WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Teaching and training at Purdue University’s agronomy farm will reach a whole new level after the Oct. 31 opening of its Beck Agricultural Center.

For one, inclement weather will no longer stop farmers, students and schoolchildren from attending classes and workshops at the farm, located along U.S. Highway 52 seven miles northwest of Purdue’s West Lafayette campus.

“We’ve dreamed of this for at least three or four years,” said Randy Woodson, dean of agriculture, about the new 20,000-square-foot teaching facilities.

The Beck Agricultural Center boasts two wet-and-dry laboratories, two regular classrooms, a conference room, a food serving area and a multipurpose room with a large garage door that allows farm machinery to be brought in for demonstrations from nearby fields.

The $5.2 million building was funded with a lead gift from the Beck family of Atlanta, Ind., which owns and operates Beck’s Hybrids, in combination with unrestricted development funds from the College of Agriculture. “This building has been needed for many years,” said Sonny Beck, president of Beck’s Hybrids. “Thousands of farmers come here every year and until now, they’ve had to operate out of tents. With this facility, we’ll actually be able to do work year-round.” He added the new research center will provide a platform for students and farmers to “unlock many of the mysteries still in the soil,” and an opportunity to come together to learn about new plant diseases and meet the challenge of increasing food production in the future.

Nearly 2,500 students in Purdue’s crop departments, as well as farmers across the state, will be able to take advantage of the new facilities for crop diagnostics classes and workshops, according to Woodson. In addition, about 5,000 elementary through high school students visit the farm every year.

“Now they’ll be able to do all kinds of work out on the farm, and then come in here and learn about the theory behind it,” said Woodson. Katie Hardy, a junior majoring in agronomic business and marketing, was pleased with the new training center. “Until now, the activities out here have been really based on the weather. With this building we’ll have more opportunities,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to add new programs with the new facilities as well.”

Jill Recker, a senior majoring in plant breeding and genetics, said the center could potentially attract new students to the college. “It will be a good way of introducing farm machinery to kids that don’t have any ag background,” she said.

During the dedication ceremony, both Beck and Purdue officials emphasized the close and longstanding ties between the university and the Beck family. Francis Beck, the late founder of the family business, attended agriculture classes at Purdue back in 1929-30, and Sonny Beck holds a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the university. His wife Glendia, as well as the couple’s three children – Scott, Tony and Kim – also attended Purdue.

“The Becks have shown their trademark leadership in helping Purdue create a facility that will serve Indiana’s farming community today and in the future,” said France A. Córdova, university president.