August 2017 Articles

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AgDiscovery Program Educates Students About Agriculture

AgDiscovery Program Educates Students About Agriculture Source: U of A AgDiscovery, a summer camp outreach program designed to help middle through high school-aged students explore careers in animal science, veterinary medicine, agribusiness, plant pathology, aquaculture, and much more, hosted faculty from the University of Arkansas Department of Animal Science on June 16th. This 2-4 week program allows participants to live on a college campus and explore agricultural science with university professors, practicing veterinarians, industry representatives, and professionals working for the U.S. government. Students who participate in AgDiscovery experience hands-on labs, workshops, fi eld trips, and other group and team-building activities. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff hosted this year’s Arkansas AgDiscovery program. The Department of Animal Science was invited to speak to a group of about 30 students at Simon Dairy in Conway, AR, who boasted the highest milk production in the state in 2007, as well as Farm Family of the Year in 2006. Dr. Mike Looper, Animal Science Department Head, gave a presentation to the students about the dairy farming industry. “Ag Discovery is a great program that provides real world experiences and handson activities for young people interested in agriculture,” said Looper. “Animal Science appreciates the opportunity to share animal production careers with participants.” Looper commended the example of Simon Dairy as a successful Arkansas dairy operation for the students. Matt Simon, who co-owns the farm with his brothers, Jason and Frederic, and father, Mike, began in the dairy industry in 1994 after graduating with a degree in Animal Science from the University of Arkansas. “Simon Dairy is a great family operation that provides a safe and wholesome product to Arkansans daily,” said Looper. “It’s great to visit with successful UA alumni who inspire the next generation of food producers.” The students visited several other agricultural operations throughout their stay at AgDiscovery. The Department is very excited to see how these students add value to the agriculture industry in Arkansas in future years. The AgDiscovery program was initiated as a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) Veterinary Services pilot program in 2002. This year, the program has a total of 22 universities hosting AgDiscovery programs at college campuses nationwide. Funding for AgDiscovery is enabled through cooperative agreements between APHIS and the host universities. }