Nelson named deputy director

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture announced last week that Katie Nelson has been selected as Deputy Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

“We are so excited to promote a longstanding public servant, like Katie, to second in command for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch in a press release. “I have worked alongside Katie for over six years now and she has been a strong advocate for farmers and agriculture in Indiana. I am sure that she will continue to push this industry forward in the coming years. Congratulations, Katie.”

As deputy director, she will oversee the day-to-day operations of the department, represent it at events, engage with producer organizations and identify opportunities to grow the state’s agriculture sector.

Nelson has served and will continue to serve as a liaison between agricultural businesses, state agencies and local units of government.

Nelson has been with the department since 2017. She was previously its director of legislative affairs, a role she has held since 2020. Prior to that, she was the program manager of policy and regulatory affairs at Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

Nelson's past work has included evaluating the legislative and regulatory landscape at all levels of government while positioning the department to support Indiana's agricultural industry. She also served as executive director of the Indiana Land Resources Council, which was created to assist state and local decision-makers with land use tools and policies.

“Working for ISDA over the last several years has provided me with numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth, and allowed me to support my favorite industry, agriculture,” said Nelson. “I am looking forward to this new challenge of supporting our outstanding staff and continuing to pursue the ISDA mission of bettering Indiana agriculture within policy work, growing economically and enhancing our stewardship of natural resources.”