Do You Know About the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Ag-Ed and Industrial Technology Center?

Sandwiched between the Fort Missoula Park and Target Range School on South Avenue is a 100-acre farm where more than 300 local high school students take courses in Agricultural Education.

Started more than 90 years ago, the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Ag-Ed and Industrial Technology Center is staffed today by three teachers who offer classroom and laboratory instruction as well as experiential and work-based learning. Students can envision multiple careers and occupations, learn expected workplace behavior, and grow skills specific to an industry.

Students from Hellgate, Sentinel, and Big Sky have the opportunity to enroll in classes that provide real-world experience working in the construction and engineering lab, animal science center, meat processing plant, and greenhouse. Pathways of study include Animal Science, Plant Science, and Food Processing. Many students also sign up for membership in the award-winning Missoula FFA (Future Farmers of America) Program.

This week on a crisp autumn day, MCPS trustees and administrators stopped in on the farm for our annual visit. The teacher who introduced us to the farm was himself a product of the program in the 1980s and his pride shone through.

Walking along the muddy pathways, we peered at enclosures with piglets, young sows, and the large sows that will produce new piglets come January. We saw sheep and explored the lambing building. We visited a classroom filled with trophies and awards that students have earned. We ventured into the public area of the meat packing plant with its smoker and refrigerated processing area. It’s the only state-inspected school-based facility in the nation. Several buildings on tour were built by the students themselves, including a flour/grain storage area that ensures that sheep don’t wander in and consume what could lead to grain overload, a potentially deadly condition.

The farm is a thrifty organization. Restaurants across Missoula donate food scraps to feed the farm animals. A refrigerated truck for transporting meat was donated by the Montana Farmers Union. Staff and students compost everything. They harvest and sell hay, grow plants for fundraisers, write grants for equipment purchases, and polish their leadership skills such as public speaking, teamwork, organization, and civic service. Classes in business and veterinary science ensure that students pick up a host of skills. Many continue their studies in the summer months. Students may sign up for a market animal project to be housed at the farm. These projects range from 4 to 11 months, depending on the animal (poultry, hog, lamb, or steer). Raising an animal to maturity isn’t a school-year-only commitment.

The farm allows high school students living in Missoula County inquiry-based learning and career exploration second to none. Agricultural Education includes an established, sequential set of course offerings accompanied by supervised experiences throughout the year.

This year, students will have the opportunity to travel abroad to northern Italy and France to study international sustainable farming practices. Our students graduate with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes critical for success in agriculture and a myriad of other areas including medicine, construction, mechanics, food safety, finance, and entrepreneurship.

We are thankful for the many businesses and organizations that donate equipment and funds for necessary tools and machinery. The students return these investments by processing and donating food to the community.

This vertically integrated 100-acre operation, run entirely by teachers and students, is a Farm-to-Fork feather in the cap for MCPS.

Arlene Walker-Andrews and Jenny Walsh: Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees