After being awarded the SPECA Grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Blue Mountain Community College has started the process of mobilizing their advanced Precision Agriculture program, the first of its kind in Oregon.
The SPECA grant supports two-year postsecondary educational institutions in creating and strengthening pathways for K-12 students to pursue degrees in the food and agriculture sciences.
The mobilization of the Precision Ag Lab gives BMCC the ability to enhance educational opportunities of regional dual-credit programs, participate in community education activities, strengthen recruitment efforts, and provide local industry assistance. The grant also provides funds to aid in the development of applicable curriculum at the K-12 level.
Andrew Leggett, Precision Agriculture instructor was instrumental in the success of the grant, “This curriculum can be used by a high school teacher to compliment the Oregon FFA Precision Agriculture module, which gives students an opportunity to earn dual credit for my Intro. to Precision Agriculture course at BMCC.”
The Precision Ag Program is now equipped with a 20-foot enclosed trailer, John Deere Gator, Generator, and TV monitor that can transform any location in the region into an advanced technology open-air classroom. The monitor also gives the ability to connect to the display on the Gator, allowing large groups of people to see what the operator on the Gator is seeing.
“I am excited at the possibilities this Mobile Precision Agriculture Lab offers as both a recruiting and education tool,” says Leggett. “With the ability to carry computers, drones, and a UTV equipped with GPS, autosteer, a section-controlled, variable rate sprayer, I can effectively take my classroom and labs on the road to offer hands-on education about an exciting and growing career field.”
The mobile laboratory will be operational in summer 2023.
