A ribbon cutting was held Wednesday, Sept. 3, for a Mizzou facility to elevate livestock research and education capabilities in southwestern Missouri, named in honor of a long-time MU Extension livestock specialist.
The Eldon Cole MU Livestock Facility is housed at the University of Missouri’s Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center (REEC). The facility is a joint effort between the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) and MU Extension.
Speaking at the event were Jay Chism, director of the SW-REEC; Beth Luebbering, SW-REEC Advisory Board chair; Chad Higgins, vice chancellor of extension and engagement; Christopher Daubert, CAFNR vice chancellor and dean; and Jackie Moore, a friend of Eldon’s and owner of the Joplin Regional Stockyards. Brian Cole, Eldon’s son, closed the ceremonies speaking on behalf of the Cole family. The Mt. Vernon Area Chamber of Commerce also was on hand for the ribbon cutting.
“Eldon worked so tirelessly with our livestock producers in southwest Missouri for so many years. He was the go-to for so many producers,” Chism said. “The new building allows us to host hands-on educational programs such as artificial insemination and other livestock handling programs, as well as world-class research projects and programs applicable on working farms throughout Missouri. This is just the perfect way to honor his legacy.”
In fact, it was Cole who first expressed the need for the building to Mizzou leadership, Chism said. Cole’s role at MU Extension saw him learning the science of livestock production and translating it into messages producers were ready to understand. His purview also included forages, insects, weather and marketing.
Cole was a longtime employee of MU Extension, serving 58 years before his death in April 2022. After four years in Saline County, he started with MU Extension in Lawrence County in 1968, becoming one of the most well-regarded livestock specialists in the state. He worked closely with faculty and staff at the SW-REEC, offering hands-on workshops, resources and advice to producers. Cole received the CAFNR Column Award, the highest alumni honor given by the college, in 2020.
“This building offers an incredible expansion of educational opportunities for our students, researchers and the community,” Daubert said. “The livestock industry is vital to southwest Missouri, and our goal is to provide the best research, extension and educational programming to support our producers and move the industry forward.”
The facility, which sits on the portion of the REEC north of I-44, offers an indoor space for breeding activities like pregnancy checking, healthcare procedures such as vaccinations, and research data collection like blood draws.
“Through this facility, MU Extension faculty will be best equipped to serve the needs of Missourians,” Higgins said. “The Eldon Cole Livestock Facility will make our farm and our programs so much more accessible to the public. As a land-grant university, the ability to bring the knowledge of our researchers and faculty to the hard-working farmers of southwest Missouri is truly rewarding, and this facility will make even more of that work possible.”
The Southwest REEC, part of the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, was established in 1959. The site represents various soil types in this region of Missouri. Serving 22 counties, the center addresses the main agricultural concerns of area industries including beef, forage and horticultural crop production.
The Eldon Cole Memorial Fund was set up to sustain operations and provide MU Extension programming in his namesake facility. To make a donation, go to mizzou.us/EldonColeMemorialFund.
