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The Kellogg Farm was established in 1928 as one of the initial gifts of W.K. Kellogg to Michigan State University (then College). Today the Kellogg Farm is part of the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station and supports research, educational and outreach programs focusing on production of row-crops, dairy livestock, and alternative biofuel cropping systems and their role in the agricultural landscape. It includes a Dairy Center, which maintains a registered Holstein herd that is being converted to a pasture-based production system and Farming Systems Center (FSC) that supports research on a number of crops and cropping systems that are important in SW Michigan. The new KBS Pasture Dairy Research and Education Center will open in summer 2009 and will support research, education and outreach programs that serve the needs of small to medium-sized producers interested in pasture dairy production systems.
The Farm supports the research activities of the KBS Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) project on row-cropping systems and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) focus on sustainability of alternative biofuel cropping systems.
The Kellogg Farm and Dairy Center also supports educational and outreach programs for a variety of audiences, including farmers, veterinarians, undergraduate and high school students and agribusiness. Information on tours and other public programming at the Farm is provided below.
Each summer the Farm supports internships for students interested in various aspects of Farm Management or Dairy Production. Dairy INternships will be announces in the fall 2009 for summer 2010 internships. Check this site periodically for announcements. Information on other internships at KBS is available at: http://www.kbs.msu.edu/reu/
Farming Systems Center (FSC)
The FSC is a support unit for field research focusing on traditional, sustainable and organic crop production for a variety of commodities. Unique projects such as the Long Term Ecological Research Site (LTER) and the Living Field Laboratory (LFL) are among the many studies supported by the FSC.
The Farming Systems Center is the site of research geared toward producing high quality food and animal feed products through cropping systems that are profitable and minimize environmental degradation. Research to sustain the environment as well as the economic welfare of the producer concentrates on cultural practices that reduce the need for chemical inputs; evaluates the environmental impact of current production practices; and analyzes the interactions between the many components of an agroecosystem. For more information about the Farming Systems Center, contact: Greg Parker (269) 671-2515.
The Dairy Center
The Dairy Center is open to the public for self-guided tours every day of the year from 8:00 a.m. until sunset with guided group tours available Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays as long as arrangements are made in advance. The Dairy Center's address is: 10461 North 40th Street, Hickory Corners, MI 49060. Additional information and group tour arrangements can be made by calling (269) 671-2507.
Research at the Dairy Center focuses on traditional and alternative livestock management as well as field scale crop research.
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