Annual agriculture tour on tap for Wednesday

The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce is again giving people the chance to see the inner workings of local farming operations.

The Agri-Business Tour has been happening annually for 35 years, and executive director Brian Gerau said he believes it is the longest-running ag tour in Missouri. This year's tour starts at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Gerau credits much of the event's success to Darrell Aufdenberg, chairman of the chamber's agriculture committee. He has been coordinating the event for the past 19 years.

Although each tour is different, this year's will feature dairy cows and cattle.

The tour is free, and lunch is included. Gerau said 105 people had signed up by Friday, but if more are interested in attending, room probably can be made.

The tour isn't just for farmers, Gerau explained. It's for anyone who wants to learn more about agriculture.

Buses are scheduled to leave from the University of Missouri Extension Center and head to Birk Cattle Co. in Jackson for the first stop. There, participants will learn about the farm's shipping and processing methods.

"It's a new in-depth ag business," Gerau said. "[They focus on] cattle marketing and shipping education and what goes into selling livestock and shipping."

The second location is Rick Aufdenberg Farms in Jackson, which will demonstrate raising cattle. It is a diversified family farm that raises cattle and row crops, according to a chamber news release.

Lunch will be served at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilsit, Missouri, where people can enjoy rib-eye sandwiches.

The final stop is in Benton, Missouri, at Tribute Farms, a 1,148-acre pasture and forage-based dairy farm. Gerau said this farm is different in it uses a rotary turnstile milk parlor. A turnstile parlor also is known as a carousel or rotary parlor, where cows stand on a rotating carousel-type of conveyor belt while being milked.

The tour is scheduled to conclude about 3:30 p.m. Reservations may be made by calling the chamber office at 243-8131 or emailing assistant@jacksonmochamber.org.