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Making a lasting impact on the ag industry

This year’s Purdue Extension Emerging Women in Agriculture Leadership Award winner says she wants to make a lasting impact on the industry.

Miami County native Alexandra Merritt says her passion for agriculture started from working on the family farm.

“Through 4-H and my passion for my county, I wanted to constantly give back to them, so Purdue was a no brainer for me going there and majoring in agriculture,” she says. “I feel like I found my passion and planted my roots there.”

She tells Brownfield she wants to inspire the next generation to be more involved in the industry.

“I’ve always said I want to stay in Indiana,” she says. “I don’t want to go anywhere else. I want to keep showcasing how great Indiana agriculture is. I truly just want to use my time and my talents that I’ve been given and blessed with to make Indiana agriculture more amazing.”

Merrit was honored during the 2025 Celebration of Ag at the Indiana State Fair alongside this year’s AgriVision Award Winners, ISDA’s Summer Photo Contest Winners, and Purdue Extension’s Women in Agriculture Awards.

Merritt will be a senior at Purdue University this fall studying agricultural communication and agricultural sales & marketing.

AUDIO: Alexandra Merritt