INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann today announced the appointments for the Indiana Grown Initiative Commission. The ten appointees are:
Bob White - Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc.
Cheryl Carter Jones - Local Growers' Guild
Pete Eshelman - Joseph Decuis
Chelsea Marburger - Indianapolis City Market
Chris Baggott - Tyner Pond Farm
Jeanette Merritt - Indiana Wines and Purdue Wine Grape Team
Sara Yelich - Historic Lafayette Farmers' Market
Deb Trocha - Indiana Cooperative Development Center
Margaret Asher - Asher Agency
Mark Straw - Strawbridge Farm
Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann commented, "The Indiana Grown program will be an effective way to promote the variety of food and beverage items produced by our own Hoosier agriculture industry. I am grateful that for the leadership that this group of volunteers representing a variety of interests will provide for the Indiana Grown program."
Ted McKinney, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), will chair the Commission and will also be joined by a representative from Purdue University on the Commission. These twelve members will provide guidance and direction to the staff of ISDA who will be responsible for connecting businesses that use or sell agricultural products such as restaurants, grocers, wholesalers, processors, and farmers' markets with Indiana-based producers of meat, fruits, vegetables, wine and forest products.
"This group will be responsible for establishing a strong foundation for the success of this new initiative," said Ted McKinney, Director of ISDA.
The first Indiana Grown Commission meeting is August 8, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. in the Normandy Barn at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. This meeting is open to the public. Public parking is available in the Premier Parking Lot on Fall Creek Parkway across from Gate 6 of the fairgrounds. Advise both the parking attendant and the Fair staff at Gate 6 that you are attending the Indiana Grown Commission meeting.
