Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center (SIPAC)

Size and Topography

  • The second-largest PAC, with 1,320 acres in Dubois County near the Patoka Reservoir
  • Rolling ground (hilly), shallow soils, natural hard pan, not well drained, rocky outcroppings
  • Difficult-to-manage sandstone and shale soils typical of southern Indiana
  • Roughly 530 acres of open pastureland and 630 acres of managed woodlands

Heritage

SIPAC grew from a true grassroots effort by the people of southern Indiana in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Local farmers felt their environment and soil differed so greatly from farmland near West Lafayette that their counties’ leadership raised funds to purchase the original parcel of farmland as well as some additional acreage. They donated the land, which was roughly half wooded and half pasture, to Purdue University as the Southern Indiana Forage Farm. The facility became SIPAC in 1965.​

Contact Us

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

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

Heeke Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory

Grant N. Burcham, DVM, PhD, Diplomat ACVP
Southern Indiana-Purdue Agricultural Center 
11371 East Purdue Farm Road
Dubois, IN 47527
Phone: (812) 678-3401
Email: ​​gburcham@purdue.edu

Ron Rathfon
Extension Forester, Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources
Southern Indiana-Purdue Agricultural Center 
11371 East Purdue Farm Road
Dubois, IN 47527
Phone: (812) 678-5049
Email: ​​ronr@purdue.edu

Resources

  • Conference space for 200 with high-speed Internet, kitchen facilities
  • Beef herd (170), goat herd (50 females) and hair sheep (100 females)
  • Different varieties of permanent pasture
  • Fence and water systems for rotational grazing
  • Barns and traditional feedlot
  • Dennis H. Heeke Southern Indiana Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, which serves the poultry and livestock industries in southern Indiana
  • Approximately 20 built ponds for erosion control and livestock
  • Extension forester based at SIPAC
  • Approximately 600 acres of timber is in research protocols

current Research

SIPAC is a forage-based operation. Current research focuses on beef cattle, hair sheep and meat goat management, livestock grazing trials, forage production, forest management, and aquaculture.

Purdue Agriculture departments currently conducting research at SIPAC include Agronomy, Agricultural Economics, Entomology, Animal Sciences, Forestry and Natural Resources​

Learn More About PAC's

Aquaculture

Articles

  • September 7, 2022 | Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center - IBCA Field Day - Flyer
  • September 10, 2022 | Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center - Invasive Pland Control Training for Landowners - Flyer (PDF)
  • September 17, 2022 | Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center - Pond Management Field Day - Flyer
  • October 8, 2022 | Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center - Fencing School - Flyer
  • For more information contact Jason Tower at 812-678-4427 towerj@purdue.edu

 Appearance of Field Before Goats Began Grazing

 Goats Being Moved to the New Patch for Grazing

                      Appearance of Field After Goats Had Been Grazing for 10 Days

WJTS TV Station Takes a Tour with SIPAC Superintendent Jason Tower

Pictures from SIPAC

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Cows Grazing on Turnips

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Dairy Heifers

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Lake View

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Sleeping Kids

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Cows in the Fog

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Snow - March 2013

Researchers Resources

Indiana's map with PACs location

Jon Leuck
Interim 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

PAC Events

PAC Events

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

Field Days. 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...

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