Two Indiana agricultural associations complete merger

The Agribusiness Council of Indiana has merged with the Indiana Seed Trade Association, the associations announced Wednesday.

The merged organization will operate under the Agribusiness Council of Indiana name. ACI members voted in December to approve the merger, which was completed Jan. 1.

Directors from ISTA’s former board now make up one-third of ACI’s expanded 12-member board.

Indianapolis-based ISTA, founded in 2007, represents about 100 members, including more than 60 who operate family farms. Those members said they produce seed on more than 277,000 acres in Indiana.

Among ISTA's largest members are Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Dow Agrosciences and AgReliant.

“At the Indiana Seed Trade Association, we always looked for ways to maximize our presence among decision makers,” said Rod Busick, past chairman of ISTA, in a written statement. “A merger with ACI was the best way to ensure the interests of the seed industry are well represented and that our voices are heard.”

The Zionsville-based ACI was formed in 2001 through the merger of the Indiana Grain and Feed Association and the Indiana Plant Food and Agricultural Chemicals Association.

The ACI represents more than 450 member companies in the seed, grain, feed, plant food and ag chemicals industries. Members come from every county in the state.

“The goal of the merger with ISTA is to be able to expand the influence of ACI and to allow for better collaboration with stakeholders in all of the industries that we will now represent,” ACI Board Chairman Rod Miller said in written comments. “We are excited to broaden our reach and provide new opportunities to our members.”

The ACI is scheduled to hold its first statewide event, the 2018 ACI Conference & Expo, Jan. 24-26 in Indianapolis.