COVID-19

Curious about canning? Find out how to safely preserve food at home.

Monday, November 30th, 2020

Duck, duck, turkey: Why some people might opt for alternative poultry this Thanksgiving

Friday, November 20th, 2020

The cost of Thanksgiving staples see price hike amid pandemic

Thursday, November 19th, 2020

Thanksgiving, like most of 2020, is going to be different for families this year. Food prices mirror the uncertainty and volatility that the global pandemic introduced to general life.

“While many of the food prices have come back down off the spikes in late spring and early summer, it remains the case that retail food prices are significantly higher now than at the same time last year. In October (the last data available), prices of food at grocery were 4 percent higher than the same time last year,” Jayson Lusk, agricultural economics department head and professor, said. “It’s been almost a decade, since 2011, that we observed this rate of annual food price inflation.”

“Education is multidimensional”: How agriculture staff and students are reaching grades PK-12 during a pandemic

Thursday, November 12th, 2020

Purdue Extension: Building resilience in communities

Wednesday, November 4th, 2020

Crises often leave families feeling helpless and out of control. The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception as Hoosiers face the loss of jobs, resources, life experiences and social contacts. With the help of Purdue Extension, Purdue’s College of Health and Human Sciences is helping families cope with change and even find positivity during the pandemic.

The Purdue Student Farm adapts during COVID-19

Wednesday, November 4th, 2020

Research hits home for professor caught in the digital divide

Monday, November 2nd, 2020

As a professor of agricultural economics at a major research institution, Nicole Olynk Widmar relies on Purdue’s high-speed internet. But once she leaves campus and arrives home about 15 minutes later, Widmar counts herself lucky to even connect to the internet. Zoom can, at times, be a pipe dream.

Purdue family creates jobs, getaways during pandemic

Friday, October 16th, 2020

“There’s an element of gambling to lumber,” said Mark Smith. “Lumber is a commodity market so it’s up and down all the time.”

Purdue alumni Mark and Jenny Smith faced the fluctuations for 31 years as suppliers of lumber and plywood, but never experienced shifts as abrupt as those in 2020. Within a span of months, the owners of Great Lakes Forest Products, Inc. saw their expanding business reduced to a bare-bones crew before unexpectedly needing to hire a record number of employees.

Keeping Indiana 4-H youth engaged and safe in a pandemic

Thursday, October 8th, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic guaranteed this year to be like no other. The pandemic affects people of all ages, but it has been especially challenging for children as schools went virtual and youth organizations were forced to cancel activities and trips. Knowing it is critical for youth to engage in hands-on learning experiences to build life skills, Indiana 4-H was determined to continue reaching youth statewide.

Indiana orchards are still harvesting fun

Monday, October 5th, 2020

Leaves are changing, the air is cooler and Hoosiers are still looking for fun and safe things to do while we follow pandemic health and safety standards. From picking apples and pumpkins to firing apple cannons and getting lost in a corn maze, Indiana’s orchards provide fun activities for all ages to enjoy, even if they do look slightly different than past years.

In addition to changes due to COVID-19 precautions, farm visitors will notice that there are fewer apples to pick this year. A late frost blanketed the state this past April and had a devastating effect on the apple crop.

As pandemic persists, student’s research holds new importance

Wednesday, September 16th, 2020

As a sixth-grader, Emma Lendy was the only girl in her class to choose the category, How Things Work, for her science project. In helping her build a telegraph, Lendy said her father, a mechanical engineer, “fostered my interest in delving into why things work, not just taking them for granted.”

Lendy’s inquisitiveness and Purdue’s reputation drew her to the university. While an undergraduate student, Lendy worked in the lab of Barbara Golden, a professor of biochemistry.

Ag labs rise to COVID challenge

Tuesday, September 15th, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing many aspects of life on the Purdue campus to change. Faculty and graduate students are rising to the challenge, redesigning lab courses in creative and innovative ways.

Purdue Farmer-to-Farmer Program Switches to Virtual Assignments

Tuesday, September 8th, 2020

In April 2020, Purdue University’s International Programs in Agriculture (IPIA) and Purdue Cooperative Extension announced the USAID John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program to be implemented by Purdue University in Trinidad and Tobago over the next three years. A United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded program, F2F provides technical assistance from U.S. volunteers to farmers, farm groups, agribusinesses, and other agriculture sector institutions in developing and transitional countries.

Purdue Extension steps in to help Hoosier fruit growers

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020

From juicy red strawberries to sweet apples and melons, Indiana is home to many fruit growers. While each year presents its challenges in the field, this year Indiana faced an unfortunate late frost event, causing crop damage during a crucial point in the growing period. Outside of the fields, growers faced another challenge, creating a safe and healthy environment for employees and customers.

COVID-19 sidelines summer plans; Boilermakers adapt

Wednesday, August 26th, 2020

“I told myself in high school that I wanted to make a change in the world,” said Sneha Jogi, a senior in agricultural communication. “While I can’t change the entire world, or an entire issue for that matter, I know I can make an impact on communities, families and their lives.”

Indiana 4-H’ers demonstrate resilience

Tuesday, August 25th, 2020

Each year, youth from Indiana’s 92 counties learn and fulfill the 4-H pledge, vowing their hands to larger service and their health to better living from their club to their community. They participate in club meetings, community service activities, leadership events and more while completing a project of their choice. Each project is a collection of hard work and hands-on learning experiences, resulting in new skills that prepare youth to be leaders in their communities.

Virtual field days present challenges and benefits

Friday, August 21st, 2020

Hundreds of green industry professionals gather every summer for Purdue’s Turf and Landscape Field Day. As COVID-19 spread, so did the realization that 2020’s event would look different.

You can order live poultry through the mail, but should you?

Monday, August 3rd, 2020 • University News Story

The COVID-19 pandemic has strained nearly every sector of society, including the postal service. With experts continuing to recommend social distancing, fewer people are frequenting stores and record numbers are streaming to online venues to shop. Perh…

Purdue Student Farm sees record yields, to bring produce to the public

Monday, August 3rd, 2020 • University News Story

The Purdue Student Farm has started selling to the public. This service will run into the fall until a date to be determined. Customers will be able to pick up a box of seasonal vegetables grown at the farm once a week for $25. Pickups will begin at th…

How have you stayed connected during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Tuesday, July 28th, 2020

International Programs in Agriculture at Purdue, like departments and units throughout the university, has paused normal activities such as travel and in-person meetings. In March 2020, the IPIA team migrated to virtual meetings utilizing the Zoom platform to continue to stay connected. IPIA staff have been meeting weekly since mid-March. The virtual meetings are not what you might imagine an all staff meeting would normally look like.