Value-Added Agriculture Institute program enhancing students’ education

Value-Added Agriculture Institute program enhancing students' education

Students at Northwest Missouri State University are gaining firsthand insight into the future of agriculture this spring through their participation in the Show-Me Value-Added Agriculture Institute.

Established last year by Dr. Rod Barr, the dean of Northwest's College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, the year-long program brings together students from colleges and universities across Missouri to deepen their understanding of the agriculture industry. It focuses on innovative processes that increase the value of products while connecting students with real-world successes.

"The institute was an idea that came from a study that was done back in 2017 that looked at opportunities for producers in agriculture to add value," Barr said. "We have a huge opportunity for that part of agriculture to expand in the state of Missouri and - when trying to figure out what we might be able to do - came up with the idea of this institute that connects students and faculty to people in agriculture who are doing things in the value-added area."

Participants in the program's second cohort this year will have gathered for five sessions before the spring semester ends. They have toured a grain barge, a cotton gin and a rice farm in Cape Girardeau. In addition, they have toured several traditional agricultural operations with livestock, soybeans and corn.

Participants convened this month in Springfield before concluding the program in April in Jefferson City, where the students will present to a panel of business professionals. Alongside agriculture faculty from their respective institutions, the participating students represent diverse backgrounds and gain a unique opportunity to expand their knowledge beyond traditional production practices. The program also helps students reflect on their own endeavors and take insights to their home operations.

For Breann Poole, a junior animal science major from Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, the experience has helped her better understand different aspects of agriculture beyond farming.

"I've learned a lot about the business side of agriculture," Poole said. "We've had a lot of businesspeople there, and some of their biggest advice is to have a business plan to put into action, to choose people around you that are going to make your business succeed and to be serious about your farm as a business. It's been a bit of a wakeup call, seeing that it's the family farm, but it's also a business need."

In December, students attended a session in Osage Beach, Missouri, during the Annual Missouri Farm Bureau meeting. They heard from Chris Chinn, the Missouri secretary of agriculture, and Vivek Malik, the Missouri state treasurer. During another session, students participated in a business simulation that helped them better understand real-world challenges.

"The panelists and speakers are all very honest about what it's like to own a business or be involved in a business," Chanda Sunderman, a senior animal science major from Clarinda, Iowa, said. "Classes are technical. The panelists give you an idea of what is to be expected realistically."

Maria Vedder, a junior agricultural education major from New Haven, Missouri, said the program reshaped her understanding of how agricultural operations grow by adding value to their products.

"This is a great opportunity, specifically if you are looking to open your own business," Vedder said. "It is designed to give you the tools and resources needed to get your foot in the door and start a business with an agricultural product by adding value to that product. If you want to run a business, this is the program for you."

The program is supported by Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority.