STATE FFA OFFICERS PARTICIPATE IN LOW COUNTRY TOUR
COLUMBIA, SC….State FFA Officers Stephen Tyner, Emily Waggoner, Michael Burdette, Shane Grice, Jacob Powers and Jason Gore spent three exciting days studying agriculture and natural resources in the Low Country of South Carolina, August 2-4. They were accompanied by Keith Cox, State FFA Executive Secretary, Clemson University; Stephen Sanderson, Associate State Director of Agricultural Education, Clemson University; and John W. Parris, State Director of Public Affairs with the SC FFA Association, who planned and coordinated the tour.
 |
Chalmers Carr, President of Titan Peach Farms, explains the peach business to the State FFA Officers |
Following a 7:00 a.m. breakfast at the Capital City Club in downtown Columbia hosted by Mr. Parris, the first stop on the tour was the Titan Peach Farms, Inc. near Ridge Spring. They were greeted by President and Owner Chalmers Carr and Hugh Bland, Agricultural Education Teacher and FFA advisor at Strom Thurmond High School, who arranged the visit. Titan Farms produces and markets more than one million boxes of peaches annually in addition to other crops such as bell peppers. The packing facility is a show place of modern scientific technology including the only fresh peach sweetness testing equipment in the world. Micro-irrigation systems in the orchards are monitored by computers that can report breaks in the lines instantly.
Mount Vintage Plantation and Golf Course between Edgefield and Augusta was next on the agenda. There the students and others experienced a behind-the-scenes view of the high tech mechanization required to maintain the beauty and quality of the golf course under the supervision of Tim Phillips, Director of Golf Course and Grounds Operations. Strom Thurmond FFA member Bettis Rainsford, Jr. represented his father, Bettis Rainsford of Edgefield, one of the owners of the beautiful country club, who hosted the group to a delicious lunch in the main dining room of the club house.
 |
 |
Tim Phillips, Director of Golf Course and Grounds Operations for Mount Vintage Plantation and Golf Course shares a behind-the-scenes view with the State Officers. |
Officers Stephen Tyner and Emily Waggoner thank Strom Thurmond FFA member, Bettis Rainsford, Jr. (right), for hosting lunch at Mount Vintage Plantation. Also present was Strom Thurmond FFA President, Ashley Dolittle (second from the right). |
After lunch, the next stop was the John Deere Tractor Manufacturing Plant near Augusta. An attractively designed electronic sign in the lobby of the plant welcomed the FFA officers.
 |
Jim Matthews (right) provided the State Officers with a tour of the John Deere manufacturing facility in Augusta, Ga. |
Jim Matthews, an official at the facility, led a very interesting and impressive tour, which allowed the group to observe the production of John Deere tractors . Joe Wilson, FFA Advisor at Aiken High School, and some FFA chapter officers welcomed the State officers. Mr. Wilson was responsible for making the arrangements for the visit to the John Deere facility.
The group departed the Augusta area for Garnett, S.C., where the Webb Wildlife Center and Management Area is located. There they were greeted by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources staff Jay Cantrell, a Wildlife Biologist, and Lisa Walters, a Natural Resource Technician.
After checking into the beautiful antebellum lodge and changing into comfortable clothes, the group was afforded an informative tour through much of the 5,866 acre Wildlife Management Area in order to observe and learn about the wildlife management practices in effect on the property. Then it was back to the lodge where the professionals in the kitchen had prepared a gorgeous country-style dinner. After a time of relaxing, the group was given a “sunset tour” of more of the property to observe a variety of wildlife in action as darkness fell and the quietness of the night set in.
 |
 |
Wildlife Biologist Jay Cantrell (left) and Natural Resource Technician Lisa Walters (right) provided the State Officers with a first hand look into wildlife management at the Webb Wildlife Center and Management Area. |
This Canebreak Rattlesnake is one example of wildlife that the State Officers observed on their visit to the Webb Wildlife Center and Management Area. Wild turkeys, alligators, and deer were also spotted. |
On Wednesday morning, August 3, the group assembled in the lodge dining room at 7:00 a.m. to experience another wonderful meal.
 |
ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve manager, Charles Zemp (rear) directs a tour of the ACE Basin and the research facilities.
|
They soon headed to Bennett’s Point near Green Pond where they were met by Charles Zemp, Manager of the ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve. After a brief stop for refreshments and information about the Research facility, the group found themselves on a large boat operated by Mr. Zemp and headed out into the ACE Basin including St. Helena Sound for a two and one half hour trip.
