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 AgComm
News Purdue Extension Purdue
Agriculture Purdue University 
Randy Woodson Olivia Maddox Cherryl Frederick 
Agricultural Communication |
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Welcome to Purdue Agriculture Report, an e-newsletter for business and community leaders on research, academics and Extension across Indiana and around the globe. Tool Shed Tour A critical part of Purdue's mission as a land-grant university is to meet the needs of our citizens and help improve their lives and communities. Finding out what issues are important to the public is essential if we are to fulfill this mission. Indiana's county fair season provided an opportunity for Purdue Agriculture to connect with a wide cross section of the population. In July, we launched the "Tool Shed Tour," a series of stops around the state to meet face-to-face with our many stakeholders. It's also been a chance for me to share how Purdue Agriculture finds solutions to economic, social and scientific problems through research, education and Extension. The tour has been a great success, and I've come in contact with people I would not ordinarily meet. As I travel around the state, I'm impressed by the expertise that Purdue Extension educators bring to the counties with programs that meet the needs of their communities. I also see the invaluable service provided by volunteers, who serve on local Extension boards, as 4-H leaders and in countless other capacities. Our counties are in good hands. Several other representatives from Purdue Agriculture have joined me on the road, so that we can expand our reach throughout the state. This vital connection allows us to share our vision of Purdue Agriculture, and the feedback we receive is a measure of how well we're meeting the needs of Indiana citizens. Purdue survey: farmland values still increasing Indiana farmland values are as hot as the Hoosier summer, according to an annual Purdue University survey. The Purdue Land Values Survey found that during the year ended in June, Indiana cropland values rose for all types of land - poor, average and top quality. Poor quality land averaged $2,367 per acre, average quality land averaged $2,945 an acre and top quality land averaged $3,556 per acre. Those values represented increases of 11.1 percent, 9.4 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively, from the 2004 survey. The land value increases were the highest since 1996-1997, when the survey reported a statewide increase of 12 percent to 15 percent. Land quality is based on average long-term corn yield: 108 bushels per acre for poor quality land, 139 bushels an acre for average quality land and 169 bushels per acre for top quality land. Value per bushel for different land qualities is similar, ranging from $21.08 per bushel to $22.01 per bushel. Land values across the state increased uniformly except in southeast Indiana , where increases were not as large, said Craig Dobbins, Purdue agricultural economist and survey coordinator. "This year, nearly every region reported strong increases in farmland values," Dobbins said. "The one exception was Indiana 's southeastern region. The increases there were less than 3.5 percent." To read the entire survey report, visit the Agricultural Economics Web page and click on Purdue Agricultural Economics Report. read more Soybean aphids found in increasing numbers in state
"The highest numbers this year have occurred in the northeast corner of the state, with the northwest quarter being second highest," said Christian Krupke, a Purdue Extension entomologist. Even farmers in southern Indiana , who normally don't feel pressure from soybean aphids, have been finding them in the fields. "Traditionally I-70 has been the border between aphid and non-aphid parts of the state," he said. Shawn Conley, a Purdue Extension soybean specialist, said, "We're also seeing plants have been under stress for a considerable amount of the season, and this makes them more susceptible to damage and injury by the soybean aphid." read more New livestock breeding program may improve productivity
The new breeding program, designed to get the best out of the animals, is the first major advance in classical breeding in 20 years, said William Muir of the Purdue Department of Animal Sciences. By picking less aggressive individual animals from a broad range of families, the same breeding program can be used for hundreds of generations. The new program enables breeders to have optimal improvement in productivity while minimizing the health risks associated with inbreeding, he said. At the same time, the program overcomes competition among animals for resources that often means less aggressive animals suffer from lack of nutrition and increased injury. "Genes not only control your own behavior but also impact others," Muir said. "For instance, if my genes make me more competitive and aggressive, it almost always comes at the expense of someone else. If a pig or chicken rises to the top of the ladder by stepping on the shoulders, or heads, of others, then a breeding program doesn't make progress." read more Purdue Extension seeks businesses for international research The Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is looking for Indiana agribusinesses and farmers to participate in an international market research program. The purpose is to increase trade