Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Allen M. Featherstone / For more than 70 years, the Iowa State University Ag 450 Farm has been in operation south of the Iowa State University (ISU) campus located in Ames, Iowa. The Ag 450 farm is currently the only student managed farm at a land grant university in the United States. The idea for the Ag 450 Farm was developed by Dr. William Murray in 1938 and in 1943, the Ag 450 class was first offered by Dr. Murray. At the farm, the core principals of agribusiness and farm management have been taught while adapting to an ever-changing agriculture. The Ag 450 Farm is considered the capstone course for the Iowa State University Agricultural Studies major. ISU Ag 450 is currently under the supervision of farm manager Greg Vogel and the Iowa State University Agriculture and Studies Department. Today, the Iowa State University Ag 450 students manage approximately 275 acres of owned ground, 700 acres of cash rented ground, 80 acres of crop share ground, and 800 acres of custom farmed ground depending on the year. Ag 450 represents a commercial farming enterprise of corn and soybean production as well as housing nursery piglets and custom finishing over 1000 head of feeder pigs. In its current condition, the ISU Ag 450 is looking to expand its operations to meet the demands Agricultural Studies majors at Iowa State University. A focus of the expansion is to increase the amount of custom finished feeder pigs by building another finishing facility. That type of expansion requires the need for another full-time farm manager. This research examines the feasibility of expansion of the swine and management to determine the impact this may have on the future viability of the farm.

<p dir="ltr">Agricultural biosecurity is a global concern, with implications for food security, public health, and economic and ecological stability. Through education and technology, threats can be predicted and better managed. Existing educational materials and spatial analysis predominantly cater to larger facilities, leaving smaller producers at a disadvantage as they often lack financial means to implement prevention strategies and have less resources at their disposal. In this dissertation, two novel uses of education and technology within agricultural biosecurity were researched: educational curricula for young and beginning farmers and the potential impact of geospatial information systems (GIS) tools in understanding the spread of avian influenza viruses (AIV). I extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Shawn Ehlers, Clinical Assistant Professor, for his unwavering guidance and mentorship throughout my dissertation work. Special appreciation goes to my committee members, Dr. Pamela Aaltonen, Dr. William Field, and Dr. Roger Tormoehlen, for their valuable insights and constructive feedback. Collaborative efforts with Melissa Rudolph and the support from ABE GSA and QGSA greatly enriched my research experience. Heartfelt thanks to my family, including Glen Jr. Morris, Melodie Morris, Moranda Morris, Marissa and Ian Pringle, and my partner Adam Dachowicz, as well as Adam’s family Steven, Lori, Alyssa, and Holly, for their constant support. I acknowledge the contributions of Gearing Up for Safety, IN-PREPared, Indiana Board of Animal Health (BOAH), Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for their help in my research investigations and express my appreciation to Purdue libraries and ABE faculty and staff for constant support with crucial resources and facilities.</p><p><br></p>