Purdue Extension 2023 Impact Report

PURDUE EXTENSION

IMPACT

R E P O R T 20 2 3

We are pleased to present the 2023 Purdue Extension Annual Impact Report, showcasing the range and depth of our programs.

This year, we highlight activities, including 4-H youth development, workforce initiatives and Parents Forever, a program offering essential family support during transitions. Our global reach is evident through the Farmer-to-Farmer program in Trinidad and Tobago, while local connections thrive through Purdue on the Farm.

With over a century of commitment to our land-grant mission, we are charting a dynamic course for the future. To ensure responsive, innovative and financially viable services, we have established the Future of Purdue Extension Task Force.

The task force will comprehensively assess our Extension structure and programs, recommending strategic actions to address critical county and state-level needs. In the face of flat funding and evolving landscapes, this assessment is vital to secure our lasting impact.

As we journey toward the next century of Purdue Extension, we eagerly anticipate sharing our vision and working collectively to shape a brighter future.

Together, we will build a legacy that continues to serve our communities across the state.

Bernie Engel Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, Purdue University College of Agriculture

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Angela Abbott Interim Director of Purdue Extension, Purdue University College of Agriculture

TODAY’S TEENS

LEAD THE WAY I N SHA R I N G LOV E OF STEM

“It was exciting to learn and then to share with the next generation.”

– Luke Preyss, Indiana 4-H member

At 13 years old, Luke Preyss of Avon, Indiana, admits he has a strong passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). In summer 2023 he had the opportunity to grow in those areas as one of 20 Indiana 4-H students selected for the Ag Innovators Program.

The Ag Innovators’ mission is to train 4-H youth to utilize modern technology for precision agriculture and other 21st century career paths. In 2022, only 30% of eighthgrade students in Indiana scored at or above grade level on statewide mandated math testing. Indiana 4-H was one of five states awarded a grant from the National 4-H Council in collaboration with Bayer to deliver the annual Ag Innovators Experience.

After undergoing a three-day training session lead by Indiana 4-H educators, Preyss began to share what he had learned with other students to raise awareness of agriculture innovation and careers in agriculture. The 20 trained teens delivered the Ag Innovators Experience to over 1,500 K-8th grade students statewide.

“The great part of this program is that it gets young kids to realize, ’Hey, wait a minute, even if I didn’t grow up in a rural area or know anything about farming, there’s still exciting stuff happening that I can relate to and that I might consider for my future,’” said Bill Decker, Indiana 4-H youth educator and county extension director for Madison County.

The program is designed to show kids practical and exciting uses for STEM, Decker explained, and to “flip the switch” that turns on their excitement.

Preyss couldn’t agree more and was grateful to have the opportunity to help teach others. “It was exciting to learn and then to share with the next generation. They are the ones who we need to continue to be creative and innovate to make things better. We have to focus on our future.”

P R O G R A M I M PA C T THE NEED: In 2022, ONLY 30% OF EIGHTH-GRADE STUDENTS IN INDIANA scored at or above grade level on statewide mandated math testing.

THE OUTCOME: 20 TRAINED TEENS from Indiana 4-H delivered the Ag Innovators Experience to over 1,500 K-8TH GRADE STUDENTS STATEWIDE.

Preyss experienced just that with the nearly 150 youth who attended his training sessions. “It was great to see that all of the kids I taught were excited to learn more about technology, agriculture and drones. They had a lot of fun with it.”

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GUIDING FARM FAMILIES

DOWN THE ROAD O F SU C C ESSI ON PLA N N I N G

Lynn Stieglitz, second-generation owner, and his son, Jeremy, vice president and operations manager, outside of Milan Center Feed and Grain in Northeast Indiana.

Busy running a medium-sized milling operation as a family-owned business, Lynn Stieglitz hadn’t given much thought to succession planning. But after attending a regional dairy producers meeting in 2022, a presentation by Purdue Extension - Huntington County Director Edward Farris sparked his interest.

Stieglitz, the second-generation owner of Milan Center Feed and Grain in Northeast Indiana, said that while he didn’t take immediate action after the meeting toward succession planning for his business, he held onto Farris’s contact information and the educational handouts given to attendees. In December, Stieglitz was moving things around in his office when he came across those handouts and took their rediscovery as a sign.

