FRESNO, Calif. (KMPH) -
Fresno State broke ground on a new building Friday morning.
President John Welty and several others were on hand for the groundbreaking of the Foster Farms Poultry Education and Research Facility.
The 16-thousand square-foot building will house an eco-friendly research and training center that will help students and faculty replicate professional poultry production.
The building will have advanced temperature control and monitoring systems, along with ultra-efficient LED lighting optimized for poultry production.
"Our students and faculty are thrilled about this exciting addition to our college," said Dr. Charles Boyer, dean of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. "The center will allow students to perform in-depth research, participate in hands-on learning and gain job skills in one of the leading agricultural industries."
University officials say this state-of-the-art facility is being made possible by a generous gift to Fresno State from Foster Farms, which is contributing to the engineering, design and construction as well as providing ongoing program support.
The facility will be located on campus, north of Barstow Avenue and west of the dairy unit. It's expected to open in the spring 2013 semester.
