Local Food Conglomerate Boosts Ag Education With Big Gift To Nearby School

By John McDevitt

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- A college in Bucks County has received a generous gift to help strengthen its animal agriculture programs.

Delaware Valley College received the $250,000 grant from the Clemens Family Corporation to help build a new swine science center, with a 25-sow gestation area, a farrow nursery, and a finishing barn.

Russell Redding, dean of agriculture and environmental sciences at DVC, says the facility will help students get hands-on experience.

"The swine facility is sort of the cornerstone of our animal science degree program," he tells KYW Newsradio.  "We can do a lot of things with the thousand acres of land we have, but a specialized facility like a swine production facility is really critical for our academic program.   (It also provides) the benefit of students being able to step out into industry and being really well equipped and skilled in these particular jobs."

Efforts are underway to raise an additional $48,000 needed to complete the facility, which the school hopes will be built by this time next year.

In:
• KYW Newsradio 1060
• Delaware Valley
• Agriculture
• Bucks County
• Education