“I believe a lot in providence—nothing happens by chance, so finding those papers told me to send Ed an email,” Stieglitz said.

In evaluations of statewide programming efforts, including Purdue Women in Agriculture, the Purdue University Intergenerational Farm and Non-Farm Family Business Survey, and the 2023 AgSEED-funded Succession Survey, producers consistently identified succession planning as a top management concern for which they wanted more information.

Over the last four years, the Purdue Succession Planning Team has offered workshops throughout Indiana. In 2020, the team offered six regional workshops, impacting the lives of 72 participants. Virtual three-part programs in 2021 and 2022 saw 32 and 24 participants, respectively.

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Jeremy Stieglitz, vice president and operations manager of Milan Center Feed and Grain, said attending one of the workshops with his father was eye-opening, and helped them identify local resources they could access when their family was ready to begin succession planning.

“When it comes to succession planning, knowing where to start is probably the hardest part,” Jeremy Stieglitz said.

“Having that extra boost of knowing who is out there to help was a great entry point to lead us into that conversation.

We were able to talk to folks, exchange business cards and then start those conversations.”

Succession planning isn’t as simple as it seems, he explained, equating it with creating a business plan. It’s a major family conversation with intricate dynamics. Through the Extension workshops, the Stieglitz family was able to access expert consultants who could speak the language of their business, break down legal terms and understand the sensitivity around family conversations.

As the leader of the family business, Lynn Stieglitz hadn’t considered prior to the workshop how his family viewed their milling operation, whether it was the glue that held their family together or a threat to family relationships.

Understanding if his heirs could afford to purchase the family business, and if not, how to plan for that, became new considerations in Stieglitz’s long-term planning.

“My father passed away very suddenly a day before he turned 73. He hadn’t been as involved in the day-to-day operations as I had, but it still caught me off guard,” Stieglitz said. “Had we had something like this that initiated

these conversations before he passed, it would have helped tremendously. You think you have forever to wait and plan for this, but the reality is you don’t.”

While his family’s succession conversations are ongoing, Stieglitz said the literature given to workshop attendees has helped him continue thinking about how to keep planning moving in the right direction.

Lynn Stieglitz with Elizabeth Stieglitz, secretary and treasurer for Milan Center Feed and Grain and Lynn’s sister.

When it comes to succession planning, knowing where to start is probably the hardest part.

Having that extra boost of knowing who is out there to help was a great entry point to lead us into that conversation.”

—Jeremy Stieglitz, vice president and operations manager of Milan Center Feed and Grain

Jeremy Stieglitz at Milan Center Feed and Grain.

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P R OVIDIN G S UPPO R T F O R FA MI L I E S THR OU G H

SEASONS OF

CHANGE “My hope is things taught in this class will help them move on to realize it’s not about themselves; it’s about their relationship with their children now as co-parents.”

– Nathan A. Verkamp, Dubois County Circuit Court Judge

Changes are a normal part of life; however, sudden or unexpected changes, such as a divorce or separation of parents, can significantly affect children’s wellbeing. Dubois County Circuit Court Judge Nathan A. Verkamp sees the cases in his courtroom daily and has made it a mission to help support these families.

A little over a year ago, Verkamp partnered with his local Purdue Extension office to require Parents Forever in Dubois County for all divorce and paternity cases as a resource for families in transition. Parents Forever is an educational program for families experiencing divorce, separation or child custody changes. This program focuses on teaching parents to be responsive, responsible and respectful to each other for the well-being of their children.

Purdue Extension educators like Chelsea Brewer of Dubois County provide the four-hour program in person to community residents, court-ordered parents and other caregivers. “Our hope is for our attendees to learn that your co-parent can be your best ally. They understand your child and what life looks like for your child. If they’re able to work together as a team, that is the best thing in the end.”

Parents Forever is also available as an online course.

“The reality is that even though these individuals no longer find themselves as husband and wife, they will always be mother and father. My hope is the things taught in this class will help them move on to realize it’s not about themselves; it’s about their relationship with their children now as co-parents,” Verkamp said. The data from class recipients supports Verkamp’s goal with 80 percent of program attendees reporting they are likely to adjust their parenting to better meet the needs of their children.

