed Test, a crowd-sourced internet speed test created by GEO Partners, LLC, a Minnesota-based company that focuses on enabling cost-effective planning and deployment of broadband. All INFB members and Hoosiers are encouraged to test their internet speed. Take the quick test in your community by going to www.infb.org/speedtest.

Learn more about rural broadband issues.

Waters of the U.S. refers to a regulatory definition of waters that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate. In 2015, a revised definition of the WOTUS rule worried many in the agricultural community.

The rule proposed in 2015 granted the EPA jurisdiction over seemingly all waters, not just the navigable ones. The U.S. Court of Appeals issued a nationwide stay on the rule shortly after it took effect. The EPA resumed following the regulations set up prior to 2015 in response.

On November 18, 2021, the agencies announced the signing of a proposed rule revising the definition of “waters of the United States.” The agencies propose to put back into place the pre-2015 definition of “waters of the United States,” updated to reflect consideration of Supreme Court decisions. This familiar approach would support a stable implementation of “waters of the United States” while the agencies continue to consult with states, tribes, local governments, and a broad array of stakeholders in both the current implementation and future regulatory actions.

A durable definition of “waters of the United States” is essential to ensuring clean and safe water in all communities—supporting human health, animal habitat, agriculture, watersheds, flood management, local economies, and industry.

Learn more about the WOTUS rule.

A food desert refers to an area that does not have access to fruits, vegetables or other healthy foods. A rise in convenience stores and decline of grocery stores and farmers’ markets in impoverished areas is the formula that generally leads to a food desert.

The United States Department of Agriculture defines an urban food desert or low-access community as an area where at least 500 people and/or at least 33 percent of the population lives more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store. For rural areas, the designation is applied when 500 people or at least 33 percent of the population lives more than 10 miles from a supermarket or large grocery store.

Learn more at the USDA's Economic Research Service.

CRP stands for Conservation Reserve Program. The CRP program is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). CRP agreements halt agricultural production on plots of land with the hope of improving water quality, preventing soil erosion and reducing the loss of wildlife habitat. Farmers in the program receive payment in exchange for halting their farming practices there.

To learn more about CRP at FSA.