Lubbock, Texas, USA
October 13, 2014

Committed to furthering agriculture information and education in the communities it serves, Bayer CropScience today celebrated the grand opening of its Cotton Technology Exhibit at the Bayer Museum of Agriculture. In addition to the new exhibit, Bayer CropScience  and community leaders were on hand to unveil a major museum expansion, which includes an interactive “Major Crops” display focused on corn, cotton, peanuts, rice, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers and wheat.

“We are excited to welcome the greater Lubbock community to the expanded Bayer Museum of Agriculture, especially our new Cotton Technology Exhibit,” said Lee Rivenbark, vice president of global cotton for Bayer CropScience. “Through the exhibit and our museum sponsorship, we seek to help further preserve, promote and display the history and science of cotton in the United States in a unique and vibrant way. Through educational efforts like this, we seek to instill a lifelong love of agriculture in students and help inspire the next generation of agriscience leaders who will cultivate solutions to the world’s most pressing cotton and other agricultural issues.”

The new Cotton Technology exhibit is the latest Bayer CropScience investment in the Lubbock area. Other recent investments include a cotton research and development lab and the recently announced Plant Sciences Building being constructed with Texas Tech.  Overall, Bayer CropScience plans to invest close to $1 billion in capital projects in the United States between 2013 and 2016

The Cotton Technology Exhibit will be located in the new Central Exhibit Hall and features cutting-edge 3D exhibits and an interactive hologram farmer. The new hall will serve to further preserve, promote and display the museum’s agriculture industry collection dating back to the 1600’s. The community in and around Lubbock and Texas will be able to tour the new exhibit and gain a greater knowledge and appreciation of agriculture and the pivotal role cotton plays in the industry. Other features of the expansion include an interactive Cotton Harvest Experience exhibit, which puts visitors in the driver's seat, and a new gift shop and reception desk, plus administrative areas for special events, research, training and functions.

In 2013, Bayer became the title sponsor of the Bayer Museum of Agriculture, which features exhibits and historical displays honoring the pioneers of American agriculture. The museum is situated on 25 acres on the rim of the Yellow House Canyon, situated at the intersection of East Broadway and Canyon Lake Drive. Through sponsorship of the museum, Bayer seeks to further its agriculture education efforts as a global leader in cotton, as well as support the booming agriculture industry in the greater Lubbock area.

“Bayer CropScience’s support of the Museum of Agriculture helps us take the rich story of agriculture, and particularly cotton, out into the community to students and others who depend on agriculture in their everyday lives,” said Lacee Hoelting, executive director of the museum. “For hundreds of years, Americans have enjoyed the fruits of agriculture in their food, clothing, homes and more. It is important that we continue this tradition and grow tomorrow’s farmers and agricultural scientists so we can continue to expand the reach of agriculture in Lubbock, around the country and world. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Bayer CropScience for many years to come.”

The Bayer Museum of Agriculture currently features interactive cotton exhibits, horse-drawn plows, household items, such as washing tubs and countertop appliances dating back to the pioneering days of agriculture, a unique exhibit of 71 pedal tractors, 700 collectible toy tractors, a 1920s replica Blacksmith shop, a tractor repair shop, an antique tool room, an exhibit on the history of cotton ginning, and much more.

A long-standing thought leader in advanced cotton seed research and development, as well as cultivating new and improved farming methods, Bayer CropScience is also a pinoeer in high-quality cotton varieties globally. This includes FiberMax® and Stoneville® cotton seed varieties, and Bayer CropScience’s unique e3™ Sustainable Cotton Program. The program is a transparent, environmentally responsible, economically viable, and socially equitable program that provides stringent guidelines for farmers in the United States who grow Certified FiberMax Cotton® or authentic Stoneville® cotton.
 

Website: http://www.bayercropscience.us

Published: October 13, 2014