Tools For Today's Farmers

Renee Wiatt serves as the Family Business Management Specialist for the Purdue Institute for Family Business housed in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. She also serves as the research and extension specialist for the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, where she studies the intersection of rural businesses and healthcare. Renee works on Extension and applied research in family-business interface and balance, succession, and family business management. She is a member of the Purdue Extension Succession Planning Team, working on programming and directly with families to guide them through some steps in the succession planning process. Ed is a Purdue Extension Educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources and County Extension Director in Huntington County. He has degrees in Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Education from Purdue University. His focus areas are field crop production and farm business management. Prior to pursuing a career in Extension, Ed worked with farmers in New York and Indiana as a loan officer. His roots are in southwest Indiana where his family has a farming operation

Todd Price serves as the Vice President of Operations at Farm Foundation. Todd was raised on his family’s 170-year-old grain and livestock farm in southwest Iowa. He received a bachelor’s degree from Simpson College and is a 2014 graduate of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership program. Actively involved in various agricultural organizations, he currently serves as a board member for his local Farm Bureau and volunteers his time with the Glenview Clovers 4-H club and the local FFA chapter.

Join us and the entire Indiana team from CareSource to learn about their initiatives in helping agriculture families get the help they need with medical care and more.

Emily Mullen is a 2019 grad from The Ohio State University - ATI. Upon graduation Emily returned home to her family's 125 year old dairy farm in southwest Ohio. Knowing the key to survival as a small producer is diversification, Emily has since expanded the farm from cows and plows to bottling her own milk and events as far-fetched as calf yoga. She has also built a new facility incorporating a robotic milker and provides behind the scenes tours to schools and other groups in the community.

FaceBook: The Mullen Dairy & Creamery

TikTok/ Instagram: The.M.D.C

Kourtney, a present Sophomore at Purdue University, is diligently pursuing a dual major in Agricultural Education and Agricultural Economics, specializing in Agricultural Law and Policy. Her academic pursuits reflect a commitment to comprehensively understanding the intricate intersection of agriculture, economics, and legal frameworks.

Post-Purdue, Kourtney envisions furthering her educational journey by obtaining a Law degree, driven by a passionate aspiration to act as a catalyst in bridging the divide between agriculturalists and policymakers. Her desire is to contribute to the development of nuanced and informed agricultural policies that harmonize with the needs of the industry.

Beyond her academic endeavors, Kourtney showcases her literary and artistic talents as a published author and illustrator. Her inaugural work, "The Young American Farmer," stands as a captivating children's book strategically designed to foster agricultural literacy. This literary creation serves as a catalyst for elevated discourse surrounding the profound impact of agriculture on our daily lives.

Kourtney's leadership acumen has been exemplified through her tenure as the State President for Indiana FFA from 2021-2022, where she demonstrated a commitment to advancing agricultural education and fostering a sense of community among aspiring agriculturists.

Currently, Kourtney occupies a significant role as an Intern for USDA-FSA, where she actively engages in the practical aspects of agricultural policy, gaining invaluable insights that complement her academic pursuits.

Marshal Sewell was raised on his family’s fifth generation fruit and vegetable farm in Plant City, Florida. After graduating from the University of Florida, he began a career in the vegetable seed industry. He currently works with Bayer Vegetable Seeds as a member of their Global Strategic Accounts team. His personal farm experience and his professional work across the produce business have given him a close look at stress and challenges in agriculture. Outside of work, he and his family are active advocates for mental health and stress management, both in- and out of agriculture. Through their Mind Your Melon platform, they seek to inspire healthier minds through proactive lifestyles.

Website:mindyourmelon.org

Facebook:@Mind Your Melon

Instagram:@mindurmelon

Proud to have been born and raised in Evansville, 52nd Lieutenant Governor of Indiana Suzanne Crouch is a lifelong Hoosier.

Constitutionally, as lieutenant governor, Crouch serves as the President of the Indiana Senate. Statutorily, the lieutenant governor oversees a portfolio of agencies that includes the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) and Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC). Additionally, she chairs the Indiana Mental Health Roundtable, Intellectual and Development Disabilities Task Force, The Indiana Main Street Council, INVets and the Civics Education Commission.

From 2014 to 2017, Crouch served as Indiana’s State Auditor. Before becoming State Auditor, she represented House District 78, which encompasses parts of Vanderburgh and Warrick counties, in the Indiana House of Representatives. She was a state representative for nine years.

Prior to serving in the House of Representatives, the lieutenant governor spent eight years as auditor of Vanderburgh County.

Website: lg.in.gov

Facebook: Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch

LinkedIn: Office of Indiana Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch

Twitter: @LGSuzanneCrouch

Instagram: @lgsuzannecrouch

Join us as Kaitlin, a sophomore at Delta High School, shares how she manages it all. As a 8 year 4H Member, a junior leader, and participates in extra curriculars at school- she keeps a simple perspective for managing her stress.

Dr. Roberto Gallardo is the Vice President for Engagement at Purdue University.He is an Agricultural Economics associate professor and holds an electronic and communications engineering undergraduate degree, a master's in economic development,and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration. Heis the author of thebook“Responsive Countryside: The Digital Age & Rural Communities.”

He assisted the state of Indiana implement their broadband programs acting as their Next Level Broadband Connections Director for six months and he is now spearheading Indiana’s first digital equity plan. Dr. Gallardo is also working with his team to evaluate the impact of the Economic Development Administration $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge program and is partnering with the Indiana University Public Policy Institute.

Dr. Roberto Gallardo plays a crucial part in the Purdue Broadband Team. This team aims to harness the power of Indiana’s land-grant institution to help expand broadband access, adoption, and use as an essential catalyst for economic growth in thestate.The federal government, in partnership with states, is deploying broadband funds through the Broadband Equity, Adoption, and Deployment program, also known as BEAD. Indiana is receiving close to $870 million starting mid to late 2024. A map put together by the Federal Communications Commission or FCC, the government entity that regulates telecommunications, will dictate where these funds go.

Follow these links to make sure Indiana’s broadband map is as accurate as possible.

Run Speed Test:https://pcrd.purdue.edu/speedtest/

Affordable Connectivity Program:https://www.fcc.gov/acp

Indiana Connectivity Program:https://www.in.gov/ocra/broadband/icp/?_ga=2.178659300.1594573730.1701961704-171136276.1681841978

Joining us today is Dr. Engel the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. We are excited for you to hear about his vision and plan moving forward with both the college of Agriculture at Purdue University and Extension. Follow Dr. Engel on the social media outlets listed below:

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/PurdueAgDean and https://twitter.com/PurdueAg

Website: https://ag.purdue.edu/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purdue_ag/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PurdueAg/