INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 20, 2022) – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch announced today the appointments for the Indiana Grown Initiative Commission. These 12 members will provide guidance and direction to the staff of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (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.

“The goal of this commission is to ensure we are representing the voices of the over 1,800 members of the Indiana Grown community,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, who also serves as Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “I am grateful to be working side by side with Hoosiers who represent all the different areas of Indiana’s agriculture industry.”

The director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture will chair the commission and will be joined by a representative from Purdue University. The 10 commission members are:

Natasha Cox – Farm Credit Mid-America

Mike Hoopengardner – Indiana Farm Bureau

Mayasari Effendi – Mayasari Tempeh

Jeff Bricker – Ivy Tech Community College

Nicky Nolot – Tolon Restaurant

Rachel Boyer – Rachel’s Taste of Indiana

Marcus Agresta – Piazza Produce

Leigh Rowan – Ft. Wayne Farmer’s Market

Gina Johnson – Madison Farmer’s Market

     Jennifer Rubenstein – Edible Indy

The first Indiana Grown Commission meeting will be held on Jan. 25, 2023 from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. on the first floor of 1 North Capital, Indianapolis, IN 46204. This meeting is open to the public.

“Indiana Grown is excited to have these commission members representing Indiana agriculture and values,” said Caroline Patrick, director of Indiana Grown. “These members are volunteering their time and skills to the commission, and we are thankful to have their expertise help develop the Indiana Grown program further.”