AgWired

In just a few hours, I’ll be loading up in a bus that will take a group of college students majoring in the science and agricultural fields, some with their parents and college mentors, to tour three of the most influential agri-businesses in the St. Louis, MO. area: Novus International, Monsanto and Pfizer.

Novus is sponsoring the Undergraduate Networking Day to give these recipients of the Missouri Colleges Fund scholarships a firsthand look at how these businesses actually work. In addition, the students will learn just how diverse of an employment field agri-business can be.

One of those who will be touring around the three companies’ facilities will be Carol Waeckerle, a junior majoring in biology at Missouri Baptist University. She is excited to see all of the different fields these companies offer… so she can know where she wants to work when her schooling is done. Waeckerle says it’s not surprising that a city girl like her would be interested in an agricultural job, especially considering the wide variety of employment available.

“St. Louis has these three large companies involved in agriculture, so that’s kind of one of the areas where biological jobs are present.”

Waeckerle seems to recognize just how important good science will be, as we try to get more food and fuel out of less and less farmland everyday. She admits it is daunting but believes science is up to the task.

“We need to learn to use those areas efficiently, so that we can [keep doing] what we’re here doing… [feeding and feuling the world].”

You can hear my entire conversation with Carol here: CarolWaeckerle1.mp3

2009 Novus International Undergraduate Networking Day Photo Set

Some of the best and brightest undergrad students in science and agriculture have gathered in St. Louis, Mo. for the Novus International Undergraduate Networking Day… a day when the students, their parents and educational sponsors will get to see firsthand how some of the best agri-businesses in the country operate. They’ll tour Novus’ St. Louis facilities, as well as see the operations at Monsanto and Pfizer.

The students are here, in part, because of the scholarships provided by these companies to the Missouri Colleges Fund, Inc… a not-for-profit group of 16 small, private Missouri colleges and universities that work together to acquire resources to help educate students in member private liberal-arts colleges and universities.

During tonight’s welcome reception with Novus officials and students, I had the chance to sit down with Mike Backer, President of the Missouri Colleges Fund. He told me his job is to go out and raise money from generous companies, such as Novus, so students can get the monetary help they need in their educational pursuits. But he says Novus is giving more than just money… it’s giving an educational experience.

“Tomorrow will be an opportunity for these students to see the real world… get out of the classroom, come see a laboratory, come ee how a corporation that deals in the area and what really happens.”

Backer agrees with the evaluation from Novus’ Scott Carter who believes that not only is this good for the companies involved, it’s good for agriculture and science in general.

“In Missouri, we’re really lacking in science education. So anything we can do to bring awareness to the need for more science education is a good thing… good for Novus, good for the colleges, and good for our economy.”

Backer adds that we are not just a “Wall Street” society. We’re all… urban and rural… really dependent on agriculture… whether we realize it or not.

You can hear my entire conversation with Mike here: MikeBacker1.mp3

2009 Novus International Undergraduate Networking Day Photo Set

There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast comes from the grocery, and the other that heat comes from the furnace.
Aldo Leopold, American ecologist, forester and environmentalist

Hello, from St. Louis, Mo., where tomorrow I’ll be following around some the best and brightest Missouri students in the fields of agriculture and science during the Novus International Undergraduate Networking Day. All of the students participating are scholarship winners from the Missouri Colleges Fund (more on that later).

Not only will these students get the chance to tour the agri-business facilities at Novus, they’ll also get to see firsthand some of the workings of a couple of other major players in the agri-business community, Monsanto and Pfizer.

The quote above could easily apply to what Scott Carter, the Market Manager for Novus’s poultry division said to those at tonight’s opening reception before tomorrow’s tour: Less than 5 percent of people know where their food comes from. Scott advised the group of students, parents and sponsors (including several college professors) not to underestimate the reach agriculture has in today’s world and stay open to the variety of opportunities that agri-business holds… even if you don’t come from a purely farming background or education. He says ag needs new ideas on how to solve the world’s challenges of feeding and fueling the ever-growing masses, and those from outside of traditional agriculture can bring in those new ideas.

During the mingling, professors, students and parents got the chance to buttonhole some of the Novus officials and ask “what kind and level of degree is needed in today’s agri-business environment?” The answer is “depends.” It depends on what the student wants to do. It depends on where the student wants to go. But, it also depends on how curious that student really is. What’s really needed is a passion for agriculture.

It should be a fascinating day. I’ll try to update you as I can! In the meantime, take a listen to my conversation with Novus’ Scott Carter and his company’s involvement with the Missouri Colleges Fund and the Undergraduate Networking Day: ScottCarter1.mp3

2009 Novus International Undergraduate Networking Day Photo Set