Donor Spotlight: Barry Bean, Bean & Bean Cotton Company
Tell us a little about your history with farming and agriculture. Do you come from a family of farmers or was agriculture something you came to on your own?
I’m a fifth generation Missouri farmer and agribusinessman. Like many families, my family came into the Missouri Bootheel when it was first cleared and drained in the early 1900s and built sawmills, a grain elevator, and a cotton gin. We still farm the land they originally cleared, and I operate a cotton business, buying Missouri cotton and selling it around the world.
What are some of the ways science and technology play a role in how Bean & Bean Cotton grows and works with cotton plants?
Science and agriculture have always gone hand in hand, and we work closely with researchers at the University of Missouri Fisher Delta Center, seed and chemical companies, and our own scouts and consultants to ensure we are producing crops as efficiently, economically, and sustainably as possible. We conduct seed trials, regular soil testing, and pest management trials with our research partners to not only make our own operation better, but to further the current state of agriculture and be better stewards of the land.
Continue reading about Barry's thoughts on the importance of our GROW gallery and for organizations like the Missouri Farm Bureau to support STEM education programs like those at the Science Center!
Help us inspire a curiosity for #STEM. Make a gift to the Science Center’s Curiosity Fund to help support STEM education programs in St. Louis.