Food For Thought Seminar: Fall 2013

Food for Thought Seminar

A semi-annual breakfast series hosted by the Agribusiness and Bioscience Committee

Presented by

Join us on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 7:30 a.m. at the Missouri State High School Activities Association, as we dive right into a controversial subject, not only in agriculture, but around the world:

Drones: Weapons of Mass……Agriculture?

Drones, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS’s) or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s)… regardless of their name, this advancement in technology is providing new opportunities throughout the agriculture industry, but is causing concern for other uses. In the agriculture industry they have already proven to be useful tools to gather information and serve as a great tool for resource management, construction, crop scouting, forestry inventories, surveillance and other new uses daily. Join us as our experts explain the capabilities of today’s ‘drones’ and the FAA regulations surrounding them.

More information on our two expert speakers:

Stephen H. Tupper: Office of Sponsored Programs, Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Stephen H. Tupper obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in 1977 from the U S Military Academy at West Point and masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1986. He served as associate professor of Electrical Engineering at West Point and Professor and Head of Military Science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and College of the Holy Cross. He was an active-duty Corps of Engineer officer for 26 years with experience in combat engineer units, combat heavy (construction), tactical bridge, topographic and staff units. In his last two military assignments he served as the chief of staff for the US Army Engineer School and as the Chief of the Terrain Visualization Center. He retired in 2003 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Steve currently serves as the liaison from Missouri S&T to Fort Leonard Wood on issues that mirror the University mission areas of research, education, outreach and economic development. He serves in the Fort Leonard Wood Chapter of the Society of American Military Engineers, the Sverdrup Chapter of the Army Engineer Association, the St Louis Chapter of the National Defense Industry Association, Tech 44 – The Ideas Highway initiative and the Sustainable Ozarks Partnership.

Kent Shannon: Natural Resource Engineer, University of Missouri Extension Boone County

Kent Shannon grew up on a diversified crop and livestock farm northeast of Macon, Missouri and then attended the University of Missouri receiving a BS and MS degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1991 and 1993, respectfully.  Kent started his extension career as an Agricultural Engineering Specialist in Northeast Missouri at Kirksville in 1992.  He moved into the position of Extension Associate in Ag Engineering in 1998 as Associate Director of the Missouri Precision Agriculture Center.  Kent has worked to educate Missouri crop producers and their advisors through on-farm research and providing training and consultation on the use of spatial data analysis software (GIS, Geographic Information System), and GPS (Global Positioning System) software and hardware.  He is currently headquartered in the Boone County University of Missouri Extension office and serves as Natural Resource Engineer for the Northeast Region.

Audience members will enjoy a hot breakfast, and after the presentation, will be given time to ask questions, and further discuss other aspects of drones and their various uses.

Cost is $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Register now to reserve your seat!

Thank you to our sponsors: Presenting Sponsor Bob McCosh Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac, Inc.; Location Sponsor Missouri State High School Activities Association

If you are interested in receiving more information about the seminar or the Agribusiness and Bioscience Committee, please contact Meagan Schaffner at (573) 817-9114 or mschaffner@ColumbiaMoChamber.com