between Indiana and Latin America. Agribusinesses will work with Purdue Extension staff and market researchers during the project. The goal will be to focus on boosting Indiana's economy by increasing trade internationally with Latin America and targeting consumer-buying habits of Latinos. "The research obtained abroad will help companies direct their products and services toward Latino consumer needs. This could help businesses capitalize on the advantages of international trade," said Kelli Selby, international coordinator for Purdue Extension. "For instance, Costa Rica is experiencing a rise in the number of movie theaters. An Indiana popcorn farmer may be able to link up with that industry and provide cinemas with their food needs," Selby said. The program is funded through a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant. Companies who are interested in participating in the research project should contact Selby at (765) 494-9831 or camersonselby@purdue.edu. read more "Grainsafe" guides producers through value-added grain process Farmers who grow specialty grains know that to market their product they've got to conduct business by the book. Trouble is, they've not had a book to go by - until now. "Grainsafe" is an online manual that guides producers through the value-added grain process, said Dirk Maier, a Purdue University Extension grain quality specialist. The manual contains good grain production and handling practices and related recordkeeping forms, he said. The value-added resource is free and available by logging onto Purdue's Post Harvest Grain Quality & Stored Product Protection Program Web site. "The 'Grainsafe' program is an on-farm quality assurance program that is intended for value-added grain producers," Maier said. "It is designed so that they can document their quality management steps from the seed to the field, through production and post-harvest handling, to the first point-of-sale." read more MyPyramid dietary guidelines publications available
Through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Purdue is selling educational materials, including posters, brochures and booklets, associated with MyPyramid, the new food pyramid that was released in April. These materials are available from Purdue Extension at prices substantially less than those at the Government Printing Office. Purdue also is selling the 70-page book "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005" at a discount. To purchase "MyPyramid" materials or "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005," call 888-EXT-INFO, visit the Purdue Extension Education Store Web site or send e-mail to media.order@purdue.edu. read more Purdue agricultural and biological engineering 2nd in nation Purdue University 's Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering is ranked second in the nation for its undergraduate agricultural engineering program, according to U.S.News and World Report magazine's annual rankings released Aug. 22. Information on the rankings can be found at the U.S.News & World Report Web site. Purdue to make strong showing at Farm Progress Show The 2005 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill., which is Aug. 30 to Sept. 1, will include many Purdue University exhibits. The 52nd annual Farm Progress Show will be open to the public from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Aug. 30-31, and from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 1. Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for youth ages 13 to 17, and ages 12 and under are free. Purdue will be sharing a tent with the University of Illinois as a partnership of the two land-grant universities involved in the event. In addition to the exhibits, educational seminars will take place at Richland Community College, which is adjacent to the Farm Progress Show site. Chris Hurt, professor of agricultural economics, will be giving a crop and livestock outlook with Darryl Goode from the University of Illinois. Other Purdue presenters will include Rick Foster on alternative farming options and Jerry Nelson of the New Ventures Team on marketing and value-added food products. read more Upcoming Events Purdue Agricultural Centers Field Days Aug. 25 - Northeast-Purdue Agricultural Center, Columbia City , Ind.
Aug. 24-25 - Stored Product Protection Workshop, West Lafayette, Ind. Aug. 25 - Agritourism Workshop, St. Mary-of-the-Woods , Ind. Sept. 7 - Fruit and Vegetable Twilight Meeting, Meigs Horticultural Facility Sept. 28 - Agritourism Workshop, Springport , Ind. Sept. 29-Aug. 1 - Indiana Coverts Program, Trafalgar , Ind. Oct. 5 - Grant Writing Workshop, Various Locations
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While soybean producers are on the lookout for soybean rust from the south, a familiar foe has been riding into soybean fields on winds from the north. Soybean aphid, a small insect that can reduce yields by 10 percent to 15 percent, has been seen in ever-increasing numbers in many Hoosier bean fields this summer.
Breaking up families can be sad, but in a new method for selecting passive livestock animals, that's a main ingredient for better long-term productivity, according to a Purdue University geneticist.
Several publications are available from Purdue University for health and nutrition professionals and consumers who wish to better understand new dietary guidelines released by the federal government.