By BRIANA ARRINGTON

bca008@latech.edu

 

Tech Farm Salesroom has been in business since 1977, but many students do not even know it exists.

Doug Smith, manager of the salesroom for eight years and an instructor of agricultural sciences, said the products they carry at the salesroom are much better than what would be found at a larger grocery store.

“We have more control over our products because they are produced by Tech’s Agricultural Sciences,” Smith said.

Meat and dairy products are delivered twice a day to the salesroom.

“The milk here is bottled the same day that it is drawn from the cows, so it’s much fresher,” Smith said.

Smith said he always buys vegetables, meat and dairy products from the salesroom on South Campus.

“Our dairy and vegetable prices are competitive with franchise grocery prices,” Smith said. “The meat is a little more expensive, but you get what you pay for.”

Erin Tucker, director of the meat lab and an assistant professor of animal nutrition, said the lab never processes anything less than choice grade beef that is aged 21 days, as opposed to the franchise grocery beef aged seven to 14 days.

Matt Voorhees, a senior mechanical engineering major, often buys beef from the salesroom to supplement an outdoor barbecue with friends.

“Whenever my friends and I cook out, I usually get meat from the salesroom,” Voorhees said. “It is fresh and more tender than meat you would get at Super One or Wal-Mart.”

However, Smith said he would like to see more students buying the products from the salesroom because most of the consumers are the general public.

Lee Blaylock, a senior animal science major, said he thinks most students are not aware of the salesroom because it is not located on the main campus and is not directly visible.

“Most students I know who are not in agricultural sciences have no idea it’s there,” Blaylock said.

Smith said the use of the Tech Express card would probably help to increase the awareness of the room and sales to students and other Ruston residents.

“We do not have network connections to the main campus right now,” Smith said.

“But if we had enough student business to justify the card’s use, I would definitely change our network connections.”

Smith said he thought the use of the Tech Express card would increase the salesroom’s income, which goes to general university funds.

“I think they have great products, but besides from quality, I think students should buy from there because it doesn’t just support the agricultural science department, but the entire school,” Blaylock said.

The Tech Farm Salesroom is located on the corner of W. California and Hull Avenue. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

If a meat product is unavailable, a customer’s request is made a specialty item, and the workers at the salesroom can  have it ready within 1-2 days.

There are also discounts available based on the quantity of the item sold.

To contact the Tech Farm Salesroom or to place an order, call Doug Smith at 257-3550, or, visit the Web site at http://www.techfarmsales.latech.edu.