NW Missouri Times

Bill Brooks, an instructor of agricultural sciences at Northwest Missouri State University, is leading the development of a creamery at the university. The project has received an additional $25,000 in funding this fall from two charitable trusts managed by U.S. Bank Wealth Management. Specifically, the Gary G. Taylor Trust contributed $20,000 and the Harry and Helena Messick Charitable Trust provided $5,000.

Courtney Jimenez, assistant vice president and trust officer for U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management, stated: “U.S. Bank, on behalf of the Taylor and Messick charitable trusts, is proud to award these funds for the creamery expansion. The grantors of these trusts both came from agricultural backgrounds. Gary G. Taylor spent his lifetime farming in Holt and Nodaway counties. Harry and Helena Messick were lifetime farmers in Andrew County and were once awarded the Centennial Farm Award by the Missouri Committee for Agriculture. The creamery expansion at the Agricultural Learning Center will greatly benefit the region and fulfill a need these grantors were passionate about.”

The new creamery will be located at Northwest’s R.T. Wright Farm north of Maryville campus. This farm houses a dairy herd of about 70 cattle that are used to educate agriculture students about dairy health, management practices, and milk collection.

When finished, the facility will give students as well as regional producers practical experience with all aspects of dairy production—including herd management, milk collection, processing, food safety testing—and may eventually expand to marketing and retailing products such as fluid milk or ice cream.

For those interested in supporting projects like the creamery at Northwest Missouri State University or making other contributions to the institution’s initiatives through its foundation can do so by contacting 660-562-1248.