Get a Rare Look Inside Iowa State University's Advanced Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 20:20:59 GMT

Take a tour through Iowa State University’s Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex, and you’ll encounter state-of-the-art technology advancing the feed industry.

“This is our thermal processing treatment. Our feed is mixed in batches and undergoes heat treatment. The high heat and extended retention time help eliminate salmonella and E.coli, improving feed quality and nutrition,” explains Lexi Lambros, a master’s student in agricultural engineering.

The facility is not a commercial feed mill, but rather a teaching facility located at the edge of Iowa State’s Ames campus.

“We aim to increase student awareness of career opportunities in the broader feed and grain industry. This project is designed to drive that,” says Dirk Maier, Director of the ISU Kent Feed Mill Grain Science Complex.

Valued at $35 million, the project began in 2015 and has since developed into a fully automated system, providing students with hands-on experience, while also being precisely placed.

In 2023, Iowa ranked as the top corn producing state in the country, churning out 2.5 billion bushels of corn. What happens with all the crop harvested, and how it’s processed, is something they take seriously at Iowa State. September marked the one-year anniversary of ISU opening the Kent Feed Mill Grain Science Complex, a state-of-the-art teaching, research and extension grain facility, which is truly one-of-a-kind.

Automation and Scale at the Facility

“When you sum it all up, we have around 3,000 input-output points. These include sensors that control gates, motors, valves, and detect temperature and vibrations,” Maier states.

The size of the feed mill is comparable to commercial operations, though it runs on a smaller scale. Instead of processing 100 tons per hour, it handles five tons per hour, mirroring industry operations to train students effectively.

Current Capacity and Expansion Plans

With a monthly processing capacity of 1,000 tons, the facility is currently processing 200 tons weekly.

“We’re getting close to achieving our goal of processing 1,000 tons per month, and we’re on the verge of reaching that capacity,” Lambros says.

Iowa’s Prime Location

Situated in central Iowa, the facility is located in one of the world’s largest food production regions.

“If Iowa were a country, it would rank as the fourth largest corn producer globally,” Maier explains.

The facility supports the industry’s demand for future employees, training students for roles in feed mills, livestock, and poultry facilities.

Hands-On Learning for the Next Generation

The facility doesn’t focus on feed formulation, but students learn how to program different rations for various animals.

“We ensure the right ingredients are in place for the correct rations, following the instructions of animal nutritionists,” Maier adds.

As part of both the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Engineering, students get to apply classroom lessons in a practical setting at the grain complex.

A Unique Educational Opportunity

“There are few institutions offering this kind of hands-on learning in feed science and technology, particularly in management and animal nutrition,” Maier emphasizes.

For Lambros, the facility offered a personal journey. As a second-year master’s student in agricultural engineering, her interest in food science shifted her focus.

“With my engineering background, I’m passionate about food science on a large scale, and I want to contribute to feeding the future by designing and producing food products,” she says.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Lambros sought a new challenge in agriculture, which she found through this program.

Expanding Opportunities for Students Across Disciplines

The facility opens doors for students from diverse backgrounds, from those new to agriculture to those who always knew this was their path.

“This facility offers great opportunities to bring together majors like animal science, nutritional science, agribusiness, and various engineering fields—mechanical, electrical, chemical, and agricultural,” Maier says.

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Grain Handling

Get a Rare Look Inside Iowa State University's Advanced Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex