IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

<[link removed]>  

OPINION | GOV. MIKE BRAUN: Make America Healthy Again is an Opportunity for
Hoosier Farmers and Producers



<[link removed]>

Hoosier AG Today

Governor Mike Braun

June 3, 2025
[link removed]



Click Here To Read Full Story
<[link removed]>



As debates about the intersection of health and agriculture policy go on in
D.C., I want to take a moment to share with Hoosier farmers what my Make
Indiana Healthy Again initiatives mean for Indiana agriculture.



Make Indiana Healthy Again creates fresh opportunities for farmers to
diversify into new markets and empowers more Hoosiers to get involved in
farming.



My administration sees Hoosier agriculture as the key partner in this
initiative. To me, Make Indiana Healthy Again is about expanding opportunities
for Hoosier farmers to get their products to consumers – not telling them how
to grow it.



The steps we have taken to make our schools healthier are a good example of
this approach. In addition to establishing the Governor’s Fitness Test and
School Fitness Month to encourage physical activity in schools, we also started
an initiative to encourage healthy, local food options.



Indiana’s farm-to-school programs are connecting students with fresh, local
food while supporting Hoosier farmers and teaching the next generation where
their meals come from. Whether livestock, poultry, dairy, or produce, our
farmers should have meaningful access to their local institutional buyers.



It all goes hand in hand with our studies of the possible negative effects of
artificial food dyes and our comprehensive study into diet-related chronic
illness and preventions to help Hoosiers live longer, healthier lives. In fact,
after I rolled out our initiative, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also
announced new efforts to replace certain artificial food dyes with natural
alternatives.



Across the board, we want to support Hoosier farms selling directly to
consumers.



Nearly 2,735 Indiana farms sell $45 million worth of food directly to
consumers, yet many face regulatory and infrastructure barriers.



Locally grown produce provides consumers with fresh and nutritious options
that require shorter transportation and offer a local connection to farmers.



That’s why our Make Indiana Healthy Again initiative included an executive
order to increase awareness, availability, and access to Indiana’s local
fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products.



The Indiana State Department of Agriculture was directed to start a
comprehensive study on access to local foods and direct-to-consumer sales from
Hoosier farmers.



A major priority for my administration is identifying opportunities to
increase direct-to-consumer sales from local farmers and identify—and
remove—ways the state may be getting in the way. If you have experiences in
this area you’d like to share, I want to hear about them.



Our livestock, poultry, and dairy producers already engage in local and
regional market chains, from your neighborhood grocery store to Hoosier-grown
livestock feed that supports farms around the country. At the same time,
homegrown agribusinesses like Corteva and Elanco have leveraged innovation and
new technology to help local farmers do more with less. Our work is to grow
these successes and build on them in other sectors.



We’re already seeing results on the big parts of the Make Indiana Healthy
Again agenda rolled out in April. Last week, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins
signed Indiana’s SNAP waiver enabling us to remove sugary drinks and candy from
taxpayer-funded SNAP benefits. More SNAP dollars were spent on sugary drinks
than on nutritious fruits and vegetables. Indiana agriculture will benefit as
more of these dollars are spent on fresh produce rather than soda.



Make Indiana Healthy Again will empower Hoosiers to lead healthier lives,
provide transparent information to help make better health decisions, make it
easier to access fresh local food from Indiana’s incredible farms, and tackle
the problems in government programs like SNAP and Medicaid that contribute to
making our communities less healthy.



Hoosier agriculture is my biggest partner in this endeavor, and I’m proud to
stand with Indiana farmers and producers to empower Hoosiers to live healthier,
longer, better lives.



Click Here To Read Full Story
<[link removed]>







PAID FOR BY THE INDIANA REPUBLICAN STATE COMMITTEE.
NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE. WWW.INDIANA.GOP.


101 W. OHIO ST., SUITE 2200 INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204

This email was sent to [email protected]

Unsubscribe
<[link removed]>
This email was sent to [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>. Don't want to receive these emails anymore?
Unsubscribe
<[link removed]>
Indiana GOP, 101 W. OHIO ST., SUITE 2200 INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204