Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132 Page 133 Page 134 Page 135 Page 136 Page 137 Page 138 Page 139 Page 140 Page 141 Page 142 Page 143 Page 144 Page 145 Page 146 Page 147 Page 148128 / SEEDWORLD.COM DECEMBER 2016 AN INNOVATION HUB, St. Louis is home to more than 750 plant science researchers. With a metropolitan popula- tion exceeding 2.5 million people, the city that serves as the Gateway to the West provides the perfect opportunity for those in agriculture to engage and con- nect with everyday Americans. And that was the impetus behind the St. Louis Science Center’s newest $7.3 million exhibit that explores the journey of food, featuring hands-on activities and learning stations centered around plants, livestock, conservation and technology. “There’s not another exhibit like this any- where in the world that we know of,” says Bert Vescolani, St. Louis Science Center president and CEO. “Some science centers around the country have done something about farming, but nothing like this.” As one might suspect, Monsanto was a major contributor to the exhibit, dedi- cating funds for the Grow Pavilion. The Grow exhibit, which spans more than one acre, really connects science with agri- culture, shares Maddie Earnest, GROW exhibition manager. For example: At the Ozone Garden, visitors are introduced to actual plant, botany and soil research that happens on site. Earnest explains that scientists are able to use the space for research and then have the opportunity to explain what they are doing with visitors. “These ‘les- sons’ are then supplemented with activi- ties,” adds Pamela Braasch, the center’s director of education. At Botany Basics, and with the help of a giant sunflower, kids can learn about the inner workings of plants and how they harvest the Sun’s energy to grow and sup- port life on Earth. Over in Farm Tech Field, they get to see how scientists and farmers use technology and the latest precision Seed World got a first-hand look at one of the newest efforts to engage and teach the public about plants, science and agriculture. Julie Deering farming equipment to grow crops. At the Animal Corral, they can try their hand at milking and compare the digestive systems of a cow and a pig. Then there’s HomeGROWn, which features a flock of chickens, a garden and worms. Here, visi- tors can roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. There’s also a greenhouse and fermentation station. “People come to the story of their food in various ways,” Earnest says. “Farmers markets are an entry point to food and farmers. But you’re not going to find a corn or soy or oat farmer there at a farmers market with their wares, so this science center provides that entry point. “Every Saturday Barry, a farmer from Illinois, comes and stands next to the Case IH combine and talks about farming, the decisions he makes and answers all kinds of questions.” Even though the GROW exhibit has been open less than a year, it’s already seen thousands of visitors. Other major contributors include Case IH, Prairie Farms, Missouri Beef Industry Council, Missouri Farm Bureau, Bunge, Illinois Farm Bureau, the IAA Foundation, Missouri Forest Products Association, and the Missouri Rice Research and Merchandising Council. Support was also provided from the National Science Foundation. SW Exhibit Makes Ag Science Fun Visitors of the GROW exhibit learn about plant and animal agriculture.