sealPurdue News
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December 30, 2002

Purdue Extension lands large role at Fort Wayne Farm Show

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University will do it up big at one of Indiana's largest farm exhibitions.

The Fort Wayne Farm Show takes place Jan. 14-16 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne, Ind. The Purdue Cooperative Extension Service will occupy a major place on the exhibit floor, and Purdue Extension also is co-sponsoring a series of agricultural workshops.

"We have six full exhibit spaces beginning at booth 808. It's a very large exhibit that's pretty easy to locate," said Val Slack, educator, Purdue Extension Whitley County.

Purdue Extension staff will provide visitors with information to help them better manage their homes and finances, as well as assist farmers with crop and livestock questions.

"We have educators who will be working the exhibit every hour the show is open," Slack said. "We normally try to have at least four staff available from different program areas because we feel strongly that Extension programming is for the entire family and not just agriculture. We have information for people interested in families, financial management, home management, land use, youth programming, leadership development and more."

Special attention will be paid to homeland security issues. Purdue is a member of the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN), a collaborative effort by state Extension services to develop and disseminate disaster information. EDEN is developing and distributing biosecurity information.

"Our exhibit theme is 'Safe Homes, Safe Farms and Safe Food.' We're hoping to help people understand what they can do to prepare their homes, farms and businesses for agroterrorism," Slack said. "We plan to have our Web site active so that people will be able to research the Purdue EDEN site, as well as research the Extension site. We're also going to have photos and publications available that visitors can take with them."

Purdue Extension, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are co-sponsoring ag workshops each day of the farm show. The workshops take place in the Appleseed Room, located near the exhibit hall.

The workshop schedule includes:

• Jan. 14, 10 a.m. – "Grain Market Outlook," Jon Cavanaugh, marketing director, Central States Enterprises Inc., and David Kohli, market analyst, Ford & Young Futures.

• Jan. 14, 11 a.m. – "Negaholics: How to Handle Negativity," Judi Merkel, Purdue Extension.

• Jan. 14, 1 p.m. – "This Farm Bill is For You!" John Nidlinger, state executive director, FSA, and Jane Hardisty, state conservationist, NRCS.

• Jan. 14, 2:30 p.m. – "Tilling Your Way to No-till," Joe Nester, Nester Ag Management.

• Jan. 15, 10 a.m. – "Grain and Livestock Market Outlook," Chris Hurt, Purdue Extension agricultural economist.

• Jan. 15, 11 a.m. – "State of the State Address of Indiana Agriculture," Joe Pearson, Indiana's assistant commissioner of agriculture.

• Jan. 15, noon – "Farm Safety and Emergency Response," Jim Berger, fire chief, St. Joseph Township Fire Department.

• Jan. 15, 1:30 p.m. – "This Farm Bill is For You!" John Nidlinger, state executive director, FSA, and Jane Hardisty, state conservationist, NRCS.

• Jan. 15, 3 p.m. – "Indiana Agriculture: Gifts to the World," Beth Green and Hanson Young, Purdue Extension.

• Jan. 15, 6 p.m. – "Pond Construction and Management," Roger Roske, agricultural engineer, NRCS, and Bill Horan, Purdue Extension.

• Jan. 16, 9:30 a.m. – "Grain Market Outlook," Dean Sharp, senior commodity representative, Central Soya Co. Inc.

• Jan. 16, 10:30 a.m. – "Meth Labs: A Threat to Ag Security," Steve Cain, Purdue EDEN, and Dan Mawhorn, trooper/detective, Indiana State Police.

Fort Wayne Farm Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 14, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 15 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 16. Admission is free. Coliseum parking is $3.

About 430 ag-related businesses and organizations have reserved exhibit space. The show is expected to attract more than 30,000 people.

Writer: Steve Leer, (765) 494-8415, sleer@purdue.edu

Source: Val Slack, (260) 244-7615 or (260) 625-3313, vslack@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu; https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/AgComm/public/agnews/


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