I-74 Business Corridor economic developers take on Ag Activation project

The Indiana I-74 Business Corridor has launched a new Agricultural Strategy Activation initiative designed to continue the region’s 2023 Interstate 74 Regional Agriculture Strategy into actionable economic development opportunities across southeastern and east-central Indiana.

Supported by Duke Energy’s Economic Development Partnership Program, the new initiative reflects the I-74 Business Corridor’s ongoing commitment to creating new investment opportunities and strengthening the region’s position as a competitive destination for agribusiness and food manufacturing. The activation effort will focus on identifying and pursuing opportunities in food and beverage manufacturing, bioprocessing, agricultural innovation, and value-added agribusiness investment across Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Ripley, Rush and Shelby counties, along with the City of Batesville.

The original Interstate 74 Regional Agriculture Strategy, completed in partnership with the Indiana Economic Development Association and Purdue Center for Regional Development, identified agriculture as one of the region’s strongest economic assets and outlined a roadmap for expanding agribusiness, food processing, workforce development, infrastructure, and supply chain growth. The strategy established a vision of building stronger partnerships between economic development organizations, farmers, agribusinesses, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.

“The Ag Strategy gave us a strong regional vision,” said Mike Perleberg, President of the I-74 Business Corridor. “This activation initiative is about moving from planning to implementation. We are working county by county to identify projects, support existing agribusinesses, and pursue new investment opportunities that can create jobs, expand markets for agricultural producers, and strengthen our regional economy.”

The six-month activation effort is being led by AgStrat LLC and agricultural economic development consultants Dr. Virgil Bremer and David Coates. County-level activation meetings have already begun, bringing together stakeholders to assess local agricultural assets, identify growth opportunities, and prioritize projects that align with both local and regional strengths. The process is designed to produce market-ready outcomes that can be pursued by individual communities and the region as a whole.

The Indiana I-74 Business Corridor represents 80 miles of opportunity connecting Indianapolis and Cincinnati. Through collaboration among local economic development organizations and utility partners, the Corridor works to attract investment, support business growth, and advance regional economic competitiveness.

For more information about the I-74 Business Corridor and the Regional Agriculture Strategy, visit www.i74biz.com.