Union City, Tenn.—At the Northwest Tennessee Food Processing & Agri-Business Conference held Thursday at the University of Tennessee at Martin, Discovery Park of America captured the photos of more than 85 farmers, agriculture students and others who work in the agriculture industry.
The photos will be used as part of an upcoming exhibit dedicated to telling the story of innovation in agriculture. Opening Oct. 22, 2020, “AgriCulture: Innovating for Our Survival” will be located in the 8,900-square-foot red barn building that currently houses the museum and heritage park’s antique tractor collection.
“Through focus groups and other research we’ve done to create the content for our new Ag exhibit, we’re finding that people in general have an image of farmers today that is just not accurate,” said Scott Williams, president and CEO of Discovery Park. “We’re calling this a ‘mind-blowing, myth-busting farming exhibit that will change the world’ and exposing our guests to some of the real faces of farming today is just one of the ways we’re going to accomplish that.”
Among those participating in the panel discussions were Blake Kennedy of Puryear, the 2019 State FFA Star; Jamie Tosh of Tosh Farms, Henry; Dr. Tony Brannon of Puryear, Dean of Hutson College at Murray State; and George Leake, CTE Director at Obion County Schools.
Those whose photos were captured at the booth and who will be included as one of the “Faces of Farming” include Dr. Charlie Hatcher, Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture; Dr. Keith Carver, UT Martin Chancellor; David Kustoff, US Congressman; Dr. Molly Warren and Roger Williams from Williams Sausage Company and others.
Louisville, KY-based Solid Light, a leader in the exhibit design and fabrication field, has been selected to head the project and is currently finalizing the initial script and design.
Research shows that consumers are unaware of even the basic innovations and applications of technology used by farmers today. That absence of knowledge has contributed to a world in which innovation in agriculture is often misunderstood and even feared. Among other topics, the exhibit, when it opens, will include sections on innovation relating to row crops, animals, precision agriculture, the truth about GMOs, sustainability, tools and technology, and agri-business.
“AgriCulture: Innovating for Our Survival” is made possible by The Tennessee Soybean Promotion Council, The Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation and The University of Tennessee at Martin.
Photo: Luke Johnson taking a picture of Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Charlie Hatcher for the “Faces of Farming” portion of the exhibit.
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