Society of Innovators Honors Starke County Farmer

Starke County is getting its due from the Northwest Indiana Society of Innovators and Ivy Tech Community College. North Judson mint farmer Ed Lambert Jr.’s partnership with Kemin Industries to grow spearmint for use as a natural food preservative was honored with the prestigious Chanute Prize for Team Innovation. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver says it’s a well-deserved recognition.

“Starke County is the home of mint in the world. This is just a brand new use for it, one that’s going to affect people in their lives and in their foods the rest of their lives. Think of the impact of extending food lives through the third world, what this product will do. It’s going to affect us here, it’s going to affect us across the world,” said Weaver.

Lambert and officials from Kemin Industries are the guests on Sunday’s Kankakee Valley Viewpoints program, which airs at noon on K99.3 WKVI-FM.