Baird, James R.

James R. Baird has represented Indiana's 4th congressional district since 2019. Before his election to Congress, he served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018 and as a Putnam County commissioner from 2006 to 2010. His professional background spans agriculture and business ownership, including work as a Purdue University extension agent, animal nutritionist, and owner of Baird Family Farms, a gas station operation, and a home health agency.

In Congress, Baird serves on the House Committee on Agriculture, where he participates in subcommittees addressing livestock, dairy, poultry, conservation, and nutrition. He also holds positions on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, with focus areas in energy and research. His committee assignments reflect his background in agricultural and rural economic development.

Barid has sponsored 27 bills during his tenure, including the Nicholas Dockery Medal of Honor Act, the Hemp Planting Predictability Act, and the Bioindustrial Scale-Up for Supply Chains and Energy Resiliency Act of 2026. These legislative efforts demonstrate his emphasis on agriculture, energy independence, and rural innovation. During his time in the Indiana House, he received a lifetime conservative rating of 82 percent from the American Conservative Union.