Southeast Showcasing Initiatives At Agriculture Educational Field Day
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.
Southeast Missouri State University’s Department of Agriculture is hosting its 12th annual “Agriculture Educational Field Day” from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the David M. Barton Agriculture Research Center facilities and the Charles Hutson Horticulture Greenhouse.
This free event will begin at the Charles Hutson Horticulture Greenhouse, which includes the new Charles Nemanick Alternative Agriculture Garden, and will continue at the David M. Barton Agriculture Research Center.
“The Field Day is specifically designed to encourage young people to pursue careers in agriculture,” said Dr. Mike Aide, chair of the Southeast Department of Agriculture. “We try to show young people that agriculture has an exciting blend of business skills and science to solve real-world problems.”
Time spent at the greenhouse will include educational information on environmental quality and conservation programs; riparian buffer zone; precision agriculture – Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS); sustainable food/agriculture; row crops; turf and horticulture; companion animals; new technology in animal science and beef livestock; conservation and environmental quality programs; the Center’s irrigation tile drainage system; row crops; agriculture business and production; forage herbicide plots; the Southeast Department of Agriculture; and the University.
Southeast Department of Agriculture students and faculty will lead the discussions. Area instructors attending will receive further information about the topics and programs discussed during the event to include in their school curriculum.
The educational portion of the event will last until about noon and will be followed by a free lunch for students and their instructors. Students and instructors who plan on attending should RSVP by Friday, Sept. 26. High school juniors and seniors and community college students are especially encouraged to attend. For more information, contact the Department of Agriculture at (573) 651-2106 or creinagel@semo.edu.
Because some of the events will take place outdoors, students and instructors are encouraged to wear comfortable and weather-appropriate attire and to bring an umbrella in case of rain.
The Charles Hutson Horticulture Greenhouse and the Charles Nemanick Alternative Agriculture Gardens are located at the intersection of Bertling and Old Sprigg streets in Cape Girardeau. The David M. Barton Agriculture Research Center is located at 6885 State Hwy. 25, one and one-half miles south of Gordonville, Missouri, on the east side of Highway 25. ∆