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Dubois County is not alone in utilizing this Extension resource. Parents Forever is currently mandated by 13 counties in Indiana. From January 2022 through May 2023, the program reached 831 adults and over 1,120 children in Indiana. Verkamp is grateful to have an ally like Purdue in this program: “Purdue has been an amazing partner for this.”

Verkamp and Brewer agree that the end goal of the program is the children’s well-being. “The children are the most important part to me in my role because that is our future. We must continue to work together to help them go through these changes,” Verkamp said.

P R O G R A M I M PA C T • From January 2022 through May 2023,

THE PROGRAM REACHED 831 ADULTS AND OVER 1,120 CHILDREN in Indiana.

•T HIRTEEN INDIANA COUNTIES currently mandate Parents Forever.

• 80 PERCENT OF PROGRAM ATTENDEES reported they are likely to adjust their parenting to better meet the needs of their children.

ADDRESSING SUBSTANCE USE RECOVERY

TOGETHER

“When you meet someone, you don’t know how important that relationship will become down the road.”

– Adam McQueen, Wayne County assistant chief probation officer

Adam McQueen, assistant chief probation officer at Wayne County Probation, is an active member of the Taking Action to Address Substance Use in Communities (TASC) program. Funded by the North Central Cooperative Extension Association, Purdue faculty and staff developed TASC to provide a framework for communities addressing substance use disorder.

TASC was created and launched by Nicole Adams, clinical associate professor at the Purdue School of Nursing, and Michael Wilcox, senior associate at the Purdue Center for Regional Development and assistant director and program leader for Purdue Extension Community Development.

Adams and Wilcox co-created the program with Elisa Worland, community development and health and human sciences educator in Wayne County, to give communities the tools to take a proactive and inclusive stance on substance use. TASC creates spaces for coalition members like social services, education, law enforcement and, notably, the recovery community, to connect and develop effective community-based intervention initiatives.

TASC equips Extension educators to help local coalitions work toward a community-wide recovery-oriented system of care (ROSC). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration describes ROSC as “a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that is person-centered and builds on the strengths and resiliencies of individuals, families and communities to achieve abstinence and improved health, wellness and quality of life for those with or at risk of alcohol and drug problems.”

Through TASC, McQueen has made professional connections to help improve recovery service for individuals on community supervision. For example, he helped increase the accessibility of NaloxBoxes, an emergency intervention tool for opioid overdose.

“When you focus down at the community level, you’re looking at the values, cultures and resources of each community and their people,” Adams said. “The program focuses on the assets communities already have and provides the curriculum to help make meaningful change.”

In addition to Wayne County, TASC has been implemented in Clark, Newton, Jasper and Tippecanoe counties.

Collaborators from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, The Ohio State University and Turtle Mountain Community College are implementing community-shaped iterations of the program beyond Indiana.

P R O G R A M I M PA C T A coalition is formed when multiple groups work together to achieve a common goal.

TASC HELPS COALITIONS IDENTIFY THEIR COUNTY’S NEEDS and set goals

to address them. Purdue Extension educators support coalitions throughout the state.

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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS TARGET

A B R OAD R A NG E O F US E R S

Purdue Extension is addressing workforce development in Indiana with an overriding goal to foster prosperity for individuals, communities and businesses. Extension tailors programs for different audiences across its four program areas.

Resources for nontraditional agriculture Mike and Lisel Record have operated New Ground Farm, a small, USDA-certified organic vegetable farm in Bloomington, Indiana, since 2014. “Initially I thought it would be a strategic advantage for the business,” said Mike Record. “Now I feel like it’s the right way to farm.”

Purdue Extension has helped the Records, who own one of only three such farms in their county, overcome some of the challenges of certified organic farming.

The Diversified Farming and Food Systems (DFFS) program offers educational curriculums supporting urban farmers, beginning farmers, community gardeners and Junior Master Gardeners. A team of Extension educators and specialists, faculty, practitioners and community partners also plan networking and professional development events like farm tours, demonstrations, and food and beverage tastings from local growers and producers. At the county and state levels, many programs are hosted in partnership with conservation partners and government agencies.

