Program ​Overview

​​​The Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University has organized an annual Indiana Farm Management Tour every year since the early​ 1930s. The tour visits farms that have demonstrated highly successful farm business management practices or have unique perspectives on farm business management.

Host farmers share keys to successful farm management and explain how the management of their operations is changing in response to the ever-changing agricultural economy and the evolving circumstances of their families. They also share reasons behind recent innovat​io​​ns in production practices and adoption of new technology. This is an opportunity to ask questions and learn from the experiences of Indiana's best farm business managers.​

The 2018 tour is June 21-22 and will feature farms in Johnson and Shelby Counties. The tour and lunch are free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required by Friday, June 15. Register online​ or by phone at 765-494-4310.

The Farm Management Tour is held in conjunction with the Indiana Prairie Farmer Master Farmer Banquet, which is Thursday, June 21 at 6 p.m. Participants must register separately for the Master Farmer Banquet by June 13 at 765-494-8593.

Download the Farm Management Tour Flyer​.

Thursday, June 21 - Johnson County

Download the Johnson County tour map.

1:00 p.m.
Danny & Judy Gill
6184 E. Greensburg Rd.
Franklin, IN 46131

Danny and Judy Gill produce corn, seed corn, waxy corn, soybeans, and hay. Their livestock enterprises include beef cows and feeder cattle. Danny and Judy have a long history of producing specialty crops, including seed corn and waxy corn, that utilize irrigation -- which enhance profitability and mitigate risk.

Mini-tours will include a discussion of crop fertility, waxy corn production, and seed corn production.

3:30 p.m.
Norton Farms
3620 N. Hurricane Rd.
Franklin, IN 46131

Operated by John and Peter Norton and Jenny Mowrey, Norton Farms is a diversified farm with such enterprises as floewrs and produce, corn, soybeans, seed soybeans, waxy corn, and popcorn. This tour stop will discuss how the farm's enterprises fit together, how different family members are involved, and specialty crop production. Crystal Springs Grain, which is near Norton Farms, will also be part of the tour stop. Crystal Springs Grain stores grain with a particular emphasis on waxy corn. Brian Marten will lead this discussion.

Mini tours will discuss flower and produce production and sales, seed soybean production, and Crystal Springs Grain.

Friday, June 22 - Shelby County

Download the Shelby County tour map.​

8:30 a.m.
Douglas Farms
9596 S. 350 E.
Flat Rock, IN 47234

Douglas Farms is a crop and hog farm operated by Jim and Kay Douglas, their son James, and their son-in-law Kyle Nigh, along with a staff of eight. This fourth-generation farm was a swine farrow-to-finish operation until 2008. As the swine industry evolved, Douglas Farms transitioned into an innovative pork partnership with Legan Livestock and Grain to form D&L Pork, a pig-finishing operation that purchases over a quarter of a million bushels of corn from area farmers to feed hogs to market weight. Douglas Farms' crop operation uses manure from D&L Pork to reduce fertilizer costs on its corn-soybean operation.

Mini-tours will focus on plans to transition the farm's ownership and operation within the family, an innovative new farm shop, and D&L Pork's organizationa nd operation.

11:30 a.m.
Farm Tour Lunch at Fischer Food Grade, Inc. and Fischer, Inc.
Agricultural Outlook Update with Chris Hurt

Fischer Food Grade, Inc. and Fischer, Inc.
3387 S. 375 E.
Shelbyville, IN 46176

Fischer family operations date back to 1933. The family became early innovators in hybrid corn production in 1938. That business expanded to seed soybeans and seed wheat in the 1970s. Fischer Food Grade, Inc., was launched in the early 1980s to provide the snack-food industry with high-quality white and yellow food-grade corn. A third generation joined the business in the 1990s. The operation has evolved into a grower and processor of GMO and non-GMO food-grade corn, soybean seed, and non-GMO food-grade soybeans. 

Mini-tours will focus on food-grade corn and processing, seed production and processing, and long-term emphasis on improving soil productivity, especially through drainage, as an important component of consistently high-quality corn and soybeans.