From Bennett’s Point they traveled to Charleston for lunch and an afternoon visit to the Wando Terminal of the South Carolina Ports Authority. The Port of Charleston, including the Wando Terminal, is the fourth largest in the nation. In fiscal year 2004-05, the Port handled 1.97 million TEUs (20 foot shipping containers). Nearly one fourth of the Port’s total volume is agriculture goods and equipment. Allison Skipper, Public Relations Associate with the Authority, led the group on an educational tour of the busy terminal, which included an opportunity to observe close-up the giant ships being loaded and unloaded
 |
 |
 |
Allison Skipper, Public Relations Associate with the S.C. Ports Authority (center) , headed the tour of the Wando Terminal for the State Officers. |
J. Guy (right) and Bill Hall (rear) of Carolina Nurseries in Moncks Corner, S.C. presented the State Officers with light sensitive t-shirts. They escorted the group throughout their facilities, which produces container ornamentals for two-thirds of the United States. |
Phil Dunhap (right) explains how procedures developed at the MeadWestvaco Research Center can be used to enhance forestry production and management. |
.
The last stop for the day was at Carolina Nurseries near Moncks Corner where the group was greeted by President J. Guy, a former FFA member, and Production Manager Bill Hall. Carolina Nurseries is the largest nursery in the state and one of the largest in the eastern United States. The 280-acre site with 400 employees is devoted to the production and marketing of container ornamentals with a sales area that includes two-thirds of the United States, primarily in the southeast. The nursery property is environmentally friendly and home to a variety of wildlife, including alligators and the American Bald Eagle.
From Carolina Nurseries it was on to Summerville for a wonderful dinner at historic downtown Savanna’s Country Grill, followed by a great night of rest at the Country Inn and Suites.
Thursday, August 4, started with breakfast at nearby Shoney’s Restaurant. The first stop was at MeadWestvaco's Forest Science Laboratory near Summerville. There the group was met by Jennifer Howard, Public Affairs Forester and Phil Dunham, Research Scientist. After an inside session introducing MeadWestvaco, they were given an excellent overview of some of the forest research underway.
 |
Scientists RobertThomas and Brenda Lemon assist the State Officers in preparing a PCR gel analysis. |
The second stop of the morning was a tour of ArborGen. At ArborGen, the group teamed up with Dawn Parks, Director of Public and Government Affairs, and several scientists (Kim Frampton, Robert Thomas, Alice Perry, Brenda Lemon and Brenda Windsor). ArborGen is developing new lines of loblolly pine using the tools of genetics and biotechnology. The group had a chance to understand the various skills required to work in a laboratory situation to develop these trees by participating in a hands-on demonstration of scalpel use and embryo harvesting from pine cones via the microscope, PCR analysis, and DNA extraction from peas.
Afterwards, the group traveled to Orangeburg where they enjoyed lunch at Joe Fox’s Restaurant and from there went to Pelion High School where they met Agricultural Education Teacher Frank R. Stover, Jr., who showed them a state-of-the-art Agricultural and Environmental Science Department in the new high school. The facilities include an Agricultural Engineering Laboratory, a spacious classroom with an adjacent computer center, and a modern greenhouse.
The next stop was at the Walter P. Rawl and Sons Vegetable Processing Plant near Pelion. The Rawl family has been recognized as a premier leader in vegetable production, processing and marketing since the 1920’s. The new agricultural support center is adjacent to a state-of-the-art packaging and distribution facility. The processing facility is one of the finest in the industry and almost 100 percent automated, including drying technology and packaging equipment. They produce, process and market at least nine vegetables throughout the year and six or more seasonal vegetables. The tour and power point presentation was given by Charles Wingard, a third generation family member.
 |
 |
 |
| Pelion High School's Agricultural Education teacher, Frank Stover, Jr. (right) gave a tour of his school's new state-of-the-art Agricultural and Environmental Science Department. | Charles Wingard (left) educated the State Officers on vegetable production, processing and marketing at Walter P. Rawl and Sons Vegetable Processing Plant in Pelion, S.C. | The Study Tour was rounded out by a visit to the AgFirst Farm Credit Bank in Columbia, S.C. Executive Vice Presiden, Tom Welsh explained the purpose of the bank and the opportunities for careers in agri-banking. |
The final stop on the three day tour was at the AgFirst Farm Credit Bank in downtown Columbia where they were greeted by Executive Vice President and former FFA member Tom Welsh who invited them into the Executive Board Room where he explained the purpose of the bank, discussed the importance of cooperatives, and emphasized the opportunities for careers in agri-banking. He pointed out that AgFirst, an eighteen billion dollar operation, is the only major banking institution headquartered in South Carolina.
