NG Tech Ag Complex Opens Officially With Ribbon Cutting

The Tommy and Bernice Irvin Aquaculture and Agricultural Mechanics Complex at North Georgia Technical College is now officially open.

Chris Irvin, the son of the late Tommy Irvin, longtime Commissioner of Agriculture in Georgia, and other family members representing the Thomas and Bernice Irvin Foundation cut the ribbon recently to celebrate the grand opening of the new complex.

The Thomas and Bernice Irvin Foundation seeks to continue its legacy by investing in agricultural endeavors and resources for Georgia’s youth.

NGTC President John Wilkinson called the complex a fitting legacy to the Irvin’s commitment to agriculture and agribusiness in our state.

“Throughout his career, Commissioner Irvin worked to keep Georgia agriculture on the leading edge of technology. This aquaculture and agricultural mechanics complex will continue that tradition for generations to come,” he said.

The facility opened to students during the spring semester of 2022 and continues to provide new educational opportunities for students in the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences to expand their knowledge and engage in innovative food production practices.

Because of the ever-growing population, Ag students are faced with finding new ways to produce food while protecting the environment.

Some of the practices they are learning at the Complex include indoor fish production, hydroponic crop production, and recycling fish waste into fertilizer.  Students are also able to gain experience with farm-to-table practices by providing produce directly to NGTC’s dining hall.

“Education is about learning to do and doing to learn,” said NGTC Agriculture Program Director Wayne Randall. “The new facilities have allowed our students to experience the hands-on learning that is so valuable when it comes to replicating the positive outcomes of agricultural production. Our students have been able to hear, see, touch, smell and taste the processes and products that were made possible by the Irvin Foundation.”

NGTC’s School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences is currently accepting students for the Agriculture, Horticulture, and Environmental Science programs for the fall semester of 2022. The fall 2022 application deadline is August 4, 2022.

For more information regarding North Georgia Technical College programs or admission, visit northgatech.edu or call 706-754-7700.