By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Northwest Missouri State University hosted a nationally broadcast agriculture program as part of its celebration of agriculture this week.
Host Mike Adams broadcast “Adams on Agriculture” from the new $10.7 million Agricultural Learning Center on the Maryville campus and had School of Agricultural Sciences Director Rod Barr on as a guest, among others.
Barr tells Adams the center drastically upgraded the agriculture offerings on the Maryville campus. Barr says Northwest was looking to expand its agriculture course offerings and not just to agriculture majors.
“The facility has the opportunity to do more for students outside of the School of Agricultural Sciences than inside and, additionally, it has more to offer and the opportunities for the industry and the community than it does for the university,” according to Barr.
Northwest has 520 students in its seven agricultural programs with ag-business attracting the most majors. The new center is located on the university’s 448-acre farm which raises a variety of crops as well as livestock to provide students a hands-on experience.
A diverse group of businesses, organizations, and individuals donated to make the Agricultural Learning Center a reality.
Major Gift Officer Jill Brown says it won’t just be used by agriculture majors and farm groups, but will be open to all in the region.
“I love nothing more than when there’s a group that knows nothing about agriculture, because I totally seize the opportunity that while they’re in here, on your way to the bathroom, while don’t I also take you on a quick lap and talk to you about the lab space and what the opportunities are in agriculture and where your food comes from?” Brown tells Adams.
Adams, a veteran farm broadcaster, asks Senior Ryan Shurvington of Clever what attracted him to come to Northwest and major in agriculture education.
“I didn’t grow up on a farm; always knew that agriculture was something that I was interested in,” Shurvington says. “I was always that kid that played with the (toy) cows and the tractors and stuff at home, but I kind of really got into it in high school and in my ag education program.”
“Adams on Agriculture” is heard daily on KFEQ from 11am to noon.
