from the Director

Extension Updates

Thank you for your active participation in the Purdue Extension Professional Development Conference earlier this month. We truly appreciated the opportunity to speak with you, hear your perspectives, and address your questions about the future of Purdue Extension.

We recognize that we weren’t able to answer every question during our session. As promised, we have provided written responses to the questions we didn’t get to, which are included with this note. We also want to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers yet. This transition is a collaborative process, and your engagement is critical as we work together to build the future of Purdue Extension.

As we approach the end of the year, we hope you enjoy well-deserved time off with family and friends. Thank you for your continued dedication and partnership as we move forward.

Warm wishes,

Bernie Engel & Angie Abbott

Bernie Engel
bernie-signature.png
Bernie Engel
Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture,
Purdue University College of Agriculture
Angie Abbott
angie-signature.png
Angela Abbott
Interim Director of Purdue Extension,
Purdue University College of Agriculture
Thank you for all of your hard work this past year and your support of Purdue Extension. Warm wishes and happy holidays!

Stories

Purdue Extension announces winners of 2025 Paul B. Crooks Award, Eric G. Sharvelle Award and Director’s Award — 12 December 2025

Purdue Extension recognized many outstanding individuals during its annual Professional Development Conference. On Dec. 5, Purdue Extension...

Argos MarketReady training will help local food producers expand into new markets — 11 December 2025

Purdue Extension is hosting a MarketReady training session from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET Jan. 21 in Argos, Indiana. As the state’s local food...

Supporting veterans year-round with resources for success — 11 November 2025

Purdue Extension, in partnership with the National AgrAbility Project and Indiana AgrAbility, offers resources to help veterans pursue their goals,...

Meal prep made easy with AI: Tips from an Extension educator — 14 October 2025

Unsure what to make for dinner, you check your kitchen. A loaf of bread. A bag of baby carrots. A can of pumpkin puree. A package of chicken...

Confidence grown in 4-H leads to unexpected connections and career path — 02 October 2025

As the assistant manager at Growing Minds Farm Stop, Lilly Cox understands how much work running a business can be. She creates work schedules,...

Rooted and Resilient Homesteading Conference will offer hands-on learning for experts, beginners, youth — 26 September 2025

Purdue Extension’s Rooted and Resilient Homesteading Conference will return to Kendallville on Nov. 7-8 for its second year. The event brings...

5 things to avoid this fall when putting your garden to bed — 19 September 2025

As tree leaves flourish into bright fall colors, home gardens are fading into collections of brown leaves and stems. Just because the growing...

Evansville MarketReady producer training will share tips, tricks for thriving in today’s marketplace — 15 September 2025

Purdue Extension is hosting a MarketReady training session from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. CT Nov. 20 in Evansville, Indiana. As the state’s local...

Community Unites to Build Award-Winning Park — 11 August 2025

After nine years in the making, J. Long Memorial Second Street Park made its grand opening to the residents of Connersville, Indiana. Once ...

Ribbons and Records: The History of 4-H Awards and Recognition — 30 June 2025

Ribbons and Records: The History of 4-H Awards and Recognition

What’s buzzing in your backyard? Learn about protecting pollinators, beekeeping with Purdue Extension — 03 June 2025

Small but mighty, pollinators contribute to everything from aster to apples to almond butter. June marks National Pollinator Month, the perfect...

New AgrAbility publication explores accessible design for farm shops — 29 May 2025

The National AgrAbility Project, housed at Purdue University’s Breaking New Ground Resource Center in the Department of Agricultural and...

4-H workshop lets youth explore crop and soil science — 28 May 2025

Youth who have just completed grades 3-12 are invited to attend a free crop and soil science workshop, titled “Experience 4-H: Crop and Soil...

Hydroponic crop production workshop will be offered for home and commercial growers — 20 May 2025

Purdue University’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture will offer a one-day workshop about hydroponic crop production July...

Sine Qua Non (An Ode to Kris Parker) — 06 May 2025

In community development, we are always concerned about our success and impact on communities, so we focus on measurement and evaluation, or...

Community leaders can learn about wind, solar energy during R-STEP workshops and bus tours — 22 April 2025

March 4 marked the first renewable energy regional workshop and bus tour hosted by the Center for Energy Education, Purdue Extension community...

