Friend of Extension recognized for support at state, national levels
October 16, 2014
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Ken Huseman of Lake County has been chosen as the 2014 Friend of Purdue Extension for his commitment to supporting and promoting the program nationally and locally.
The award by the Indiana Extension Educators Association was given Thursday (Oct. 16) during a luncheon at Purdue Extension’s annual conference on the university’s campus.
Huseman has served on the Purdue Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching for 20 years. PCARET advocates for Extension programs and research before lawmakers and agricultural groups.
Huseman has been on the Lake County Extension Board for 34 years.
“He truly believes in what we do in Extension to improve individual lives and communities,” said members of the Lake County Extension staff, who nominated Heusen for the award. “His support and enthusiasm have helped us greatly in the last few years as Lake County faced grave funding issues.”
Huseman is known for networking between government officials and Extension staff and beneficiaries on funding possibilities. Locally, he meets regularly with Lake County Council members to promote Extension programs. At the national level in addition to his role as a PCARET representative, Huseman often communicates with other national organizations to advocate for Extension.
Huseman has hosted some of the Family Nutrition Program staff at his 2000-acre grain and hog farm in Cedar Lake so they could better understand farm work and share the information with their students.
Huseman is a longtime supporter of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, an Extension-led effort to teach limited-resource audiences how to have nutritionally sound diets while stretching their food dollars. He promotes the importance of the program at CARET meetings with members of Congress.
Writer: Emma Hopkins, 765-494-8402, hopkine@purdue.edu
Source: Janet Reed, 219-775-3240, reedjm@purdue.edu
Note to journalists: Photos of the award recipient will be available at http://www.ag.purdue.edu/extension/awards/
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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