Nate Phillips

nate.phillips@mtsu.edu

Jessica Carter

Agriculture

Discipline specific equipment

The tractor and corral system will be housed at the MTSU Experiential Learning and Research Center (

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The School of Agriculture requests funding for the following, in order of priority: 1) A tractor for use in PLSO courses to better serve students' instructional needs. Multiple PLSO courses will greatly benefit, including PLSO 3330, 3340, 3660, 3700, 4310, 4690, and 4760, impacting 150+ students per year. The MTSU farm has no tractor dedicated solely for instructional use. Faculty must borrow old and often inoperable (requiring repair) farm equipment. 2) A USDA certified dairy processing container unit will enhance student education and provide workforce training in cultured dairy product production. The contained MicroDairy Milk Processing System and programmable temperature-controlled circulators, allows for hands-on instruction while producing fermented products. The unit will operate in conjunction with the MTSU Food Systems Training Center (funded by a USDA grant) and be utilized in 15 departmental courses impacting ~100 students each semester. Campus planning has approved a site for the unit and we have additional funding ($25,000) for required utilities. 3) The LI-600 Porometer/Fluorometer provides combined measurements of stomatal conductance and chlorophyll fluorescence, presenting a picture of a plant’s physiological state. It will be used to teach students agronomic and horticultural applications. This instrument will be used in 9 PLSO courses impacting up to 150 students, plus ~20 undergraduate researchers. 4) A penning and corral system at the beef unit. The current system is in ill repair and cannot be economically rejuvenated. This system is used by all ANSC majors as well as other students who take Livestock Management (ANSC 3440).