From the Fields: Taking a gamble

We are Dwight and Tiffany Ludwig from Cory, Indiana. We farm in Clay and Vigo counties growing mainly corn and soybeans. We are first-generation farmers, purchasing our farm from our mentor and business partner, Jon Nicoson.

We gambled and put a lot of seed in the ground early this year. We completed all of our planting by the middle of May. With very few exceptions, all of our crops emerged and got a great start. Currently, we are waiting on rain as we need it very badly.

So far everything is looking good, but too many more dry days and we will begin to see the effects of the dry weather on our crops. Currently, on the farm we are applying herbicides to both corn and beans.

The markets are very concerning for us right now. The recent downturn in the market paired with inflated input prices will have an extremely negative effect on net incomes unless something changes.

We love everything about farm life and enjoy watching our four children grow up around the farm. We are both very active in our community.

Dwight is currently a member of our county Farm Bureau board, as well as board member of our church. He has also served on the local volunteer fire department for the last 22 years, being fire chief for six years.

Tiffany currently serves as the president of Clay County Farm Bureau, as well as a member of the Clay County 4-H Council and several positions at our church. We also were the 2016-2018 District 7 Young Farmers & Ag Professionals state representatives for Indiana Farm Bureau.

Right now, INFB is in the beginning stages of the annual policy development process. Policy advisory groups are meeting to review policy recommendations made by all 92 counties.

The state office compiles the recommendations into the policy recommendations report, which will be provided to the state resolutions committee later this summer.

Tiffany has served on the resolutions committee as a county president, where she and other committee members sorted through all the policy recommendations submitted.

Once the committee adopts the recommendations for policy, it goes to the full delegate body for a vote at the annual delegate session in August.