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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hoosier Poultry and Egg Farmers Help Ensure Protein Available at Indiana Food Pantries
INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 21, 2025)– Yesterday,
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Gov. Mike Braun ,
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Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith and
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Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Don Lamb gathered at the Indiana Statehouse with poultry and egg farmers representing the Indiana State Poultry Association (ISPA) for the 78th annual Governor’s Poultry Presentation.


The event recognized the efforts of Indiana’s poultry and egg companies to ensure those experiencing food insecurity have access to nutritious poultry and eggs at food pantries across the state. It also highlighted the work those companies do to support charitable organizations in their communities.


Poultry and eggs are always in demand at food pantries across the state. Over the past year, $620,000 worth of chicken, duck and turkey have been donated to Indiana food banks and community organizations by Indiana poultry producers to help Hoosiers in need. Indiana egg producers have also provided 833,000 dozen eggs to their Hoosier neighbors, with an additional 1 million dozen being distributed across the nation.


Beyond giving of their poultry products, poultry companies provided in excess of $650,000 in direct contributions to various non-for-profit and charitable organizations.


"Indiana's poultry and egg farmers are a vital part of our state's economic strength," said Gov. Mike Braun. "Their leadership in supporting communities and stepping up for their neighbors make a real difference across Indiana, and I'm proud to recognize their continued generosity and commitment."


The ceremony also included reflections on the size of Indiana’s poultry sector. Indiana is one of the top poultry-producing states in the country. According to the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service, Indiana ranks first in duck production; third in egg production; fourth in turkey production; and notes its broiler chicken production as well. Indiana’s size across multiple poultry sectors is unique in the country. Further, it contributes over $18 billion in total economic activity, and it directly employs more than 12,700 Hoosiers.


“I grew up working with my dad in the dairy industry, so I know the kind of grit it takes to feed people,” Lieutenant Governor Beckwith said. “Our poultry and egg farmers show that same kind of commitment in Indiana, but they also demonstrate Hoosier hospitality through their generosity.”


ISPA President Rebecca Eifert Joniskan shared, “Poultry farming in Indiana is a family affair. The companies represented here today all started as small, family-owned operations, committed to producing quality products. They know families cannot thrive without healthy food, and they are humbled to be able to make a difference in the lives of other Hoosier families.”


The poultry and egg products on display today were donated to Second Helpings, a hunger relief agency in Indianapolis. The ceremony marks an annual tradition that dates back to the late 1940s. Organized by ISPA, one of the oldest poultry organizations in the nation, it was designed to celebrate the strength and generosity of Indiana’s poultry farmers, as well as the annual donations made by its members, who are responsible for more than 95% of the chicken, duck, turkey and eggs produced in Indiana.


To view and download photos from today’s event,
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click here .
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ABOUT ISDA
The
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Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) reports to
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Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith , Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. Major responsibilities include advocacy for Indiana agriculture at the local, state and federal level, managing soil conservation programs, promoting economic development and agricultural innovation, serving as a regulatory ombudsman for agricultural businesses, and licensing grain firms throughout the state.



ISDA Media Contact:

Quinton Hayes

Phone: 317.450.2842

Email: [email protected]



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