A couple of years into his business, Record participated in Purdue Extension-sponsored extended field trips to southern Michigan and to New England. “I gathered a lot of ideas of new production techniques to try,” he said. Closer to home, one-day workshops and personal interactions with Extension staff “were useful for sure,” he added.

Urban gardener Marissa Renz wants people to know that they don’t need to live in a rural setting to live in abundance. Her home in Fort Wayne, situated on about a third of an acre, teems with bees, hummingbirds and other avian visitors. “A lot of people think you can’t have that unless you live in the country, but a lot can be done in just a little bit of space,” she said.

Renz is a garden consultant and coach who also provides design services through her company, Plant Happiness.

Over the past 14 years, she has completed Purdue Extension’s Indiana Master Naturalist and Master Gardener programs, earned an Urban Agriculture Certificate, and attended multiple Extension seminars and symposiums.

Mike Record (left) at his farm and Marissa Renz (right) in her urban garden.

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Mental health education for employees and employers “Mental wellness is a huge topic right now and like everybody, we’ve gone through a lot of changes since we’ve come back from COVID,” Shelly Powell, marketing events manager at the Tipton County Library and president of the Tipton County Extension Board, said. The library also is undergoing renovation — an exciting but potentially stressful process.

Purdue Extension’s new Compassion & Resilience Education at Work (CREW) is an introductory mental health and substance use curriculum designed for the workplace.

It offers three timely topics in standalone one-hour sessions or as a series: work-life balance, stress management and stigma reduction.

Powell and 15 of her co-workers attended a pilot session on stress management that Eric Hillis, Purdue Extension Health and Human Sciences educator in Tipton County,

delivered at the library in April 2023. “I think Eric made everybody feel comfortable sharing,” Kendra Hummel, assistant director of the library and a member of Hillis’s Extension Advisory Committee, said.

Powell especially liked learning about square breathing, a deep-breathing exercise for calming the mind and nervous system, and has since put this stress management technique to use. She also said the session has made her more sensitive to her coworkers’ feelings: “I try to be more open-minded and look at it through a wider scope.”

Powell and Hummel agree that giving employees tools to identify stressors, to develop coping strategies, and to communicate about their stress with their employer is a win-win.

CREW is adaptable to different industries and to organizations of all sizes, and Purdue Extension can bring it to employees at a workplace virtually or in person.

Employers can connect with their local Extension educator to learn more.

Indiana 4-H: A partner in college and career readiness “It’s an opportunity to become better for my college career or when I enter the workforce, to set myself up with skills that will help make me and youth across the state successful,” Reagan Koester said. “That’s really what 4-H is all about.”

The Tipton County Library, where Purdue Extension’s new workplace curriculum was provided to staff as a pilot session.

Koester and Kylie Bedel, both 10-year 4-H members in Vanderburgh County, have involvement in Junior Leaders and service as Indiana State 4-H Ambassadors on their activity- and service-packed resumes.

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Bedel is a Purdue sophomore studying agribusiness and animal science. “I want to work for a company, government agency or university that makes an impact in agriculture in some way,” she said.

Koester is a first-year Purdue student also majoring in agribusiness, and who plans to earn a law degree as a foundation for a career in estate planning.

Bedel and Koester are masters of time management, and both credit 4-H. Koester wrote a proposal and secured a grant for her project Fun for Foster Families, which included filling backpacks for foster children in her tristate area. “These projects do take quite a bit of time, and then balancing them with school and extracurriculars and sports… A lot of 4-H’ers are involved in more than 4-H,” she said.

Reagan Koester, 10-year 4-H member from Vanderburgh County and Purdue University first-year student.

Bedel calls herself “goal driven” and relies on organizational skills from 4-H to achieve those goals. “When I get to school, I get all my syllabuses and I start making an Excel spreadsheet with every class I have and every piece of homework that’s listed,” she said. “If you’re not organized,

Kylie Bedel, 10-year 4-H member from Vanderburgh County and Purdue University sophomore.

you’re going to fall behind or forget something. Being heavily involved in 4-H — those skills have transferred over.”

