Northwest hosting farmers, ag experts for ‘Innovation Showcase’

Farmers throughout the region are invited to join Northwest Missouri State University and its School of Agricultural Sciences in collaboration with BioSTL for an “Innovation Showcase” featuring innovators in the ag industry.

The program is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, at Northwest’s Agricultural Learning Center, located at 22893 U.S. Highway 71 in Maryville. The Northwest session is the last of three showcases BioSTL will host; the others are July 31 in Columbia, Missouri, and Aug. 1 in Normal, Illinois.

BioSTL, a St. Louis nonprofit launched in 2001, offers a comprehensive set of programs aimed at solving challenges in agriculture, medicine, health care and technology. For agriculture professionals, BioSTL’s Early Adopter Grower Innovation Community (EAGIC) program provides a pathway for innovation to reach farmers, using domestic and global networks to find solutions that meet the needs of farmers.

Its innovation showcases are bringing together farmers, innovators and industry experts to explore cutting-edge technologies revolutionizing agricultural practices. Attendees will learn about disruptive innovations aimed at boosting farm profitability, promoting practical regenerative agriculture techniques and fostering healthier soil. Attendees also will receive a complimentary lunch.

“The Innovation Showcase allow us to collaborate with BioSTL to highlight technology in the agricultural industry from around the globe,” Dr. Rod Barr, the director of Northwest’s School of Agricultural Sciences, said. “We are excited to host the event that allows farmers and students to interact with companies showcasing some of the latest cutting-edge technologies utilized in agriculture.”

About Northwest’s School of Agricultural Sciences

Headquartered in the Dean L. Hubbard Center for Innovation on the Northwest campus in Maryville, the School of Agricultural Sciences offers programs in agriculture business, agriculture education, agriculture media, agriculture science, agronomy and animal science.

The 29,500-square-foot multipurpose Agricultural Learning Center, which opened in 2021, enhances the School and its curriculum while meeting infrastructure needs at the 448-acre Wright Farm, which is home to beef, swine, dairy, and sheep enterprises as well as row and forage crops.

For more information about the School of Agriculture Sciences and its programs, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/ag/.