By Andi Anderson
Agricultural communities often face unexpected challenges during natural disasters and emergency situations. When a major chemical fire occurred near Newburgh, Indiana, local farmers and residents quickly sought reliable information about potential impacts on crops, livestock, gardens, and overall public health.
The incident created widespread concern as smoke and ash spread across surrounding areas. Questions soon reached Purdue Extension, where Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Educator Abby Paul became a key contact for community members seeking answers. Farmers were especially concerned about the safety of their crops, livestock, and harvested grain.
To address these concerns, Paul worked closely with Edward Sheldon, Agriculture Safety Specialist in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue and Indiana PREPared (IN-PREP). Together, they gathered scientific information and shared official guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help residents understand the situation.
IN-PREP is part of the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN), a nationwide organization that supports extension offices during emergencies. The network connects university researchers and local educators, allowing communities to receive accurate information and recovery assistance during crises.
Paul highlighted the importance of having access to expert resources during emergencies. She said, "It's always nice to know that there are people on campus that have resources at the ready so that when something happens in the county — whether that be a natural disaster or any other major event that affects the public. We can provide education, resources and information to those who need it the most."
Within days, experts developed and shared online resources containing updated recommendations for residents, local agencies, and agricultural producers. Purdue Extension also used social media to expand access to critical information.
Purdue Extension Social Media Coordinator Rachel Dillhoff emphasized the public response, saying, "Engagement on the original post was high — 17000 views, 28 shares and 61 clicks to the website. People were commenting, asking questions about crops and wanting to see the information shared further. To me, that's the cherry on top. It shows that Extension is a trusted community resource and that our guidance is valued."
Agriculture remained a major priority throughout the response. Extension personnel worked directly with producers and local farm organizations to address concerns related to grain quality and crop safety. Testing opportunities were also created to help farmers verify that harvested crops remained safe for the marketplace.
According to Sheldon, collaboration was essential during the response effort. He said, “First thing I did was reach out to EDEN contacts. They gave us some of our earliest resources. Then, we connected Abby to her counterpart in Columbiana County, Ohio, where the East Palestine train derailment happened and released toxic chemicals into the land, air and water a couple of years ago.”
The event demonstrated how Extension networks help agricultural communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. Through trusted guidance, scientific expertise, and strong partnerships, farmers received the support needed to continue operations and maintain confidence in their agricultural products.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-zoran-zeremski
Categories: Indiana, Education