Welcome to the ACRE

The Agronomy Center for Research and Education, ACRE, is an outdoor laboratory for Purdue Agriculture. Used for field research and hands-on teaching, the 1,135 acre farm is a busy place with faculty, staff, student, and visitor activity. I am Jim Beaty. I have been Superintendent of the ACRE since 1986. With my four full time staff members, part time help, and student employees we are responsible for operating the research farm. About 53 university researchers conduct projects here at the ACRE. I plan to write about our research, visitors, and farm safety thoughts.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Pesticide application awareness should be enhanced with additional signage this spring.


Signs and this portable board will help you and the other farm workers remember to stop at the Field Research Building to check the spray record board for application areas and restricted entry areas.
  • Remember to not be in a field that is within ¼ mile of active spraying.
  • Remember to not re-enter a field after spraying until the re-entry interval has expired.
  • Remember that decontamination supplies (water, soap, & paper towels) need to be within ¼ mile of field workers.
  • Remember that assistance is to be provided to any worker with pesticide exposure.
  • Remember that all field workers are to have WPS training before coming to ACRE. (unless they are a certified applicator or handler)
  • Remember, again, to stop at the Research Building to check the application board.
Now applicators you too must remember to write down your application intentions prior to going to the field to spray.
   

 Be safe at ACRE

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

ACRE conditions update

The rain gauge only showed 0.03” and I think it blew away in yesterday’s wind. Wow!

Soil conditions are shaping up beautifully.

I am guessing that later today we can do about any field preparation requested,

assuming our field cultivator gets fixed this morning.

We will expect the weather to hold for a few days.

Who wants to plant first now that conditions have improved?

If you want field work this week or by Monday please communicate your thoughts.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

ACRE Safety Thought #75

ACRE activity may involve digging a hole or excavating. Two general risks are involved. First, people must be protected from accidentally falling in. Second, people working in the excavation must be protected from cave-in or entrapment with crushing. Purdue’s REM now has an Excavation Safety Policy It can be found on the web at. http://www.purdue.edu/REM/safety/esp.html Think, plan, and work safely at ACRE

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

ACRE Safety Thought #74

The big concern during hot weather is heat related illness especially dehydration and heat exhaustion. Crews working at ACRE should be proactive in protecting workers by providing plentiful replacement fluids, altering schedules, and monitoring workers’ health. Think, plan, and work safely at ACRE. Jim

Monday, May 16, 2011

ACRE Safety Thought #73

Because heavy items can shift, remember to firmly and snugly secure all items during transport. If you are moving equipment on a truck or trailer then it is especially important to follow the guidelines involving multiple tie-down points. Think, plan, train, and work safely at ACRE. Jim

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

ACRE Safety Thought #72

A quick safety thought for summer; if you are bitten or stung by an insect and sense you are having an allergic reaction, seek medical help immediately. Jim

Monday, May 9, 2011

ACRE Safety Thought #71

A new trend in program administration is the “Impact Statement” This is also a constant risk at “Tall Corn” intersections, but does not create the good kind of impact statement. Seriously, when our corn gets tall, the visibility at the corners of fields is greatly reduced and creates blind intersections. Drivers must slow down to a near crawl in order to “nose out” and check for traffic. Never zoom through a tall corn intersection. With 135 numbered fields, ACRE has 22 miles of gravel and grass roadways with an intersection generally located at ¼ mile intervals one direction and 1/16th mile intervals the other direction. Since corn is grown in about half the fields, that is a lot of blind corners. So be cautious, slow down to a crawl, nose out carefully, and proceed through ACRE intersections with care. Think, plan, train, and work safely at ACRE. Jim