Tech Poultry Building Expected To Open In Fall Semester

Tennessee Tech wants to be conducting research and holding classes in its new Poultry Science Building by Fall.

Dean of Agriculture and Human Ecology Darron Smith said the poultry industry is huge in Tennessee. Smith said students can get job offers of $60,000 a year after studying animal science.

“We actually place a lot of our students in the Tennessee poultry industry,” Smith said. “We have very good ties with them, they tend to really like our students. We have hard working kids and so, having an up to date, brand new facility will give the students here hands on experience.”

Smith said the facility helps students and researchers understand how to raise, feed and care for poultry to bring the best product to consumers.

“Students that might start off working on the floor in the poultry houses, we have students that enter entry level management positions,” Smith said. “So they’re more leadership type positions but it’s really up to the student and what they’re interested in.”

Smith said one of the next steps is hiring a poultry scientist to conduct research with undergraduate students. Smith said having a 10,000 square foot space for students opens up what the university can do in this field.

“It’s going to be two-fold in that first it will provide some research opportunities for undergrad students,” Smith said. “It has a research lab associated with it and two floors for actual, live poultry. So we can do comparative studies and it also will be used for academics.”

The building will be located at Shipley Farms, across from the Hyder-Burks Ag Pavilion on Gainesboro Grade.

The new Poultry Science Building is a $1.7 million project. This project is grant funded by the Tennessee Drive To 55 Program.