Last Friday, we celebrated the beginning of two important new facilities for Missouri agriculture. 

First, we held a groundbreaking for The Michael L. Parson Meat Science Education and Training Laboratory. This transformative facility will expand Missouri’s leadership in the meat processing industry and provide even more hands-on opportunities for students. The facility’s name recognizes the incredible legacy of former Missouri Governor Mike Parson. His advocacy for Missouri agriculture is reflected in the facility’s mission to make a difference for our state’s producers. 

In the afternoon, we celebrated the Phase I grand opening and the Phase II groundbreaking of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (VMDL). Both will be located in the newly named Dr. Dan Brown Building. A College of Veterinary Medicine alumnus, Dr. Dan Brown served as a Missouri Senator and was a committed leader for the state and a strong supporter of Mizzou’s impact.

The VMDL is an innovative facility dedicated to research, diagnostics and disease prevention. This expansion will ensure the health and safety of Missourians, the pets they care for and the livestock they raise.

We were proud former Governor Parson and former First Lady Teresa Parson could join us on campus, along with current Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, First Lady Claudia Kehoe, Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn, Senator Justin Brown, the Brown family, Board Chair Todd Graves and many other elected leaders, state officials and project supporters. 

Mizzou is dedicated to Missouri’s workforce needs and to delivering value to producers and citizens around the state. These two facilities reflect our continued commitment to Mizzou’s land-grant mission of service and excellence. 

— Mun