WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A consortium of eight Indiana agricultural and public health organizations will host a statewide symposium focusing on the significant impact of the opioid crisis in rural and farming communities.
The symposium is scheduled for Jan. 5, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Boone County Fairgrounds, 1300 Hwy. 100 S, Lebanon. Sponsors are Purdue Extension, AgrIInstitute, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the Agribusiness Council of Indiana, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, the Indiana Rural Health Association, Indiana State Poultry Association, Indiana Porkand the Indiana Farm Bureau.
During the symposium, a statewide panel of public policy leaders and experts from the health, economic development and law enforcement sectors will discuss the social and financial consequences of opioid abuse, as well as prevention and treatment initiatives.
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch will introduce the program and provide opening remarks. The keynote speaker is Sam Quinones, nationally recognized author of “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic.” The luncheon speaker will be Jim McClelland, executive director for drug prevention, treatment and enforcement for the state of Indiana.
Anne Hazlett, assistant to the secretary for rural development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and former director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, will deliver the closing address.
The symposium is open to the public. Registration, including lunch, is $30. To register, go to http://www.agriinstitute.org/events/agrural-opioid-addiction-symposium/?blm_aid=3657733.