The Breakdown with INFB

42. Dan Hardesty - Indiana Rural Health Association

On this episode, we’re diving into some of the challenges Indiana’s rural communities face and how we might address those challenges in the future. Rural counties represent 70% of Indiana's land and 64 of its 92 counties, yet they account for just 29% of the state's population. These communities often experience lower income levels, limited access to healthcare services, and worse health outcomes compared to their urban counterparts. To dig deeper into some of these critical issues, we talk to Dan Hardesty who serves as the Senior Director of Government Affairs for the Indiana Rural Health Association [https://www.indianaruralhealth.org/].

41. Diversifying Your Farm Operation

Diversification on the farm these days is almost essential to withstand the ebbs and flows of the various commodity and input markets.  This episode features two farm families who have found some success in building onto the business of their family farm - Suzanne and Lauren Flanders with Simply From Scratch [https://simplyfromscratch.biz/], and Katie Pennington with Brock Farms [https://www.brockfarmsanguscattle.com/].

40. INFB Celebrates International Year of the Woman Farmer

In 2026, the world celebrates the International Year of the Woman Farmer – a United Nations initiative recognizing the vital role women play in agriculture and agribusiness. To celebrate, Indiana Farm Bureau is highlighting the important work of female members across the state, as well as welcoming three new district education and outreach coordinators to the INFB Women’s Leadership Committee, which educates the public through programs and events that promote a positive image of agriculture. Featured in this episode is INFB 2nd Vice President Janis Highley, Joy Tracey (District 2), Kathleen Allbaugh (District 4) and Tracy Morgan (District 5). Visit our website for more information on the WLC here: https://www.infarmbureau.org/get-involved/women's-leadership-committee

39. Mary Pat Sass - Innovate and Grow Speaker

A conversation with Mary Pat Sass,  a farm wife, mom and ag advocate from northern Illinois. With a background in agricultural technology, she transitioned from a corporate ag career to life on her family’s farm, where she discovered the power of storytelling in modern agriculture.  Through social media, MP has built a large and engaged audience by sharing honest, everyday moments from farm life and rural motherhood. She uses her platform to advocate for agriculture, bridge the gap between farmers and consumers, and encourage others in agriculture to confidently share their own stories online.  You can find her at @marypat.sass on Instagram.

38. 2026 Legislative Priorities

This week we kicked off an eventful season in the Indiana Farm Bureau world with the continuation of the 2026 Indiana General Assembly. Engaging in policy is a foundation of Farm Bureau membership, and there is no shortage of issues on the docket this year that could impact agriculture. For this episode, we brought two of our policy experts and INFB leaders to the podcast to give us a rundown of what to expect in the coming months and how members can get involved. Randy Kron is the president of Indiana Farm Bureau who also farms in southern Indiana, and Katie Nelson is the executive director of public policy for INFB.