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Indiana Lieutenant Governor candidates debate at the Indiana State Fair

Indiana’s candidates for Lieutenant Governor had the opportunity to discuss issues that matter most to the state’s farmers.

Some of the most talked about issues were water availability, property taxes, and input costs.

Democratic candidate Terry Goodin says water is the state’s most important resource.

“Indiana needs to get together and put together a policy of all those folks who are impacted by the use of water and make sure that we put the right process together moving forward,” he says.

Republican candidate Micah Beckwith addressed farmer concern over the loss of farmland across the state.

“We can’t keep incentivizing that as the government,” he says. “I love the free market, but don’t let the government pick winners and losers and that’s what’s happening right now.”

Libertarian candidate Tonya Hudson says the state is in a property tax crisis.

“You should not be paying property taxes on a home that you already own,” she says. “Whether you’re a farmer or a senior citizen living on Social Security and barely making ends meet. Your property taxes go shouldn’t go up and then you can’t pay them.”

Held in the Purdue Extension Building and open to the public, a panel asked several questions to the three candidates about state ag policy issues during the 2024 Lieutenant Governor debate.