County 82: Marion

Ever since I was a little girl, my month of August has been spent at the Indiana State Fair. As a child in 4-H, I looked forward to displaying my projects at the fair. For the past eight years  as the lieutenant governor and the state’s secretary of agriculture, my role during the state fair is not the same. Of course, some things never change as I still get excited when I hear the music of the midway, smell the once-a-year food and see the crowds milling around the exhibits  

The Indiana State Fair, unlike any other attraction, provides nearly one million Hoosiers and visitors an up close educational experience into Indiana’s agriculture industry .The agricultural industry in Indiana contributes $26 billion every year to state’s economy and employs 17 percent of our workforce. The Indiana State Fair not only gives us a chance to learn about one of our state’s most important assets, it also allows us to celebrate Hoosiers inside the industry.



Lt. Governor Skillman talks to Hoosiers during the annual
pancake breakfast at the Indiana State Fair



This year I hosted the annual Celebration of Agriculture event inside the Normandy Barn. I recognized Kip Tom with the 2012 Hoosier AgriVision Award for his exemplary leadership towards moving the agriculture industry forward. We also recognized 74 families that have owned their farm for at least 100 years or more.

 The state fair brings together leaders from our commodity groups, the agriculture industry, Purdue University, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and others. We took advantage of having everyone in the same setting and hosted a meeting. This meeting allowed each sector of our agriculture industry to provide a brief update of their accomplishments and concerns. The drought was certainly a topic of conversation during the fair, and it brought national media to Indiana. I talked to FOX Business News Network in the cattle barn about our response to the drought – Watch it Here.

The 17 days of the Indiana State Fair wrapped up on August 19 and more than 853,000 people visited. Indiana truly has the greatest state fair in the country, and I am so proud Indiana agriculture was on full display for all to experience. This may be my last state fair as lieutenant governor but it’s not my last state fair.  I’m like many Hoosiers who have made going to the state fair year after year a family tradition.

Counties 80 & 81: Jasper and Newton

Indiana is the 5^th largest pork producing state in the country, which is why it’s no surprise that Fair Oaks Dairy Farm will be expanding by opening a Pig Adventure. This pig farm will double as a family-friendly education center that tourists can explore with experienced producers on hand to explain the production in detail. Belstra Milling will own and operate the live hog farm named Legacy Farm. 



Lt. Governor Skillman breaks ground on the new
Pig Adventure at Fair Oaks Dairy Farm



It was a wow moment to see more than 300 of our friends in agriculture join us at Fair Oaks for the ceremonial ground breaking. Indiana’s largest agritourism destination, Fair Oaks Farms, boosts many supporters from all over the state. When the Fair Oaks Pig Adventure opens next summer, it will help to gain tremendous ground in our ongoing efforts to keep consumers informed about the producers and products they depend on.





Did you know only farmers only make up 2 percent of Indiana’s population? This means 98 percent of Hoosiers are not directly connected to the farm. Several years ago, Fair Oaks Farms found a way to attract people to their farm for entertainment and education. They opened up their dairy farm to the public and last year attracted more than 500,000 people. Watching the live birth of a calf, cow milking, and sampling dairy foods all provide folks with a real-life farm experience.

I know the new Pig adventure at Fair Oaks will certainly provide visitors from all over the state and beyond the same quality experience. I look forward to the continued growth and education Fair Oaks gives to visitors for many more years to come.

County 79: Fulton

Indiana is a state of hard-working and selfless people. There are so many Hoosiers that go above and beyond the call of duty to help their neighbor and their community. I wanted a way to recognize those individuals so I created the Partner in Progress Award in 2007. This is the highest honor given by the lieutenant governor. This special award brought me to the small town of Akron in Fulton County to make Chad Hartzler our newest Partner in Progress.

Chad is the owner of Tic Toc Trophy Shop in Akron. His business creates trophies for all types of events, including sports teams and 4-H fair competitions. He also provided a great service to state by donating trophies to the Hoosier Rising Star program. Each year I recognize our state’s young people who have provided extraordinary projects or services to make their community a better place.

Chad’s small business success and his thoughtful donations to the Hoosier Rising Star program made him the perfect recipient for a Partner in Progress Award. A quote from Theodore Roosevelt is on the Partner in Progress Award and defines Chad’s service to his state, “What a man does for himself dies with him. What a man does for his community lives on after he’s gone.”

To watch the presentation of the Partner is Progress Award: click here

County 78: Howard

Kokomo hosted the fourth and final 2012 Advancing Women in Business Seminar last week.  I was impressed by the size of the crowd - more than 100 women ready to listen, learn and talk business. 

It’s always been one of my priorities to seek out other women and encourage them to step into leadership roles.  Whether it’s business, or politics and government, it’s always been important to encourage more women to get in the game. 



Lt. Governor Skillman talks to a Hoosier in Kokomo
at the Women in Business Seminar



During my 12 years in the Indiana Senate serving in leadership, I often tried to recruit women to run for open seats.   All too often, the highly-talented women would tell me they were not qualified.   When I talked to men about the same opportunities, to their credit, they think they were born qualified!  It’s an issue of confidence. 

But there was no lack of confidence as I listened to Penny Lee, Vice Chancellor at IU Kokomo.  She brought her daughters with her, and as she spoke about the new programs on campus, I couldn’t help thinking of the wonderful service she and her colleagues are doing for Indiana’s next generation of leaders. 

It’s more important than ever that you encourage the women around you to do their best and to be confident.  Because Indiana needs every one of us to do our part – so we can put an end to difficult economic times and take advantage of every opportunity to grow.  In Howard County, we just announced that Haynes International is moving forward with plans to expand its operations and create 40 new, high-paying jobs.  This is a company that has been part of the Kokomo community for 100 years now, and they’ve learned from experience to put faith in the workforce here. 

The young people in the audience might well be the next wave of brain power to develop companies, like Haynes, and the so many others that keep us moving forward.  It’s up to each of us to do all we can to build more opportunities like that, and then be prepared to jump on them when the time is right.  I know Kokomo’s women in business are doing just that.