(Sioux Center) — Dordt College held an open house on Saturday for its new Agriculture Stewardship Center located about two miles north of Sioux Center. Dordt College Head of the Agriculture Department, Gary De Vries says the new facility consists of 26,000 square feet and will anchor the Dordt
College’s Agriculture Department and the new Pro-Tech Department. De Vries says Dordt Collge has 158 students pursuing an agriculture-related major, and currently 12 students enrolled in the pro-tech curriculum, which together, represents nearly ten percent of the Dordt College total student
enrollment. De Vries explains the purpose for the new Agriculture Stewardship Center.
Normally, when you think of higher education in terms of an agriculture curriculum, either Iowa State University or South Dakota State University come to mind, but De Vries says Dordt has been able to expand its agriculture program since it first began in 1977. He says there are now
seven different areas of agriculture featured at Dordt College.
De Vries says Dordt intends to expand its agriculture program, especially with the agriculture business and agriculture education curriculum.
The new Ag Stewardship Center doesn’t feature any livestock production, but De Vries says livestock production facilities are in the future plans for Dordt.
Dordt officials say the new Agriculture Stewardship Center will feature classes within a few weeks.
