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Rush
County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Featured
Speaker at Indiana Rural Development Council Rural Summit
Rush County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director,
Pamela Leisure, was recently a featured speaker at
the IRDC Rural Summit in
Indianapolis
,
IN.
Ms.
Leisure was invited to speak as part of a best
practice panel for regional economic development
frameworks. Accompanying
Pam was Mr. Brian Bergen, Agri-Business Specialist
from Eastern Indiana Development District.
Bergen
and Leisure presented information to a standing-room
only crowd at the 2007 Rural Summit.
Bergen
discussed the importance of regional focus as it
pertains to growth in agriculture for the area, his
role in the development process, and how local
communities can leverage the regional planning
organizations as a resource on existing and
potential development projects.
Leisure focused primarily on the successful
Rush County Agricultural Roundtable and the
development of that organization as a best practice
model for the State of
Indiana
. The
Agricultural Roundtable was created by the Rush
County Chamber of Commerce, and the Rush County ECDC,
another example of working together to accomplish a
common goal. The
Agricultural Roundtable is run by Greg Hall,
incoming President of the Rush County Chamber of
Commerce, Tom Tully, of the Rush County ECDC and
Rush County Chamber of Commerce member, Leisure, and
an Executive Committee consisting of; Wade Beatty,
Chuck Niccum, Donald Blume, the Honorable Kenneth
Masters, and Bill Smith. The
group is a very diversified group embracing elected
officials, both city and county, agricultural
specialists, zoning and soil and water conservation
experts and local business leaders.
The primary focus of the Ag Roundtable is to
encourage growth and development for
Rush
County
and the region in agriculture.
The group authored a strategic plan, which is
available for viewing here.
The Rush County Agricultural Roundtable is a
regional group, which has enjoyed numerous
successes!
Some of those successes are; Bunge North America,
Rush Renewable Energy, LLC, Whitewater Valley
Ethanol, New Model Comprehensive Zoning. The
Agricultural Roundtable has also been responsible
for a very aggressive approach to new and expansion
of existing livestock operations, and has helped
bring the agriculture community to a partnership
with city officials and residents.
The Agricultural Roundtable meets the third Monday
of each month at the RMH Kenneth L. Earnest
Conference Center. For more information, please
contact Pam Leisure at pamleisure@rushcounty.com.
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