Braun/Beckwith campaign releases agriculture, rural communities plan

INDIANAPOLIS — The gubernatorial campaign of U.S. Senator Mike Braun, R-Ind. and Micah Beckwith released its agriculture and rural plan for Indiana on Friday, centering on economic development to rural communities, building out broadband and tax relief for farmers.

Braun was voted as Indiana’s Republican candidate for governor in May, according to previous reports . Braun will face Democratic challenger Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian Donald Rainwater in November’s general election.

In its latest agenda announcement, Braun’s campaign focused on the future of Indiana’s farms and small towns. A news release from the campaign highlighting the plan states that Braun’s agriculture agenda “offers forward-thinking solutions to preserve Indiana’s farming legacy and the future of (Indiana’s) rural communities.”

“Hoosier family farms feed the world with millions of acres of crops, livestock and poultry, and as governor, I will protect our farms while giving rural communities the tools they need to grow and thrive,” Braun said in the release.

This comes as urban and suburban counties in Indiana grow, but rural areas continue to see a decrease in population.

In a statement on social media, Beckwith, Braun’s lieutenant governor, said that the campaign “understands the vital role agriculture plays in (Indiana’s) economy and communities.”

“We’re dedicated to ensuring that Indiana farmers thrive through practical policies that support innovation, reduce regulations, and promote sustainability,” Beckwith said in the statement. “…Farmers are the backbone of Indiana, and with Braun and Beckwith, we’re putting them first, ensuring a prosperous future for generations to come.”

The agenda includes the following proposals from Braun’s campaign surrounding farmers and rural Hoosiers:

Improve customer service for farmers

Braun’s campaign is calling for the state of Indiana to develop a one-stop online portal for the state for farmers to have access to funding opportunities, as well as various assistance like technical support and regulatory updates.

Tax relief that protects family farms

As part of the campaign’s already-released property tax plan , Braun said that farmers would receive “historic property tax relief,” including capping the year-to-year increase in farmland property tax bills at 3% and have taxpayers approve certain property tax increases through referendums.

The campaign also called for the creation of tax-advantaged Farm Savings Accounts for farmers, serving as a “rainy day” fund to smooth out the income between good and bad years, along with the establishment of a young and beginning farmer tax credit.

Target economic development to rural communities

Braun’s campaign proposed the creation of a Hoosier Rural Business Growth program, which would help ensure economic dollars are flowing into all parts of Indiana. This would help attract qualified, private sector, investors to raise and invest flexible capital into rural communities, and help rural businesses expand operations.

The campaign also called for new accountability and transparency-related safeguards at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, including analyzing the impact of investments on utility costs and regional water/energy resource availability. Braun also called for local governments to work with employers to create/sustain new childcare options, including the option of entering into public-private partnerships with local providers.

Build out reliable connectivity

Braun’s campaign said that addressing the connectivity gap in rural Indiana “is central to unlocking sustainable economic development in rural Indiana. The campaign said they would propose a matching grant program for broadband expansion, allowing communities to partner with broadband developers and others to access high-speed internet.

Protect Hoosier farmland

Braun’s campaign continued to advocate for protecting Indiana’s farmland from foreign adversaries, a talking point that many Republican candidates spoke about prior to the May primary.

Braun’s campaign called for a state strategy for farmland preservation, and stated that Indiana should require foreign adversaries to divest from any land holdings throughout the state. The campaign also said it would work with the General Assembly to monitor “emerging threats.”

According to the Indiana Secretary of State’s office, Hoosiers are able to register to vote for the 2024 General Election through Oct. 7. For more information on how Indiana residents are able to register to vote, click here .

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WANE 15.