FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Elysia Rodgers, a presenter for one of the educational seminars at the 2026 Fort Wayne Farm Show, hopes producers leave her session with an understanding that tending to their own mental and physical health is not a luxury but is as essential as good herd management.

The show is Jan. 13-15 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. Rodgers, DeKalb County, Ind., Extension director and agriculture and natural resources educator, will discuss how animals reflect our own health at noon on the show’s first day.

“If we recognize stress early in our animals, and adjust our management to improve their outcomes, we should give ourselves that same level of care and attention,” she explained. “I hope the audience leaves feeling seen, supported and encouraged to take small steps that protect their own resilience.”

Rodgers also hopes the audience walks away with a clearer understanding of just how closely the challenges on the farm are tied to what happens inside our bodies. When we talk about stress in livestock and how it affects meat quality, she noted, it offers a powerful parallel to the way chronic stress impacts our own health, decision-making and overall well being.

“More than anything, I want them to feel empowered: understanding the science behind stress helps remove stigma, and making the connection to livestock offers a familiar, practical way to talk about something that affects every one of us in agriculture.”

At 5:30 p.m. on the 14th, Purdue’s EDGE in Ag Team will share information about a contingency planning tool called Code Red. Code Red is designed to help farm families and business owners organize information in one place, said Ed Farris, Huntington County, Ind., Extension director and agriculture and natural resources educator.

EDGE stands for Empowerment, Development, Growth, Education. It was formerly known as the Purdue Women in Ag Team.

Code Red is created in Excel and includes customizable worksheets for both farm/business and personal details, Farris noted. The farm/business worksheets cover ownership, finances, important documents, contacts, inventory and login credentials, he said. Personal worksheets include family member information, social media logins, legal documents, medical details and final arrangements.

By completing Code Red, families can ensure continuity during emergencies and begin important succession planning conversations, Farris said.

“Farmers are oftentimes very private individuals,” he pointed out. “Code Red is a tool that will hopefully help facilitate discussions between generations. Sometimes the incoming generation feels like they do not have the information they need if something terrible happens, so this is a way for folks to take steps to help them in the event of death or disability of a key person in the farm.”

Farris said he hopes attendees will be able to start conversations with family members about critical steps for continuity of business operations.

“I remember hearing one of my family members say, ‘it’s survivor’s rights!’ This was in response to his wife asking him about estate planning. My family member passed away rather suddenly several years ago, leaving much in limbo. As the saying goes, death and taxes are inevitable. This presentation sheds light on a common issue of procrastination.”