From left, Jason Carter, executive director of the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association and the Virginia Beef Industry Council; Eric Paulson, executive secretary of the Virginia State Dairymen’s Association; Todd Haymore, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry; Virginia Tech President Timothy D. Sands; Mike Akers, department head and professor of dairy science; and Ed Jones, director of Virginia Cooperative Extension, cut a ribbon to celebrate the opening of the new Dairy Science Complex in July.

By Zeke Barlow

More than 1,500 people celebrated the grand opening of the new Dairy Science Complex – Kentland Farm in July.

More than 1,500 people attend the grand opening of the new dairy, which included tours of the milking parlor.

Virginia Tech President Timothy D. Sands and Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore, along with Mike Akers, head of dairy science, and Ed Jones, director of Virginia Cooperative Extension, were among the many speakers at the opening who talked about the importance and impact of the new facility.

The event was held in conjunction with a field day put on by the Virginia State Dairymen’s Association and the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association.

Shortly thereafter, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors approved the proposed design for the second phase of the complex. The $7.6 million facility will include an applied reproductive physiology facility adjacent to the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, an intensive metabolic research facility at the Kentland Farm complex, and a bovine extension, teaching, and research facility on Plantation Road.

“The new facilities provide great opportunities for students desiring a hands-on, experiential education,” said Alan Grant, dean of the college. “ They will also allow the faculty to conduct innovative research that is important for the dairy industry.”