State Museum of Agriculture is set to merge with ABAC
Joseph Smith
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ABAC has big plans ahead as it looks to take over operations of the State's Museum of Agriculture.
The museum. also known as the Agrirama. will operate under ABAC's management and will shares its benefits with the college.
"It is going to open so many doors. I am not even capable of thinking how big it is," Dale Redeker, Chairman of the Georgia Agrirama Authority, said.
President David Bridges believes that the Agrirama has a great deal to offer ABAC, and vice-versa.
"Our task in the state's museum of agriculture is to preserve the past, but build a future," Bridges said.
Bridges said the addition of the Agrirama will present several challenges in the beginning.
"In the next 30-60 days, we'll be working with the General Assembly and the Governor to finalize the deal, which transfers the assets from the Authority that regulates the Agrirama to ABAC," Bridges said. He hopes that during this time students in the work-study program may have employment opportunities at the Agrirama.
Bridges believes the Agrirama will offer a great deal of academic opportunities, even for students not in agriculture-related majors.
"Students in not just agriculture, but in liberal arts, music, art, literature, social sciences, and rural studies will have access to laboratories, learning experiences, and internships over there." Bridges said.
The Agrirama may also become an effective marketing and enrollment tool for ABAC. "A very large percentage of folks who visit the Agrirama every year are school kids, and we're going to ramp that program up," Bridges said. "We'll make sure that when they come to see the museum and rural agriculture farm, that they not only see that, but they'll also come and see the campus."
Bridges feels one of the greatest advantages to having the Agrirama is the increase in conference space, which will give ABAC room to "do things that we currently can't do." Having the Agrirama incorporated into ABAC will also give the school presence on Interstate 75, leading to more recognition of the college.
"We're an institution that is literally within a stone's throw of the Interstate," Bridges said, "but we're not on the Interstate. We will be on the Interstate."
Vice-Chairman of the Georgia Agrirama Authority George Lee said that it was Governor Perdue's idea to incorporate the Agrirama into ABAC.
"The current situation with the state budget sort of forced the state to look at some options to merge some things that are duplicating services" Lee said. "I think there are a lot of things, facility-wise, that can be merged between these two.
"It may not totally lower the budget, but I think that by merging both areas, there can be some services that will become better, and even cheaper," Lee said.
According to the Tifton Gazette, "The Georgia Agrirama had its state funding cut 31 percent at the beginning of the current fiscal year and made staff reductions then."
Lee also said ABAC and the Agrirama have a lot in common and the merger.
The Agrirama opened on July 4, 1976. Today it includes a traditional 1870s farm community and an 1890s progressive farmstead. Features include a sawmill, blacksmith shop, schoolhouse, feed and seed store, print shop, drug store, grist mill, and a turpentine mill.
The only steam powered train in regular operation in Georgia operates on a 1.3 mile railroad system at the museum. During the fall term, ABAC students helped to renovate the Vulcan Iron Works steam locomotive, which began its working life in 1917.
Bridges commented that ABAC's leaders, members of the Agrirama's foundation and authority, and local elected officials were in agreement the move is a good one for all agencies involved and the community. Look forward to several opportunities involving the Agrirama in the near future.
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