Iowa State University has received $14 million in donations to build a new educational and research facility for feed milling and grain science in Ames, Iowa.
Donations came from the Kent Corporation ($8 million), the Iowa Corn Promotion Board ($4 million) and Sukup Manufacturing Co. $2 million) to help fund the $21.2 million facility, which will be built completely from private giving, World-Grain.com reported.
"We are very grateful to Kent, Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Sukup Manufacturing for their lead gifts that will jump-start in-depth planning and development of our feed mill and grain science complex," said Benjamin Allen, interim president of Iowa State University. "Their tremendous generosity will help make this facility a valuable addition to hands-on student learning, meaningful faculty research, and extension and outreach to industry workforce."
Further details, including construction plans will follow at a later date to be presented to the Iowa Board of Regents for approval.
Currently, plans for the complex include:
- a feed mill tower,
- feed milling and mixing structures,
- grain storage bins, and
- a one-story classroom and lab facility.
The complex will provide students in a range of agricultural majors with hands-on learning opportunities, especially in the wake of Iowa State faculty's efforts to create a new feed and grain technology minor, World-Grain.com reported.
