The view ahead - summer 2022

This year we celebrate five years of publishing Envision with the goal of highlighting Purdue Agriculture’s distinctive strengths and global impact. Purdue Agriculture is ranked #8 in the world and #4 in the U.S. because we ask and then seek to answer tough questions. In this magazine, we share stories that are in the news or soon will be, covering difficult and sometimes controversial topics our college is working to address.

One of those difficult topics is access to healthcare in rural communities. I recently interviewed Jerome Adams, the 20th Surgeon General and now a Presidential Fellow and executive director of Purdue’s Health Equity Initiative, at the Purdue Ag Alumni Fish Fry. Dr. Adams shared how, as a young boy with asthma, he had to be airlifted from rural Maryland to save his life. This had a profound impact on him and helped to shape the work he is doing today. Appropriate healthcare is critical for rural and urban communities, and Purdue Extension is responding to this growing crisis in all 92 Indiana counties.

In this issue, we follow Purdue researchers who are confronting a plant pandemic, corn tar spot, which has affected corn yield across the state. We also highlight collaborations within the college and across campus in the areas of producing and manufacturing meat substitutes.

Whether caring for rural communities, working with plants, or developing novel food products and processing techniques, Purdue Agriculture remains on the forefront of innovation. We look forward to sharing our discoveries with you.