Hancock County's Clark Smith will lead state’s grain buyers division

Friday, July 12, 2024 at 3:19 PM

By Johnny McCrory @jmcillini

ISDA Director Don Lamb is excited to welcome Clark Smith to the team

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) announced the hiring of Clark Smith as director of the Indiana Grain Buyers and Warehouse Licensing Agency (IGBWLA).

A southern Indiana native, Smith was raised in Brownstown, IN. He and his wife now manage and oversee a family Angus cattle herd near Greenfield, IN. Smith attended Indiana University for his bachelor’s degree and graduated from the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University in 2019 with a Master of Business Administration focused on marketing and data analytics.

Previous to ISDA, Smith spent his professional career with Corteva Agriscience in crop protection management.

ISDA Director Don Lamb is excited to welcome Smith to the team.

“Farming is a financial business with a lot of risks. The goal of IGBWLA is to help mitigate some of those risks and ensure financial security and stability,” said Lamb. “We are looking forward to Clark’s expertise and knowledge in leading this very important division, for our department and our state.”

As director of the agency, Smith will be responsible for managing staff and overseeing the agency’s statutory obligations, which include approving new license applications and the auditing of Indiana’s commercial grain operations.

He will also serve as chairperson of the Indiana Grain Indemnity Corporation Board of Directors and work with local, state and federal agencies, as well as the private sector, to better understand the needs of Indiana’s grain purchasers.

“Agriculture has been a huge part of my personal and professional life, and I am excited to begin the journey of public service and give back to this dynamic industry,” said Smith. “The Indiana Grain Buyers and Warehouse Licensing Agency has dedicated staff who keep the industry top of mind. I look forward to learning from them and working side by side with the ISDA team and stakeholders in all parts of Indiana, both Indianapolis and all the cities and towns that make Indiana great.”

Smith is a Greenfield Central school board member and Riley Festival board of directors member. He is also a 10 year 4H member from Jackson County and a former Jackson County Cattlemen’s President.

Outside of work, Clark and his wife Debra spend most of their time raising their two young daughters and managing the family Angus herd.