Purdue Agriculture Report

Welcome to Purdue Agriculture Report, an e-newsletter for business and community leaders on research, academics and Extension across Indiana and around the globe.

In a request to the General Assembly, Purdue University proposes to further stimulate Indiana's economy with a $5 million Advancing Indiana Manufacturing initiative. The plan will help the state's manufacturing sector adapt to emerging technologies and the changing economy.

Advancing Indiana’s manufacturing benefits everyone within the food, agriculture and natural resource system. An improved manufacturing base will help kick-start our economy. Additionally, better technologies help producers increase production efficiencies, help entrepreneurs capitalize on niche markets and help grow off-farm employment opportunities.

Purdue Extension is another part of the university’s efforts to rev Indiana’s economic engine. With educators in all of Indiana's 92 counties, Purdue Extension is an important gateway for Purdue's economic development initiatives. Extension educators help point people to resources at Purdue and in the community, region and state.

Among Purdue Extension programs currently building businesses and enlightening entrepreneurs are the Ag Innovations and Commercialization Center and New Ventures Team. These efforts help people write business plans, conduct feasibility studies, find funding sources and network.

To learn more about these opportunities, contact us within Purdue Agriculture including your local Purdue Extension office or call (888) EXT-INFO.

Purdue Extension tool helps entrepreneurs write business plans

A new business tool from Purdue University promises to help entrepreneurs take their ideas one step further.

Purdue's Agricultural Innovation and Commercialization Center (AICC) developed a Web-based business planner that entrepreneurs can use to help them write a business plan that they can take to partners and financial backers. The planner is available online.

"The Web tool has benefits that we think are really valuable," said AICC co-director Mike Boehlje. "It organizes thought processes and approaches business planning in a systematic way. It's the Turbo Tax of business planning."

The planner helps entrepreneurs define the fundamentals of their business, including market analysis, production, marketing and financial issues. While the AICC focuses mainly on ag-related businesses, the planner, and other AICC products, have applications for ag and non-ag sectors. read more

NBC’s Tim Russert to speak at Fish Fry

Tim Russert, the popular moderator of NBC's "Meet the Press" television program and NBC political analyst, will be the guest speaker when the Purdue Agricultural Alumni Fish Fry returns to Indianapolis on Feb. 12.

For the second consecutive year, the event will take place in the Marsh Blue Ribbon Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tickets for the event are $20 and must be purchased in advance. To order tickets, contact the Purdue Agricultural Alumni Association at (765) 494-8593 or via e-mail at debby@purdue.edu.

The Fish Fry will follow the Agriculture Forecast, which will take place at 9:30 a.m. in the Edy's Grand Hall. Previously announced as forecast speaker, Charles F. Conner, special assistant to the president for agricultural trade and food assistance, will be unable to attend. A new speaker will be named prior to the event. read more

New barn strives for cleaner, fresher air for livestock farms

A new state-of-the-art facility, cutting-edge equipment and the human nose are aiding Purdue University scientists' search for ways to minimize noxious smells and possible air and water contaminants from livestock barns.

The researchers are working with the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Pork Board to ensure that animal farms are as odor-free as possible and safe for animals and people, said Brian Richert, animal sciences professor. The studies revolve around testing different diets and management practices to determine how they contribute to aromas and other air and water pollutants from animal waste.

"Large livestock facilities don't fall under current emissions standards because no baseline data exists for such operations, and there is even less information on the odor issue," said Richert, one of the people leading the studies. "This is because it's very difficult to do measurements."

The only facility of its kind in the United States, the 15,500-square-foot, 12-room Swine Environmental Research Building can hold 720 hogs and replicate actual conditions at a working farm. read more

Landscape architecture program among nation's top 10

Purdue Agriculture's landscape architecture program ranked seventh in the nation in a report released this week by DesignIntelligence, a monthly publication targeted for design professionals.

This was the first time that the publication had ranked landscape architecture programs in its annual report, called "America's Best Architecture & Design Schools, 2005."

"One of the strengths of our program is the co-op education element," said Ed Ashworth, head of Purdue's Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. "Our undergraduate students spend one year working in a professional environment, which gives them experience and opens their eyes to the demands of the profession. We are one of the few programs in the country with this requirement."

According to DesignIntelligence, the rankings were based on a survey of professionals in landscape architecture who were asked to rank programs based on how well graduates of those schools were "prepared for real-world practice" when hired. read more

Agricultural Research Programs facilitates research at Purdue by providing administrative support to faculty, ensuring the availability of necessary facilities and encouraging the development of interdisciplinary research programs. Purdue Agriculture annually conducts about $46 million in externally sponsored research. read more

Known affectionately as the "pocket guide," the little yellow book has been an agronomic tradition for 17 years. The field guide is $6 and is available by calling the toll-free Purdue Extension hotline at (888) 398-4636 (EXT-INFO) and asking for the Media Distribution Center or it can be ordered online at http://www.agry.purdue.edu/dtc/guide.html. read more

"Purdue University has put together several soybean rust meetings across the state of Indiana," Conley said. "The goal of these meetings is to keep growers in Indiana updated on the most recent information regarding soybean rust. read more