What We Do
“Food Systems are complex networks that include all the inputs and outputs associated with agricultural and food production and consumption. Food systems can vary substantially from place to place and over time, depending on location specific conditions.”
-United States Department of Agriculture
The Food Systems Coordinator supports small, diverse farms and value-added food businesses in Indiana. We are also involved in local food in terms of food safety, economics, and education. The Purdue Food Systems program uses an interdisciplinary approach to collaboratively create educational materials and workshops, while engaging community members to build local economies.
Contact Us
Sarah Hanson
Food Systems Coordinator
sspeedy@purdue.edu
615 W. State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907
765-494-8483
Producer
Producer
Farmers/producers can learn more about community organizations and resources.
View ResourcesFood Safety
Food Safety
Consumer
Consumer
Learn more about organizations and resources to help consumers navigate our food systems.
View ResourcesFood Business and Entrepreneurship
Food Business and Entrepreneurship
Learn more about resources related to Food Business and Entrepreneurship
View ResourcesFeatured Stories
Purdue University’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and Purdue Extension invite fruit and vegetable producers to attend the 2026 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day on July 16.
Northwest Indiana youth in grades 3–12 are invited to explore the exciting world of urban agriculture and local food systems through the 2026 4-H Urban Agriculture Youth Program, hosted by Purdue Extension Lake County. This hands-on summer experience helps young people discover how food is grown, distributed, and accessed within their own communities while building practical skills in gardening, nutrition, and agricultural science.
The April-May 2026 edition of the Purdue Extension-Washington County newsletter is now available.
March 2026 Clover Chronicle
Purdue Extension-Knox County is hosting a Mastering Home Food Preservation 4-day Course on June 23, 2026 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm eastern time.
It sounds like the start of a bad joke, but what do a pine cone, a sunflower head, and a pineapple have in common? They all have a secret code in common – the Fibonacci sequence.