West Indy News

Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and several industry leaders for a farm tour at Everett Farms and Seed, LLC. The event aimed to provide an opportunity for producers and industry representatives to discuss current successes and challenges in agriculture.

Participants included Indiana Department of Agriculture Director Don Lamb, Indiana Soybean Alliance Chair Denise Scarborough, Indiana Farm Bureau President Randy Kron, and Indiana Corn Growers & Indiana Corn Marketing Council Treasurer Tyler Everett. Other attendees were Representatives Rudy Yakym, Victoria Spartz, Mark Messmer, Jefferson Shreve, State Senator Sue Glick, and State Representatives Beau Baird and Robb Greene. Members from the Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Pork, Indiana Poultry, Indiana Beef Cattle Association, and Farm Credit Services were also present.

“I am grateful to Secretary Rollins for coming to the great state of Indiana during harvest season to hear directly from farmers and industry leaders in my district about what they are experiencing in the agriculture industry,” said Congressman Baird. “Indiana boasts of a rich agricultural history and is one of the top 10 farming states in the nation, which makes farm tours like these, coupled with the support from the president and Secretary Rollins, vital to our ag sector’s success. This farm tour could not have come at a better time. We toured the Everett family’s soybean operations on the heels of the Trump Administration’s historic soybean agreement. Both Secretary Rollins and President Trump have been great advocates for Rural America and are truly putting our farmers first. I also want to thank the Everett family for their hard work hosting this vital event as Secretary Rollins and I continue to work on behalf of our farmers and ranchers at the federal level.”

“It was great to welcome Secretary Rollins to the Hoosier State,” said Congressman Yakym. “Hoosier farmers and ranchers are the heartbeat of America’s agricultural community, and their hard work and sacrifice feed our communities, our state, and the world. Together, we’re committed to strengthening American agriculture, standing up for rural communities, and keeping America first.”

“I’m grateful to Ag Secretary Rollins and President Trump for their leadership in securing a major agreement with China to purchase millions of tons of U.S. soybeans,” said Congressman Shreve. “Indiana’s 6th District is home to some of the top soybean producers in the country, and this deal is a win for Hoosier farmers and our ag economy. I visited the Everett family farm to see firsthand how these investments strengthen agriculture across Indiana and beyond.”

“It was a pleasure to join Rep. Baird and my congressional colleagues in welcoming Secretary Rollins to the Hoosier State to discuss the concerns of Indiana’s farmers over skyrocketing input costs,” said Congresswoman Spartz.“Agriculture is a vital part of Indiana’s economy, and it is essential to have strong partners at the federal level who understand and support this critical industry.”

Jim Baird has represented Indiana's 4th District in Congress since 2019 after replacing Todd Rokita https://baird.house.gov/about. Before his election to Congress, he served in both local government as Putnam County Commissioner from 2006–2010 as well as in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2010–2018 https://www.congress.gov/member/james-baird/B001307. Born in Covington in 1945, Baird resides in Greencastle https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/113657/jim-baird.

Baird earned his bachelor's degree from Purdue University West Lafayette in 1967.