Farm tour focuses on new technology

Department of Agriculture chair Michael Aide wants to see the Southeast Missouri State University David M. Barton Agriculture Research Center using as much solar energy as possible by 2010.

Doing so will make Southeast Missouri an agricultural showcase, he said.

"Our goal is to make this farm a model for others to witness," Aide said Wednesday morning during the 30th annual Jackson Chamber of Commerce Agri-Business Tour. "Together we want to make [the area] from Cape Girardeau County to Pemiscot County the most productive agricultural region in the world."

Since 2008, the farm in Gordonville has used solar power to provide energy for the irrigation system. With the costs of solar panels declining by 50 percent in only a few years, Aide thinks the university will be able to purchase three more by next year.

He said solar energy could also come in handy during emergencies such as the late January ice storm that knocked out power to thousands and led to economic hardship for the agricultural industry.

Robert Aufdenberg, a farmer from Jackson, learns about the cattle operation Wednesday during a agriculture tour at Southeast Missouri State University's David M. Barton Agriculture Research Center near Gordonville. (Elizabeth Dodd)

"The agricultural community can't withstand another natural disaster," Aide said. "If we had had solar power earlier this year, those farmers in the affected areas would have been able to continue powering their operations" despite the outages.

Jackson Chamber of Commerce member Darrell Aufdenberg thinks the tour is one of the longest-running chamber-sponsored tours in the state. He recalled a previous conversation with former Jackson Chamber of Commerce executive director Marybeth Williams, who mentioned that in previous discussions with fellow chamber executive directors that no other chamber had as a continuous farm tour as Jackson.

"There may be some out there, but not to our knowledge," said Aufdenberg, the tour organizer and agricultural lender at Capaha Bank in Jackson.

About 120 businessmen, farmers, Leadership Jackson participants and others from the community attended the tour, which also included stops at the Mid America Sod Farm in Cape Girardeau and Schwartz Dairy in Jackson.

Paul Quade of Cape Girardeau said he enjoyed learning about the latest advances and techniques in the farming industry, such as using DNA samples from cows to aid in the prevention of curly calf syndrome, a genetic condition that leads to stillborn calves, and an underground irrigation system that allows farmers to get crops in the ground earlier and keep them irrigated more effectively.

"I've been going on this tour for many years and have enjoyed all the interesting things that are brought to our attention each time," said Quade, who has farmed most of his life. "But it's hard for a little guy like me to do everything they presented to us here today."

Aide said educating others -- especially young people -- through the chamber tour and facilities such as the university farm should be a top priority for the industry.

"We're trying to educate the next generation of agricultural leaders and develop the farm into a cutting-edge facility," Aide said. "We're pleased the community has come together to provide this facility for the next generation of students."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

Pertinent address:

6885 State Highway 25 Gordonville, MO