News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The York Institute has launched a five-year plan with TCAT Oneida to teach Farming Operations Technology for its students.
Director of Schools John Bush said that the program will help students create a farm-to-fork operation using the campus’ 180-acre farm.
“Reall we think it’s an amazing thing that students can literally take these animals from conception all the way to consumption. So we’re really excited for these opportunities and this is honestly some of the most authentic work I’ve been a part of in my 25 years in education. So I’m just so proud to be a part of it and it’s an exciting opportunity for our students to learn modern agricultural practices.”
Bush said that students will learn to artificially inseminate heifers and help raise the beef cattle. He said that eventually, they hope to get an on-campus slaughterhouse and serve their products in their own cafeteria.
Bush said that the end goal is to have students learn the most up-to-date skills in farming technology and be well-versed in the business of agriculture.
“And I think that’s the most important thing we can teach these young people is that farming is a business,” Bush said. “It’s agri-business. And if we’re teaching them practices o letting them practice habits that are really not financially sound or inefficient, we’re not really teaching them that much. We want to show them how they can take those resources of a property and actually make that a sustainable and viable economic venture for them.”
