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Breathing new life into Indiana Grown
Indiana Grown was first launched in 2012 with the goal of promoting products grown and produced within the state.
Indiana State Department of Agriculture director Ted McKinney says the program had some challenges taking off – but with the appointment of a new commission – Indiana Grown has a new opportunity for success. “We’ve brought in experts from across all walks in Indiana,” he says. “From retailers to farm markets to producers to marketers and the Department of Agriculture – bringing us all together to recreate this thing. The Indiana Grown program is pretty much on life support. It didn’t have a lot of the elements needed for success – including funding.”
McKinney tells Brownfield the commission has three goals for the Indiana Grown program. “They’re asking for market access wherever food is purchased,” he says. “Secondly, they want to create a demand. Let there be a demand creation so that folks know that they can get Indiana grown products at various places. Finally, the possibility, if consumers are willing and the pricing works out, creating a premium for Indiana grown products.”
The first meeting of the newly formed Indiana Grown Commission was held Friday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
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