In The News

$80,000 Grant to Support New Area Attraction
Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute
May 22, 2007

By Jennifer Lindsay Smith
jsmith@jeffersoninstitute.org

COLUMBIA, Mo. (May 22, 2007) – The Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute is pleased to announce its receipt of an $80,000 grant from the City of Columbia Convention and Visitors’ Bureau Attraction Development Fund. This award will be used to develop Jefferson Farm & Gardens, a new educational farm opening in Columbia in 2008. To date, the Institute has invested over $1 million in the facility.

Rob Myers, executive director of the Jefferson Institute, said the grant confirms Columbia’s commitment to developing new educational and family-friendly attractions for our community.

“In addition to serving as a fun place to learn about contemporary Midwest farming, gardening and conservation, Jefferson Farm & Gardens will complement other Columbia attractions such as the YouZeum and increase Columbia’s visibility as a tourist destination,” Myers said. “We expect this new facility to attract visitors from across the region.”

The Jefferson Institute is a nonprofit organization based in Missouri that conducts agricultural education and research projects. For more information on Jefferson Farm & Gardens, visit www.jeffersonfarm.org.