INFB promotes Bob White to director, national government relations. Just prior, White was the organization’s retail agriculture program coordinator. White has years of valuable experience in agriculture and government relations, including serving as state director of Indiana USDA Rural Development and as senior professional staff member on the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, contributing to five previous farm bills.

Indiana Farm Bureau public policy team member, Shelby Swain, has been promoted to associate policy adviser, state government relations. Swain will now serve on INFB's Statehouse lobby team, focusing primarily on budget and fiscal issues in the General Assembly.

Indiana Farm Bureau will host its annual Spring Conference on March 10 and 11. This year's theme is "Change, Challenge and Opportunity." Scheduled to appear are Vance Crowe, director of millennial engagement for Monsanto; Leslie Townsend, a comedienne who specializes in city-girl-marries-country-boy humor; Randy Lyness, singer-legislator; and Howard Kellman, the "Voice of the Indianapolis Indians."

Indiana Farm Bureau held its annual Young Farmer Leadership Conference January 27-29 in Indianapolis. More than 400 young farmers and their families enjoyed a night of friendly competition for a good cause; attended breakout sessions to learn about a wide variety of topics -- from understanding property taxes to continuity planning; and celebrated their fellow farmers with various county programs awards.

Indiana Farm Bureau encourages anyone interested in running for elected office, working on a campaign or simply learning more about the process, to register for its next Campaign School session on February 7-8.

Indiana Farm Bureau Second Vice President Isabella Chism was reelected as vice chair of the American Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee at the American Farm Bureau Federation's national convention in Phoenix.

Indiana Farm Bureau members placed in the Top 10 in two Young Farmer & Rancher awards competitions at the American Farm Bureau Federation national convention in Phoenix. Meggie and Dallas Foster of Hancock County were honored in the Achievement Award category, and Deidra Gottbrath of Washington County in the Excellence in Agriculture category.

Indiana Farm Bureau received Awards of Excellence at the 2017 annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation in all six Farm Bureau program areas: education and outreach; leadership development; member benefits; membership initiatives; policy development and implementation; and public relations and communications.

Indiana Farm Bureau and the Indiana Certified Crop Adviser Program named Jon Peacock, a member of Randolph County Farm Bureau, as the 2016 Indiana Certified Crop Adviser of the Year. The award recognizes an individual who has performed superior service in nutrient management, soil and water management, pest management and crop production.