Tag Archives: farms

Hoosier Farm Families Earn Bicentennial Honor from State

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It’s not every day someone presents a sheepskin deed signed by a past President of the United States. Linda (Saltzman) McCall sent this image to me of her family’s farm deed, signed by James Monroe. She said she’s pleasantly surprised by the shape it’s in considering it hung in the family’s home, enduring myriad temperature fluctuations through the years.

Saltzman and her family were one of four that received Hoosier Homestead Bicentennial Awards from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture last summer – an honor reserved for those whose families have had a farm in the state for at least 200 years.

Read the article about the honorees in the latest edition of BizVoice.

Analyzing the Women-Owned Firms

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Two businessmen and a businesswoman in a meeting

The fifth annual State of Women-Owned Businesses Report offers some mixed news for Indiana. Among the key findings:

  • Indiana is ranked 45th in the growth of new firms over the past 18 years (37.7% compared to a national average of 73.7%)
  • Employment in Indiana’s women-owned companies (estimated at 165,200 in 2015) increased by 25.4% over that same time period; that doubled the 12% national average
  • Likewise, the sales for Indiana firms (estimated at $26.2 million in 2015) experienced 93% growth since 1997, ahead of the 78.7% national sales average

In a special post-recession breakdown, Indiana comes in at No. 13 with 151% growth compared to the pre-recession (2002-2007) period.

Data is based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners.

Getting Some Work in Before Recess

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When young students take a daily break from their learning activities, it’s called recess. When members of Congress take scheduled breaks from activities in Washington, the same name applies. There must be a joke in there somewhere.

Anyway, the next recess for Congress is from June 29-July 3. That leaves this week to tackle the ongoing list of weighty issues. What is on the agenda?

  • Climate change legislation is not expected to make it to the House floor despite the wishes of Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman. He says a lack of trust for the "farm community" toward the Environmental Protection Agency is among the roadblocks
  • The House is expected to pass a $680 billion defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2010. Controversy includes the issue of transferring military prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to U.S. soil
  • Health care reform debate goes on with the Senate committee amending its 600-page bill and three House committees looking at an 852-page offering (some of this paper could probably be put to better use in the schools)
  • A high-level White House meeting on immigration reform is expected Thursday. Who knows what will emerge from that gathering

I really need some assistance with that "recess" punch line. HELP!