The two young women say hands-on and project-based learning demands teamwork, leadership, self-reflection, community service and civic engagement. They learned to delegate and communicate.

Leveraging grants to realize a vision Carlene Archie’s Indianapolis-based nonprofit, Unique 7 and Associates, offers a range of services to youth and families, including a weekly urban gardening program for children that is rooted in her own experience on her grandmother’s farm. “I became a community activist by just

W O R K F O R C E D E V E L O P M E N T I M PA C T A C R O S S A U D I E N C E S AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND NONTRADITIONAL GROWERS: DIVERSIFIED FARMING AND FOOD SYSTEMS PROGRAMS • Statewide urban agriculture needs assessment completed.

• Networking and professional development events: Indiana Small Farm Conference and Indiana Organic Grain Farmers Meeting.

• Beginning Farmer Signature Program.

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HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AND EMPLOYERS: COMPASSION & RESILIENCE EDUCATION AT WORK (CREW) • Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity every year, per the World Health Organization.

• Input from over 400 Indiana employers helped shape the CREW curriculum.

• 95 percent of pilot participants found the session they attended to be helpful.

caring and working with children and families in the pocket around me,” she said.

Many nonprofits and local governments rely on grant funding to support their mission and programs, but their staffs often scramble to learn grant-writing on the job.

Participants in Purdue Extension’s Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing develop project planning and grantwriting skills that allow them to dream bigger than current resources allow.

Archie aspired to expand her popular Saturday gardening program but realized she couldn’t do it alone or depend solely on volunteers. “I’m a better visionary than I am a writer, so I had to get better at understanding the grant process,” she said.

Archie used instructor feedback and resources to immediately secure a small grant for a youth project to build birdhouses.

Whether she’s helping families reduce their debt through financial advising, teaching them to cook — “I brought nine people to a Purdue home preservation course,” she said — or promoting the idea of 4-H clubs in urban schools, Archie said she’ll continue tapping Extension expertise.

“They offered their services starting day one,” she said, quoting her instructors: ‘Call us if you need us. Come by if you have something to show us.’”

Through her own initiative, Archie learned about an Extension-sponsored Community Supported Agriculture conference. From there, new friends in Marion County and Hancock County Extension not only piqued her interest in the Master Gardener program but provided a link when she mentioned her interest in grant writing.

Archie liked the structure of the two-day class. “You go to a first workshop to get a framework, and then you go a month later, which I think was a genius idea,” she said.

Her takeaways included better knowledge of available resources, tips on technical writing, and the critical need to organize and plan ahead. The class also sharpened her focus: “It helped me understand I don’t have to get everything done in one grant.”

INDIANA 4-H AND YOUTH: SKILLS FOR SCHOOL NOW AND POSTSECONDARY CHOICES LATER • 53 percent of Hoosiers go to college; 72 percent of Indiana 4-H members go to college.

• 86.8 percent of members say 4-H has taught them how to act professionally.

• 84.2 percent indicated that 4-H helped them have a better idea of what they might do after high school.

Carlene Archie’s Indianapolis-based nonprofit, Unique 7 and Associates, offers a range of services to youth and families, including a weekly urban gardening program for children.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND VISIONARIES: BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GRANT WRITING • From fall 2021 to spring 2022, participants submitted 22 grant proposals and received $1,639,175 in funding.

• Grant awards ranged in size from $408,900 to $2,100.

• Projects included early childhood education, public health, public safety, affordable housing, STEM, equipment and senior center programs.

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TRAINING INTERNATIONAL FARMERS IN

FOOD PRESERVATION AN D PR O CE SSI N G

Cassava is a root vegetable with a slight nutty taste that is native to South America. Farmers of the Tri-Valley Cluster in Trinidad use cassava to create baking flour as a way to diversify their agribusinesses.

Purdue Extension, in collaboration with the University of West Indies at St. Augustine, is implementing the USAID John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-toFarmer (F2F) program in Trinidad and Tobago.

