By Jeff Budlong
Defining the mission and commitment of a college to its students can sometimes be difficult; other times a 100-foot-tall concrete milling tower paints the picture clearly. The Iowa State University Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex provides a state-of-the-art opportunity for students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and across the university to graduate with experience few peers can match and fill important workforce needs.
"The main purpose of the facility is to train students," complex director Dirk Maier said. "This is a key industry in Iowa with among the largest feed manufacturing capacity and concentration in the world. It allows us to recruit and prepare students for this industry by giving them hands-on experience in every aspect of the mill."
The $35 million complex was built entirely by donations -- Kent Worldwide provided the lead gift, with other lead donors including Iowa Corn, Sukup Manufacturing and CPM Holdings. The facility is in its second year of operation along U.S. Highway 30. Research, teaching, outreach, technological advances and a deep commitment to quality and safety are led by faculty, staff and students.
In the years ahead, the feed mill will become a hub that integrates the university's crop and livestock operations. Feed -- made from crops grown in Iowa State fields and produced at the mill -- will meet the needs of ISU's farms -- swine, poultry, turkey, dairy and beef.
"At Iowa State, compared to other land grants, we can get our students from central campus to the feed mill and the livestock farms in about 10 minutes," said Kendall Lamkey, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences associate dean for facilities and operations. "This is a huge advantage because students see a facility like the mill and that is the kind of experience they are looking for at the university."
"They are not just a farm or a feed mill at Iowa State, they are also a research laboratory and classroom," said Jason Ross, animal science department chair. "The fact that all of that is close to campus creates an abundance of opportunities for students."
Source : iastate.edu