Statewide tour offers insight into Virginia Tech extension research locations

[00:00:01] >> You'll find them across the Commonwealth: Virginia Tech's Agricultural Research and Extension Centers. "You go inside and you discover this whole world of research activity. President Tim Sands joined members of the Board of Visitors and other university leaders last week as they toured more than a dozen university facilities. [00:00:21] "It opens your eyes to what kinds of things we can accomplish when we're actually located along with our partners in the same space." The ARECs serve as field research sites for undergraduate and graduate students and program sites for producers. "Most of the wheat that we grow as a crop has been bred here and is adapted to this area and is better than any other wheat we could grow. [00:00:49] On the soybean side it's the same thing." Brian Taliaferro, a farmer for more than 40 years, says he's a beneficiary of Virginia Tech's focus on research ranging from soybeans to seafood, equine health and forestry management. "If it hadn't been for the soybean variety development program at Virginia Tech, that export business wouldn't exist." The research and data collection done here draws companies to Virginia. [00:01:14] "They also attract global talent. The rest of the world is interested in what we're doing." Virginia Tech is helping to meet the needs of the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world. "That's just heartwarming as a land-grant president to be able to go out and see that we are really having significant impact on our communities."