The initiative is in response to research showing that people in Indiana spend about $16 billion annually on food; more than 90% of which comes from outside the Hoosier state.
“The Indiana Grown Initiative will be an incredibly useful and economically impactful tool for consumers and producers alike,” said Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann in a release. “I applaud the collaborative work of the Indiana Grown Commission over the last year to thoughtfully develop a program to identify and promote Hoosier products and facilitate moving them from the farm to the table.”
As a method of highlighting products that are part of the Indiana Grown movement, there are four different labels that could appear on certain foods:
100% Indiana – All ingredients in the products must be from Indiana.
Prepared in Indiana – Ingredients can come from anywhere, but 100% of production must be completed in Indiana.
Partner – Companies or institutions that assist in marketing Indiana products.
Indiana Grown – Applies to all other Indiana Grown members.
A brief look at Indiana agriculture:
- $25.4 billion contributed to the state’s GDP
- Responsible for about 245,000 jobs
- $4.7 billion in agricultural exports
- 4 million acres in farms and forests