Agricultural Economics
Purdue Farm Management Tour comes to Harrison County this July
Purdue Farm Management Tour comes to Harrison County this July. (Purdue University photo/Morgan French) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The 92nd annual Purdue University Farm Management Tour will take place July 10 in Harrison County. Attendees will learn about innovative farm management strategies from local farm families, as well as new technologies and production practices to improve efficiency and productivity.
Sponsored by the Center for Commercial Agriculture (CCA), Purdue Extension, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance and Farm Credit Mid-America, the tour will feature stops at Jmax Cattle in Laconia and the Jones Farm in Palmyra, where attendees will hear directly from farm operators about the management decisions shaping their businesses. At each stop, host farmers will provide an overview of their operations, discuss how they are adapting to changes in the agricultural economy and evolving family dynamics, and explain the innovations and technologies they have adopted to improve efficiency, productivity and long-term sustainability. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain insights from Indiana farm business managers.
Founded in 2007, Jmax Cattle is a stocker/feeder operation that has advanced its business through freezer beef sales. As the first stop on the tour, Chad and Paige Baker will discuss the strategies behind the farm’s growth, including its drylot feeding program, grazing systems and the role retail sales play in adding value to the business. They will also highlight the importance of recordkeeping and on-farm research in supporting management decisions and long-term success.
The second stop on the tour will offer attendees insight into the benefits of diversifying their farm business. The Jones Farm has expanded its operations to include the production of corn, popcorn, soybeans and grass hay. Discussions will also cover differences in production and marketing strategies for corn and popcorn, as well as how the family’s off-farm ventures have strengthened the farm and built resilience.
“The tour offers producers the opportunity to hear directly from successful Indiana farm families and to take home practical ideas and management strategies they can apply to their own operations,” said Michael Langemeier, director of CCA and Purdue professor of agricultural economics. “This year’s tour highlights innovative approaches to diversification, value-added agriculture and long-term business sustainability.”
The Purdue Farm Management Tour is free and open to the public. Register for the tour by visiting purdue.ag/farmtour or calling 765-494-7004. The full agenda can be found on the CCA website.
About Purdue Agriculture
Purdue University’s College of Agriculture is one of the world’s leading colleges of agricultural, food, life and natural resource sciences. The college is committed to preparing students to make a difference in whatever careers they pursue; stretching the frontiers of science to discover solutions to some of our most pressing global, regional and local challenges; and, through Purdue Extension and other engagement programs, educating the people of Indiana, the nation and the world to improve their lives and livelihoods. To learn more about Purdue Agriculture, visit this site.
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 106,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 57,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its integrated, comprehensive Indianapolis urban expansion; the Mitch Daniels School of Business; Purdue Computes; and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.
Writer: Morgan French
Media contact: Sarah Zahn, comagctr@purdue.edu, 765-494-7004
Sources: Michael Langemeier, mlangeme@purdue.edu, 765-494-9557
Agricultural Communications: Maureen Manier, mmanier@purdue.edu, 765-494-8415
