Indiana’s agricultural community is mourning the loss of one of its most recognizable and fast-rising leaders.
Janis Highley, second vice president of the Indiana Farm Bureau, died May 19 at the age of 57. A Huntington County farmer and longtime agribusiness professional, Highley built a reputation as a collaborative, grassroots-focused advocate whose influence stretched from county meetings to statewide leadership.
“[She was a] great lady, friend, and mentor,” said Randy Kron, president of Indiana Farm Bureau.
Highley, of Warren, Indiana, was elected second vice president in December 2023, winning a three-way race at the organization’s annual convention in Fort Wayne. In that role, she joined the executive leadership team of one of the state’s most influential agricultural groups, helping shape policy priorities while emphasizing a listening-first approach to advocacy.
“We are a grassroots organization,” Highley said at the time of her election. “Making sure we’re supporting members in whatever way they need” was central to her work.
Though she did not grow up on a farm, agriculture was woven into her early life. Raised in Huntington, she was connected to farming through her grandparents’ dairy operation and her mother’s work in the fertilizer industry. After graduating from Huntington North High School and earning a business management degree from Huntington University, she married her husband, Larry, in 1988 and joined his family’s fifth-generation farm, helping raise corn and soybeans.
That experience — paired with off-farm roles in agribusiness — shaped her perspective. Highley worked with companies including Salamonie Mills, Weaver Popcorn and Strategic Grain Hedge, where she served as a grain analyst assistant helping farmers manage risk through cash sales and hedging on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Colleagues said that blend of hands-on farming and market expertise gave her credibility across the agricultural spectrum. Kron said her passion for the industry was evident in every interaction.
“Once you got to know Janis, you could tell the passion that she had for agriculture and the love for agriculture and Farm Bureau,” said Kron.
Highley’s involvement in organized agriculture expanded steadily. She served as a district education and outreach coordinator for Indiana Farm Bureau beginning in 2018, representing 10 counties, and was active for years at the county level, including on the Huntington County Farm Bureau board. She also played a key role in commodity organizations, serving on the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and working with national groups such as the National Corn Growers Association and the U.S. Grains Council.
In 2022, she joined a delegation of farmers traveling to Mexico to meet with buyers and study export logistics — an experience she said underscored the importance of building long-term international relationships to stabilize markets for farmers at home.
Her leadership extended beyond policy and trade. Highley chaired Indiana Farm Bureau’s Women’s Leadership Committee, where she championed professional development, safety programs and expanded opportunities for women in agriculture. Kron said her ability to connect with people and encourage participation left a lasting mark.
“I think [when] you talk to the women’s leadership committee, they’re all really hurt by her loss, but a number of them have told me how she encouraged them. Janis just had that way about her to be able to include people and lift them up,” he said.
That personal touch was often cited as one of her defining traits.
“I don’t think she ever met somebody that within a minute or two wasn’t a friend and having conversations,” said Kron. “When I was with her at different meetings, she’d meet strangers and they weren’t strangers for very long. Then she’s like, ‘Oh, you got to come over here. I want to introduce you to somebody I just met.’ I think that just resonated around her, and she was very comfortable meeting people and talking agriculture.”
Despite entering the workforce in a more focused way after raising her children, Highley’s rise through the ranks of agricultural leadership was swift. Those who worked with her said it reflected both her work ethic and her ability to bridge perspectives — from farmers navigating volatile markets to policymakers shaping the future of the industry.
Outside her professional life, Highley remained closely tied to her family’s centennial farm, where she enjoyed caring for horses and chickens. She is survived by her husband, Larry, and their family, including two sons who represent the sixth generation on the farm.
Kron said her legacy will endure across Indiana agriculture.
“I think everybody’s goal is that you leave things better than you found it, and there is no doubt Janis left Indiana Farm Bureau and Indiana agriculture in a better place,” he said.
A celebration of life is scheduled for June 20 from 2 to 4 p.m. at First Christian Church in Warren. Memorial contributions in Highley’s name are being directed to the Farm Bureau Foundation, supporting programs such as Young Farmers & Ag Professionals and the Women’s Leadership Committee — causes that reflected both her career and her convictions.
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