Greensburg, IN — City of Greensburg, Decatur County, state officials, and Meri Binsar Simorangkir – the outgoing Consul General of Indonesia – huddled at Mayasari Indonesian Grill Tuesday to discuss ongoing efforts to ship Indiana corn and soybeans to the Asian country.
Local farmer Mike Koehne is the chairman of the Indiana Soybean Alliance.
“We’re always trying to promote soybeans through trade, new uses, or however we can, and through Maya, we have worked through the Tempeh or the food side and we’re working to get Indiana soybeans shipped to Indonesia for their food supply, also,” Koehne said.
The process started three years ago when Mayasari Indonesian Grill owner Maya Effendi approached the soybean alliance, and Koehne says things have progressed since then.
“The ambassador is leaving (his post at the end of March) and we’re going to get a new one, and we look forward to continuing relations with him and keep growing those relations,” he said.
Koehne says he’s optimistic that, ultimately, everything will work out for both Indiana soybean and corn producers and Indonesia.
“It’s a long process but it’s been a good one, and I think everything is moving in the right direction,” Koehne said. “I think we have a pretty bright future.”
Others in attendance included Greensburg Mayor Joshua Marsh, Economic Development Corporation of Greensburg/Decatur County Director Bryan Robbins, Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Dawn Lowe, Visit Greensburg Director Phillip Deiwert, Indiana Corn Growers Association CEO Courtney Kingery, and several local farmers.
