Field Staff Liaison and Interim Associate Department Head
Agricultural Communication
Purdue University

As field staff liaison, my goal is to the enhance the communication efforts of Purdue Extension field staff. I consider myself as a communication consultant to county staff.

Purdue Extension delivers lifelong education to millions of people in Indiana and the nation, through various communication media. As this world becomes more technologically advanced, the communication methods become more complex, varied and abundant. It is my goal to help the Extension educators to select the most suitable communication methods to deliver information about Extension the intended audiences.

Former Positions:

• VOCA volunteer, 1994 to present, with consulting assignments in Estonia, Croatia, Uganda, and Bulgaria.
• News Coordinator, Purdue Ag Comm, 1987-1994
• Acting Department Head, Ag Comm,  1990.
• Managing Editor, Indiana Prairie Farmer,  1982-1987
• Manager, Farm Progress Show, 1979-1981
• Assistant Farm Management Editor, Successful Farming Magazine, 1976-1979
• Farm Beat Reporter: WLFI-TV, 1975-1976 (internship)
• Graveyard Shift, Marsh Supermarkets, 1973-1976
• Raised and worked on a crop and livestock farm near Lafayette, Indiana

College:

• Purdue University, BS, Agriculture in 1976

Honors:

• USDA's Superior Service Award.
  
• Agricultural Communicators Association Gold Award on a four color publication
• American Agricultural Editors Association recognition for service
• Agricultural Communicators in Education Outstanding Professional Skill Award in Television
• Indiana FFA Foundation Board recognition for service

Major Publications: Cain has published more than 1,000 articles in magazines including: Successful Farming, Indiana Prairie Farmer, Farm Journal, Top Producer, Soybean Digest, Progressive Farmer, Farming Magazine.

Cain has appeared nationally on network and satellite television and presented information on agriculture and agricultural research. Since 1988, he has been a contributing editor to the Agriculture Section of the World Book, Science Year Book.