2015 Indiana State Fair To Be 'Year Of The Farmer'

INDIANAPOLIS – It started with corn. It continued with pigs. The Indiana State Fair has subsequently featured tomatoes, trees, soybeans and Dairy cows during its annual summertime celebration, and now it plans to promote the one thing that all these commodities have in common – the farmer.

During a press conference Monday morning, Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann, State Fair executives and representatives from Dow AgroSciences declared 2015 to be the Year of the Farmer presented by Dow AgroSciences culminating at the State Fair in August.

Next year’s State Fair will feature a number of unique programs and events to honor Indiana’s farmers and its farming heritage, including:

• A Harvest Dinner during the State Fair
• A Farmer’s Care food drive
• A speaker series on the importance of modern farming
• A creative writing contest for school kids centering on the Year of the Farmer

With the exception of the Harvest Dinner, the other initiatives will begin early in 2015 to extend the reach of this year’s fair theme.

“A main reason the Indiana State Fair continues to thrive after 157 years in existence is the focus we place on agriculture,” said Indiana State Fair Executive Director Cindy Hoye. “At the heart of agriculture is the individual farmer and, especially here in Indiana, farm families. We want them to understand how much they mean to our everyday lives, and this is one way we can do that.”

As planning continues for next year’s fair, the public will see messages and branding for the Year of the Farmer though a variety of communications with the intent of making all Hoosiers more aware of the innovative way local farmers are keeping up with the growing demand for food, fiber and fuel.

“Recognizing the 2015 Indiana State Fair as the Year of the Farmer is a perfect fit,” said Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann. “Products grown by our farmers are interwoven through our lives and our economy to the point it’s difficult to identify any part of our existence that is not connected to what our farmers provide.”

The 2015 Indiana State Fair runs Aug. 7 – 23.