Barn raising will benefit Richland Community College ag program
Valerie Wells | June 23, 2021
DECATUR — A barn raising will be held at this year’s Farm Progress Show that will benefit Richland Community College’s agriculture program.
FBi Buildings will use the barn raising to showcase its new building process, which uses hydraulic cylinders, I-beams, scissors lift technology, and safety nets, allowing its crew to assemble a complete roof on the ground, build and attach the wall frames with hinges, and raise the entire structure into place hydraulically in about 15 minutes.
Matt Jungmann, national shows director for Farm Progress, said, “This is the biggest innovation in pole building since the pole. It’s a totally different way to construct the pole building. I’m thinking this will be one of the can’t-miss things of the show in 2021.”
Richland has not yet chosen a permanent site for the new building, but plans are for it to be in place and ready for use by fall 2022. The base cost is $25 per square foot and the board of trustees has approved funding up to $300,000.
Richland offers an associate in arts/science degree in agriculture for transfer, and associate in applied science degrees in agribusiness, crop science and horticulture. The building will provide added space for classrooms and laboratories.