Baird letter endorses relocation of agriculture institutions to Indiana

Jim Baird

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Indiana 4th District Congressman Jim Baird (R-Greencastle) and Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) led a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue endorsing Indiana’s bid to host the Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

It was announced last month that Indiana had made the next round of candidates for the proposed ERS and NIFA relocation out of Washington, D.C.

Indiana’s entire congressional delegation, including Sens. Young and Braun, signed the letter.

Congressman Baird released the following statement:

“Agriculture is part of our DNA in Indiana. It is the backbone of our economy, contributing an estimated $31.2 billion to our state, and roughly $4.6 billion in exports,” Baird said. “Eighty percent of our land is devoted to farms, forests and woodlands, giving us the tremendous ability and responsibility to help feed the globe.

“Farming is the livelihood of 107,000 Hoosiers with nearly 57,000 operations, almost all of which have been family-owned and operated for generations,” Baird added. “It is a lifestyle that moves day in and day out, 365 days a year, and relocating these institutions to our state is the right decision to support the American people. I am proud to endorse The Hoosier State’s bid and it is my hope that ERS and NIFA will soon call Indiana home.”

The mission of USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) is to anticipate trends and emerging issues in agriculture, food, the environment and rural America, and to conduct objective research to enhance public and private decision-making. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) was established to provide leadership and funding for programs which advance agriculture sciences and invest in initiatives that support long-term agricultural viability.