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NASDA Annual Meeting focused on setting policy priorities

Directors from the state departments of agriculture are in Indianapolis this week to set policy that addresses ag issues on the state level.

Indiana State Director of Agriculture Don Lamb says the meeting is an opportunity for states to work together.

“We discussed a lot of different policy items and one of the big ones might be PFOS, for example, and how that affects how we do things here in our state and across the country,” he says. “We kind of let them know what we think and how that applies to agriculture. So, it’s a great way to influence some of those policy making decisions.”

He tells Brownfield is also an opportunity to have face time with regulatory agencies.

“The Food and Drug Administration, EPA, all those those folks come to our organization to this meeting, so we get to interact right there with the EPA and with FDA,” he says.

Lamb says the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and the Oklahoma Department of Ag, Food and Forestry are co-hosting this year’s meeting.

“You learn what they’re doing in their states, and you share ideas. And really, Oklahoma and Indiana are very different in the way that we do agriculture. So really, it’s that partnership where you take our strengths and their strengths and you put them together.”

Brownfield interviewed Lamb at the 2024 NASDA Annual Meeting.

AUDIO: Don Lamb, Indiana State Department of Agriculture