At Purdue University, students are preparing to transform a central stretch of campus into a weeklong showcase of the food system — from dairy production and agricultural technology to global hunger relief — as Purdue Ag Week returns in early April.
The annual series of student-led events hosted by Purdue’s College of Agriculture is April 6–10, turning Memorial Mall into a hub of food, technology and conversation about how what Americans eat is grown, processed and delivered.
Established in 2012, the initiative was designed to bridge a longstanding campus divide — bringing agriculture “across State Street,” as organizers put it, and into the broader student experience.
“We want people to understand the food system and feel empowered to ask questions about what they’re eating and where it comes from,” said members of the Purdue Ag Week Task Force, a 20-student group that organizes the event each year.
The week’s programming blends outreach with hands-on experiences, often anchored by food.
Milk Monday opens the series with free grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream, alongside information about the dairy industry’s role in everyday life.
Tech Tuesday shifts the focus to innovation, with displays of drones, tractors and other agricultural technology that underscore how rapidly the sector is evolving.
Midweek events highlight both production and career pathways.
Wednesday’s Burger Bash and Ag Expo will feature beef, turkey and plant-based burgers — nearly 2,000 servings in all — paired with educational exhibits on how each product is produced. Industry partners will also host booths aimed at connecting students with job opportunities across the agricultural economy. The day concludes with “Cultivating Conversations,” a public forum designed to bring in speakers to discuss pressing issues in agriculture.
On Thursday, the tone turns from education to service. During “Hammer Down Hunger,” students, faculty and industry volunteers will work together to pack tens of thousands of meals for distribution locally and internationally, part of a broader effort to address food insecurity. Organizers say the event has grown steadily in recent years, surpassing 69,000 meals in 2025, with a goal of exceeding 70,000 this year.
The week concludes with Farm to Fork Friday, which aims to connect the dots between production and consumption by showcasing how food moves from fields to dining tables — from growing and processing to transportation and preparation.
Throughout the week, student organizations will line Memorial Mall with informational booths, offering a closer look at sectors ranging from animal agriculture to crop science.
For organizers, the hope is that the mix of education, interaction and accessibility will resonate with students who may have little direct exposure to farming.
For more information, visit PurdueAgWeek.com.
