Agriculture Innovation Day 2017
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EmailAgricultural producers gathered at the Lake City Research Center, in Lake City, Michigan, on Aug. 24, 2017, to learn about information and innovations to apply to their own operations during the MSU Agriculture Innovation Day.
Agricultural producers gathered at the Lake City Research Center, in Lake City, Michigan, on Aug. 24, 2017, to learn about information and innovations to apply to their own operations during the MSU Agriculture Innovation Day.
Taking place at rotating farm locations throughout Michigan and hosted by MSU, the annual event provides producers access to cutting-edge information delivered by experts that focus on a different topic every year.
“Agriculture Innovation Day is addressing critical topics that Michigan farmers are facing and providing them access to the leading experts from across the country,” said Ron Bates, MSU Extension director of agriculture and agribusiness. “This is providing Michigan farmers new insights to help them further develop their farm business.”
The 2017 event titled “Focus on Forages and the Future,” gave dairy and beef producers a research-proven approach to improving current forage practices and preparing their forage management techniques to meet future environmental, production and sustainability demands.
Nine field-based sessions taught by experts from across the country included topics such as precision dairy cattle monitoring with wearable technology and a mobile application designed to allow harvesters to understand moisture and starch in their grain. Each session allowed participants to come away with a greater understanding of the various topics and ideas on of how to implement the innovative technology and research applications in their own operations.
The synergy between experts and producers makes the event a success as producers aim to learn how to adapt to future demands and experts provide their knowledge while recognizing areas where more research needs to take place.
“The success of MSU Agriculture Innovation Day is based on the partnership between Michigan’s agriculture industries and MSU,” Bates said. “Our industry partners have done much to help drive the program so that we are addressing those key topics facing Michigan agriculture. Without the commitment from Michigan agriculture, MSU Agriculture Innovation Day would not have achieved the early success that it has.”
Agriculture Innovation Day continues to advance Michigan agriculture by introducing farmers to new technology that can improve their operations, provide up-to-date research findings that have the potential to revolutionize a farm and connect producers with experts that strengthen the agriculture industry.
This article was published in In the Field, a yearly magazine produced by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University. To view past issues of In the Field, visit www.canr.msu.edu/inthefield. For more information, email Holly Whetstone, editor, at whetst11@msu.edu or call 517-355-0123.
