Pinney Purdue Agricultural Center (PPAC)

Size and Topography

  • 664 acres on the Porter-LaPorte county line, with about 560 tillable acres to serve the agricultural research needs of northwestern Indiana
  • Three distinct soil types: Tracy sandy loam, which can be irrigated during dry periods for horticultural research; highly organic muck; and Sebewa loam used for corn and soybean studies
  • Approximately 45 acres of woodland
  • Ten acres in the USDA Conservation Reserve Program
  • Pond
  • Warm- and cool-season grasses native to the area

Heritage

The original 486-acre property was a gift in 1919 from William Pinney and his daughter Myra Pinney Clark. Over the years Purdue has acquired an additional 178 acres of adjacent cropland.​

Contact Us

Jon Leuck
Director, Purdue Agricultural Centers and Project Coordinator
615 W. State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Phone: (765) 494-8368
Email: leuckj@purdue.edu​

Gary Tragesser
Superintendent, Pinney-Purdue Agricultural Center 
11402 South County Line Road
Wanatah, IN 46390
Phone: (219) 733-2379
Email: ​​gtragess@purdue.edu​

Resources

  • Main building with meeting space for up to 50 and farm shop for equipment upgrades and repairs
  • GPS/RTK technology
  • Storage and drying facilities
  • 30-foot by 48-foot greenhouse; two rolling high tunnels for organic research and conventional vegetables
  • Linear move irrigation systems covering nearly 100 acres of tillable land
  • Private Applicator Recertification Program (PARP) Testing
  • Two weather stations, for the National Weather Service and for Purdue climatologists
  • Fall woodland management workshop

current Research

Research capitalizes on resources unique to this part of the state—a sandier soil and abundant water supply. Irrigation is prevalent among vegetable producers. Research at PPAC focuses on agronomic, vegetable, and specialty crops.

Researchers in the Departments of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Botany and Plant Pathology, Agronomy, Entomology, and Forestry and Natural Resources currently conduct research at PPAC.

Learn More About PAC's

PPAC M​aps

Various maps are used to identify different areas of PPAC and the Rice Farm. Boundaries, field names, soil types etc. are shown on the maps below. 

  • Diagnostic Training - June 15, 2022
  • Vegetable Field Day, Ag Professionals & Ag Communicators - Flyer (PDF) - August 9, 2022
  • Vegetable Field Day - Flyer (PDF) - August 9, 2022
  • Field Day - August 17, 2022  Agenda (PDF)
  • Forestry Field Day - August 27, 2022 Flyer (PDF)
  • Crop Diagnostic Training - September 1, 2022 Flyer (PDF)
  • For more information contact Gary Tragesser at 219-733-2379 or gtragess@purdue.edu

Jon Leuck
Director, Purdue Agricultural Centers and Project Coordinator
615 W. State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Phone: (765) 494-8368
Email: leuckj@purdue.edu​

Jeff Boyer
Davis-Purdue Agricultural Center (DPAC)
6230 North State Road 1
Farmland, IN 47340-9340
Phone: (765) 468-7022
Fax: 765-468-8125
Email: jboyer@purdue.edu

Brad Shelton
Feldun-Purdue Agricultural Center (FPAC)
1117 State Road 458
Bedford, IN 47421
Phone: (812) 279-8554
Email:  sheltonb@purdue.edu

Stephen Boyer
Northeast-Purdue Agricultural Center (NEPAC)
4821 East 400 South
Columbia City, IN 46725
Phone: (260) 244-7290 (Also Fax)
Email: sboyer@purdue.edu​ 

Gary Tragesser
Pinney-Purdue Agricultural Center (PPAC)
11402 South County Line Road
Wanatah, IN 46390
Phone: (219) 733-2379
Email: gtragess@purdue.edu

Joel Wahlman
Southeast-Purdue Agricultural Center (SEPAC)
4425 East 350 North
Butlerville, IN 47223
Phone: (812) 458-6977
Email: jwahlman@purdue.edu

Jason Tower
Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center (SIPAC)
11371 East Purdue Farm Road
Dubois, IN 47527
Phone: (812) 678-4427
Fax: 812-678-3412
Email: towerj@purdue.edu

Dennis Nowaskie
Southwest-Purdue Agricultural Center (SWPAC)
4669 North Purdue Road
Vincennes, IN 47591
Phone: (812) 886-9661
Email: nowaskie@purdue.edu

Jay Young
Throckmorton Purdue Agricultural Center (TPAC)
8343 South US 231
Lafayette, IN 47909-9049
Phone: (765) 538-3422
Email: jayyoung@purdue.edu

Indiana's map with PAC's location

PAC Events

PAC Events

farmers on edge of field during training day
2022 Field Days & Training Events

The Purdue Agricultural Centers (PACS) will be offering public field days, workshops, and other events in 2022. These events provide educational opportunities for commodity producers, crop/livestock advisers, and others seeking knowledge in crop...

learn more