For the past three years the United States Agency for International Development-funded program has provided technical assistance from U.S. volunteers to farmers, farm groups, agribusinesses and other agriculture sector institutions to address food and nutrition security and strengthen the extension system in Trinidad and Tobago.

More than 750 people have been trained across a number of themes.

“The program’s achievements in Trinidad and Tobago are truly impressive,” said Associate Dean and Director of Purdue’s International Programs in Agriculture (IPIA) Gerald Shively.

“It’s impressive not only in terms of the valuable training and technical assistance provided, but also with respect to providing enhanced cultural awareness and understanding through volunteer exchanges, a goal that is at the heart of the Farmer-to-Farmer program.”

Traditionally, the F2F volunteers have had Purdue Extension educators focused in agriculture, but in March 2023, Health and Human Sciences Extension educators Abigail Creigh (Noble County) and Molly Hoag (Wells County) traveled to Trinidad to train farmers in food preservation and processing. The Tri-Valley Cluster is a group of farmers, agro-processors, agricultural value-added agents, agrotourism agents and rural community development activists from the northeastern regions of Trinidad — Lopinot, Brasso

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Seco and Aripo. Many of the cocoa farmers of the Tri-Valley Cluster are unprofitable during non-cocoa-bearing seasons.

On recently established estates, the long gestation time of cocoa (three years before bearing) creates a financial burden and cashless period for farmers. As a result, the Tri-Valley farmers wanted to diversify their agribusiness in terms of agro-processing by making baking flour from root crops and tubers such as cassava, dasheen and sweet potato grown on their farms.

Creigh and Hoag have extensive knowledge in food agroprocessing with a focus on food processing and storage techniques in food safety. Through their volunteer technical assistance, the farmers of Tri-Valley learned new techniques of making baking flour to diversify their cocoa farms and increase their productivity, marketability, profitability and sustainability in the global cocoa industry. This has enabled the farmers to provide new products for allergy sensitivities and usage of local products rather than costly wheat imports. The knowledge that Creigh and Hoag have passed on will be essential in helping the Tri-Valley members continue to improve their agribusinesses as well as ensure adherence to international standards in agro-processing techniques.

Bringing back knowledge to Indiana “My experience in Trinidad definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone,” Hoag said. “Working with the Tri-Valley Cluster gave me a realization that many people do not have access to resources for basic concepts with food preservation and food safety. The global experience has helped to expand my understanding of other cultures and

oppose any predetermined perceptions that many people learn within their bubbles.”

Creigh and Hoag plan to establish a program in Indiana to create allergy-sensitive products such as gluten-free options. They also hope to offer more programming in the art of dehydration and fermentation, and products from start to finish.

“We have to adapt to the resources we have available here in the U.S.,” Hoag said. “We don’t have cassava or cocoa regularly accessible, so we are brainstorming ways to educate about creating allergy-sensitive options with the resources readily available in Indiana.”

“It was an invaluable experience to travel to Trinidad and teach food preservation and food safety,” Creigh said.

“The members of the Tri-Valley Cluster demonstrated so much excitement and willingness to learn. I have gained knowledge of how other cultures work, live and play and realized my passion as an educator can have a positive impact on others across the world.”

“The Farmer-to-Farmer experience can make you a stronger educator,” Hoag said. “Because you’re forced out of your own cultural comfort zone, it helps broaden your way of thinking and allows you to account for different perceptions and understand other backgrounds.”

Purdue Extension educators Molly Hoag and Abigail Creigh, along with Tri-Valley member Kahil, prepare purple yam for dehydration.

T H R E E -Y E A R P R O G R A M I M PA C T •4 0 POSTDOCS, EXTENSION FACULTY AND EDUCATORS completed an assignment •1 ,112 PEOPLE trained •6 2% OF ASSIGNMENTS focused on food and nutrition security •2 9% OF ASSIGNMENTS strengthened extension service • Host groups made 41 NEW AND IMPROVED SERVICES AND PRODUCTS. Examples of products and services include online courses, gluten-free foods, tomato jam, pepper sauce and chocolate stout.

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FARMER-DRIVEN

RESEARCH

C R EATES SOLU TIO NS

Mark Kingma (left) with Craig Smith, Kingma’s nephew and next generation on the farm.

