Published: June 26, 2009 10:52 pm      

Department of Agriculture updates strategic plan

Goals are to nurture economic opportunities

An updated strategic plan to promote and develop economic opportunity has been unveiled by the Indiana Department of Agriculture.

The mission statement said the department will be an advocate for growth in Indiana agriculture and enhance the stewardship of natural resources on agricultural land.

One goal is to position Indiana to attract a cellulosic biofuels production facility and to develop a blueprint for communities to become energy independent. Another goal is to support a feasibility study to develop overseas warehouses to market Indiana hardwoods worldwide.

Another goal is to promote agriculture entrepreneurship and develop a branding initiative for Indiana agricultural products.

Director Anne Hazlett said Friday the original strategic plan was created in 2005 and this is the first major update.

“Agriculture is one of our state’s mainstays, we want to see it grow in the future,” she said.

Hazlett said cellulosic biofuels is the next wave of ethanol. She said currently ethanol is created by using the starches in the corn.

“This is a move to using the cellulose material, the cob and stalk,” she said. “It eliminates the direct conflict between growing corn for feed and biofuels.

“This would bring a lot of investment to the state,” Hazlett said. “We are working with Poet, which has two ethanol plants in the state, and is one of the companies in the forefront of cellulosic biofuels.”

Concerning entrepreneurship, Hazlett said the department could help with the Tipton Agricultural Technology Park proposed along U.S. 31.

“We could help then with any start-up companies that could eventually locate in the park,” Hazlett said. “We could work with local officials to locate companies that would be interested in locating in an agricultural park.”

She said the department has funds to develop tools that can be used by start-up companies.

Hazlett said the concept of developing a hardwood lumber warehouse in a foreign country is to have the products available where the demand is located.

“Because of the quality of Indiana hardwoods and furniture produced, there is a demand overseas,” she said. “A warehouse would be a private enterprise but we could provide the funding for a feasibility study.”

Another program being developed with Purdue University is Market Maker, which helps consumers find locally grown produce for sale.

“This is an updating of the original plan,” Hazlett said. “The update is to position the state in a better position for new challenges.”

• Ken de la Bastide is the Kokomo Tribune enterprise editor. He can be reached at (765) 454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com