Buena Vista University’s Institute for Agriculture and Tyson Foods Collaborate in Tyson Fields of Learning Program
Initiative will further expand research and hands-on learning opportunities for BVU students.
Buena Vista University’s Institute for Agriculture and Tyson Foods are partnering to create the Tyson Fields of Learning program to give BVU students access to crop ground for research and hands-on learning opportunities.
As part of this program, Tyson Foods has provided 30 acres of crop ground northeast of its new, state-of-the-art Storm Lake feed mill to BVU’s Institute for Ag.
“Tyson Foods approached the university after identifying an opportunity to enrich students’ education and better equip them for the workforce. We pride ourselves on giving back and hope this program will enhance their employability and even encourage them to come work for us one day,” said Tyson Foods Group Manufacturing Director and BVU alumnus, Russ Dierenfield.
“We are grateful to Tyson Foods for the company’s generosity with these crop acres,” said BVU President Brian Lenzmeier. “Having land located just minutes from campus and accessible to our students and faculty further expands the experiential learning we work so hard to cultivate for our ag students through our Ag Experiment Station and BVU Meats Enterprise.”
In addition to gaining hands-on experience with raising crops, BVU students will also conduct research trials of new-to-market input products. These research trials, led by Dr. Geoffrey Ecker, Assistant Professor of Agronomy, are designed to provide data upon which informed management decisions can be made.
“Taking the classroom outside and into the real world is a strong teaching tool,” said Rich Crow, Director of BVU’s Institute for Ag. “The ability to run research trials and manage a production system where real cost pressures exist provides a level of reality for our students that cannot be replicated in a classroom or laboratory.”
BVU students will also use some of the crops they grow as feed for their BVU Meats Enterprise.
For more information about this partnership and BVU’s Institute for Agriculture, contact Rich Crow.