State officials to unveil new agriculture plan

BROOKSTON, Ind. -- The head of Indiana's newly christened agriculture department will announce the agency's long-range plan for Hoosier agriculture during a three--day tour of the state this week.\nAndy Miller, the first director of the new Indiana State Department of Agriculture, will join Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman in announcing the plan's details Tuesday night at Morehouse Farm in the north-central Indiana town of Brookston.\n"I've said for months our vision is to make Indiana a global center for food and agricultural innovation and commercialization, and I can't wait to share the details of that vision and the actions we plan to take to get there," Miller said.\nLast month, Miller said the plan's goals will, among other things, include helping Indiana become a leader in the biofuels industry by attracting investment in plants that produce ethanol, a corn--based gasoline additive.\nAfter a hog roast Tuesday evening at the farm about 10 miles north of West Lafayette, the "Plan for 2025" will be announced through an interactive video presentation from Purdue University.\nMiller and Skillman, who serves as Secretary of Agriculture, will then crisscross the state from Wednesday through Friday, stopping at farms and agribusinesses to tell the public about the plan.\nStops are planned Wednesday in Jasper and Starlight, followed Thursday by visits to Rushville, Morristown and Elwood.\n and to Middlebury, Milford and Montpelier on Friday. All of the stops will be at local Purdue extension offices.