The University of Mount Olive is building a new livestock/forage training facility that will provide research and educational opportunities for college students and the greater agricultural community.
Current livestock facilities at the University are limited to only five acres to raise cattle, small ruminants, equine and poultry.
“The new facility will be located on a 79-acre intensive multispecies rotational grazing operation unique to the region,” said Dr. Sandy Maddox, University of Mount Olive Special Projects Coordinator. “The livestock handling facility will serve as a training site, a demonstration site and an applied research site to provide students and farmers with skill and resource development opportunities, exposure to farm diversification initiatives and an applied learning laboratory.”
The Shady Grove Educational Livestock Facility will be built with the support of multiple funding partners, including the Golden LEAF Foundation, the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, N.C. Farm Bureau, the N.C. General Assembly, Case IH Ag & Farm Equipment, and other pending awards.
In April 2023, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $500,000 through the Open Grants Program to the University of Mount Olive to support costs related to design and infrastructure for the facility.
The facility will be used to support careers in animal, agronomic and precision agriculture.
“All of these hands-on learning opportunities and others that will be offered will produce highly skilled Agriculture and Veterinary Biosciences graduates to meet the critical workforce shortages faced by integrated animal agribusinesses important to rural communities,” said Dr. Maddox. “Trained students will ensure a skilled workforce that desires to live, work and serve in rural communities in North Carolina.”
Dr. Maddox explained that the Shady Grove Educational Livestock Facility will be different from any other facility in the region. It will consist of training facilities, an arena, animal handling facilities, 50 acres of managed rotational pastures, an egg and meat handling facility and multispecies animal production on site.
“Events for farmers will include certification training, field days, on-farm demonstrations and research which may result in changes in agricultural practices,” said Dr. Maddox. “New crops and products grown will benefit farmers considering diversification and expansion of their current operations.”
The facility will be used to demonstrate animal production best practices, diversification strategies, and market development options for farmers, according to Dr. Maddox.
“Additionally, the facility will be used for business models for new and existing farmers resulting in risk reduction through demonstration and education,” said Dr. Maddox. “Operational diversification and expansion allows farmers to broaden market share, add stability to operational plans, increase farm income, all essential to long-term viability.”
Not only will the facility serve the University of Mount Olive students and farmers, but it will also serve students seeking college credits through high school programs. The University has academy programs at schools in Edgecombe, Martin, Johnston, Randolph, Sampson, and Wake counties that will use the facility.
“The academy programs offered by the University of Mount Olive allow participating high school students the opportunity to earn 60 semester hours of college credit, resulting in an Associate Degree in Agriculture from the University of Mount Olive awarded concurrently with graduation from high school,” said Dr. Maddox. “Students attending the University of Mount Olive after high school graduation enter as a junior and complete their Bachelor of Science degree in two additional years.”
Phase 1 of the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
To learn more about the University of Mount Olive, visit umo.edu.