BEDFORD – Yesterday, the Purdue Extension of Lawrence County held its annual board meeting and Lunch ‘n Learn at the Stonegate Arts and Education Center on the square in Bedford.
The event was held over the lunch hour, from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m., to facilitate those who were taking their lunch from work to attend. It featured two speakers, Dr. John Blanton and Shawswick school teacher Elizabeth Butterfield.
Dr. John Blanton received his B.S. in animal science from New Mexico State University in 1993 and a Master of Science in 1995. He then went to Purdue University and earned a Ph. D. (1998) in meat science and muscle biology. Following a post-doctoral appointment at IUPUI, Dr. Blanton joined the Animal and Food Sciences Department at Texas Tech University in 1999. In 2006, dr. Blanton became a Project leader for pharmaceutical development with Intervet Inc. In 2008, Dr. Blanton joined the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation as a Research Programs Manager in the Agricultural Division. Dr. Blanton was appointed department head of animal and dairy sciences at Mississippi State University. In February of 2021, Dr. Blanton joined the Department of Animal Sciences at Purdue University but currently serves as the Associate Dean for Research at South Dakota State University and Director of the South Dakota Experiment Station.
Dr. Blanton has published over 50 peer-reviewed publications, 75 abstracts, and four discovery patents. In addition, Dr. Blanton has conducted research in 27 countries and given over 150 invited presentations in 36 countries. Dr. Blanton’s laboratory has generated over $26,000,000 in externally funded research focusing on developing and applying technology to improve farm and ranch efficiency. Most of Dr. Blanton’s current research activities focus on developing younger scientists and increasing the research capacity of Purdue Animal Sciences.
Dr. Blanton gave a brief history of what is now the Extension, beginning with the Morrill and the Hatch acts in the 1800s and leading all the way through to today, finishing off his testimony to the importance of Extension with a story of personal impact concerning the struggles of his son.
“America’s world domination in agriculture is because of Extension,” Dr. Blanton stressed. “Agriculture is the greatest generator of freedom in the United States.”
Farmers were first able to get their freedom when they owned their plots of land and could provide for themselves and their families without relying on the government or outside sources. Agriculture put their livelihoods into their own hands.
As Dr. Blanton said, “Extension makes America great.”
The Extension took his son’s passions and helped him find a way to follow them, leading him from one opportunity to another in a way Dr. Blanton said he couldn’t.
The Extension returns 27:1 for every dollar, and agricultural production is 3.8 times more productive now than in 1914. This has all been done with money from a fund that hasn’t increased in two decades.
Extension offers free consultations about agriculture and crops and will find the answers for you for free if they don’t have them. Extension provides this service for free because you’ve already paid for it with your taxes.
Extension provides an avenue of agricultural education and improvement that farmers and ranchers don’t have to pay for.
The second speaker was Elizabeth Butterfield.
Elizabeth Butterfield is a lifelong resident of Lawrence County. She has been married to her husband, Rick, for 37 years. They have two children, Nick and Katie. Elizabeth attended Purdue University and Indiana University. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1984 and a Master of Science in 1987, both in Education. Elizabeth has been employed with the North Lawrence Community Schools for the past 40 years and has taught at Parkview, Lincoln, and Bedford Middle School. She currently teaches 6th grade at Shawswick Elementary School.
Elizabeth shared her journey with the CATCH My Breath Program, the only evidence-based program on vaping prevention.
After an incident with vaping at Shawswick, Elizabeth began searching for some way to better educate children on the side effects and negative impact of vaping. Outlet after outlet disappointed her until she found the Purdue Extension, and together, they brought the Catch My Breath program to the school.
The incidents with vaping ceased entirely after students learned about the side effects and downsides of vaping.
The annual meeting is an effort by the local extension board to promote the good work of Purdue Extension in our community.
The Cooperative Extension Service is one of the nation’s largest scientific research-based information and education providers. It’s a network of colleges, universities, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serving communities and counties across America. The Purdue Extension focuses on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Human and Health Sciences, Economic and Community Development, and 4-H Youth.