Support extension programming during Purdue Day of Giving — 14 April 2025

April 30 marks this year’s Purdue Day of Giving and an opportunity to give back to Purdue Extension. Purdue Day of Giving annually brings...

Purdue Extension supports local agriculture, youth education through Farm to School (and you can too!) — 01 April 2025

Purdue Extension partnered with Indiana Grown for Schools in 2018, when the program first began to take shape from a USDA Farm to School grant....

Indiana AgrAbility expo to highlight assistive technology for agriculture — 28 March 2025

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — On April 11, Purdue University’s Indiana AgrAbility Project, in cooperation with Huntington University and...

Nominations open for Purdue Women in Agriculture awards — 25 March 2025

Purdue Women in Agriculture (WIA) is now accepting nominations for its 2025 Emerging Women in Agriculture Leadership Award, Achievement Award and...

Purdue Extension will host virtual Farmers Market Certificate program in April — 21 March 2025

Purdue Extension will offer the virtual Farmers Market Certificate program over four sessions in April to train market managers and vendors on best...

The secret behind how Indiana 4-H continues growing after 100 years — 06 March 2025

The Indiana State Fair is a well-known part of 4-H, but it’s only one piece of the program. In counties across the state, 4-H is offering...

Purdue Extension Professionals Recognized at Conference — 19 December 2024

A number of Purdue Extension Professionals were recognized at the annual Purdue Extension Professional Development Conference (PDC) on Thursday,...

Protecting Indiana communities one safety presentation at a time — 15 November 2024

Have questions about pesticide safety or other farm safety topics? Fred Whitford will track down answers to those questions and more with his keen...

Assistive technology at AgrAbility Expo — 08 November 2024

Assistive technologies are critical for the success of farmers with disabilities and other functional limitations. As the average age of farmers...

Purdue FNR Extension specialist receives national recognition for work in forestry — 19 September 2024

Lenny Farlee, sustaining hardwood Extension specialist for Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR), has been named a 2024...

Grain entrapment is the leading cause of agricultural confined space-related injuries and fatalities; researchers emphasize safety — 19 September 2024

Purdue University’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program has released the 2023 Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-related Injuries...

Behind the Research: Kimber Nicoletti-Martinez, MSW, LCSW — 27 August 2024

Many people are involved in the remarkable range of programs, services and facilities that undergird research in the College of Agriculture....

Empowering Futures: Juntos 4-H PASA at Purdue University — 09 July 2024

Summer is a time for exploration and discovery, and a collaboration with Indiana 4-H and the Office of Multicultural Programs showcased that...

$1.5M USDA NIFA grant will help Purdue researcher identify community-based food waste solutions — 25 June 2024

The Purdue University College of Agriculture’s Department of Agricultural Economics has received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S....

Family gift supports Purdue Extension and Indiana 4-H — 24 April 2024

Brothers Ronald Kent and John Kristopher Taylor shared a love of the outdoors and the Boilermakers. Known as “Kent and Kris,” their...

Rehabilitation through cultivation—from incarceration to Master Gardeners — 12 March 2024

When he thinks of his childhood, Jacobo Mora recalls rows of fruit trees and colorful squash at Kercher’s Sunrise Orchard in Goshen, Indiana....

Returning to his roots: Stephen Meyers and the land-grant mission — 19 February 2024

If you’re cruising through northern Indiana in late summer or early fall, roll down your windows. Take a deep breath. Where does the smell...

Providing Support for Families Through Seasons of Change — 03 February 2024

Changes are a normal part of life; however, sudden or unexpected changes, such as a divorce or separation of parents, can significantly affect...

Farmer-driven Research Creates Solutions — 26 January 2024

Mark Kingma, farmer cooperator in Jasper County, has been farming for 45 years with his family. In addition to knowledge from years of experience,...

Purdue Center for Regional Development leads effort for Indiana’s Digital Equity Plan — 26 January 2024

The Purdue Center for Regional Development, in partnership with the Indiana Broadband Office, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs,...

Workforce Development Efforts Target a Broad Range of Users — 18 January 2024

Purdue Extension is addressing workforce development in Indiana with an overriding goal to foster prosperity for individuals, communities and...

Today's Teens Lead the Way — 09 January 2024

The Ag Innovators’ mission is to train 4-H youth to utilize modern technology for precision agriculture and other 21st century career paths....