Mark Kingma, farmer cooperator in Jasper County, has been farming for 45 years with his family. In addition to knowledge from years of experience, Kingma partners with the Purdue On The Farm (POTF) team to learn how management decisions affect farm outcomes.

The POTF team, made up of Purdue Extension educators and campus specialists, helps farmers address farm management challenges through practical, research-based solutions. POTF is built on four pillars of engagement — field monitoring, on-farm demonstrations, on-farm research and surveys. The program combines these efforts to provide insights into new technologies, products, and challenges and opportunities related to growing Indiana’s row crops.

For the past 12 years, Kingma and his family have been using cover crops on their farm. From fertilizer application, nitrogen rate and cover crop studies, the research has measured how weed, insect, disease pressure and yield outcomes are related to management decisions.

“I’ve told the Purdue specialists a few times that we need to stop performing zero nitrogen application studies as they cost us too much,” Kingma joked. “But in all seriousness, we found that we want to continue split applying nitrogen to avoid losing it due to rains. If we cut back too much or lose too much, it affects the yield significantly.”

In addition to the research happening on their farm, Kingma enjoys following along with research performed on farms across the state. Based on Purdue published studies, Kingma applies pot ash to his soybeans differently and has implemented no-till.

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“Building relationships with local farmers is my favorite part of the program. It’s an opportunity for Purdue Extension personnel to learn from our farmers’ everyday experiences while sharing Purdue resources to help them, in real-time,” said Sarah Brackney, agriculture and natural resources educator for Purdue Extension – Daviess County and data collector for POTF. Each year Brackney and other Extension educators collect local data from farms across Indiana and share it with campus specialists, providing a clearer picture of statewide crops and influencing future research direction.

Educators are the connector between farmers and oncampus specialists.

“There are so many decisions to make in farming. Some of the on-farm research confirms what we are doing while other research gives us something to think about and even change,” Kingma said. “I really appreciate the team and how their work is helping us farmers improve our outcomes directly on the farm.”

MORE INFO Visit puext.in/PurdueOnTheFarm if you are interested in partnering with POTF to conduct research on your farm.

FUTURE

EXPANDING INDIANA’S ACCESS TO BROADBAND

D I R EC T I O NS

Looking ahead … Purdue Extension is always assessing the needs of our Indiana communities to provide practical, researchbased information to all.

In 2024 and beyond, you’ll see our efforts in: • Prioritizing CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE, such as increasing the implementation of soil health practices by partnering with the Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, and other key state and industry organizations.

• Investing in FINANCIAL LITERACY KNOWLEDGE through Captain Cash, our interactive educational program designed to teach basic financial management skills to thirdgrade students.

• Preparing Indiana youth for EDUCATION, ENLISTMENT AND EMPLOYMENT through 4-H projects and programming that includes partnering with Indiana school corporations.

• Supporting small and large producers in LOCAL

As Indiana’s landgrant institution, Purdue University is harnessing the power of its students, alumni and Extension personnel to help expand broadband access in Indiana, an essential catalyst for economic growth in our state. A map developed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will dictate where broadband funds from the Broadband Equity, Adoption, and Deployment program (BEAD) will be distributed.

HELP US ENSURE INDIANA’S BROADBAND MAP IS AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE! Visit puext.in/PBT for

more information.

• Validate your address and internet service available on the FCC map.

• Apply for the Indiana Connectivity Program.

•C onduct speed tests or report a lack of connectivity at your address.

• Learn more about the Affordable Connectivity Program.

FOOD PRODUCTION, VALUE-ADDED PROCESSING AND NEW MARKET DEVELOPMENT. • Strengthening statewide capacity to prevent, treat and SUPPORT RECOVERY FOR OPIOID USE

DISORDER AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS as a founding partner of the Great Lakes Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

• Equipping individuals with KNOWLEDGE,

LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND CONNECTIONS to serve their

communities while continuing to add to our high-quality online programming to provide education when and where our stakeholders need it.

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PURDUE EXTENSION

IMPACT

R E P O R T 20 2 3 extension.purdue.edu @PurdueExtension An equal access/equal opportunity university