ST. JOHNS, Mich. — Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers’ IQhub, an agricultural educational venue, may be unique in Michigan.

"To our knowledge, it is the only one of its kind in the state of Michigan," said Jennifer Holton, a spokeswoman at the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

According to the company’s manager of outreach and education, Burt Henry, the company has always been "firmly grounded in giving back to the industry as well as the consumer." Douglas Cook founded Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers in 1963. Last February Henry gave a presentation to the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development, outlining the company’s history and progress.

"The corporation’s non-changing principles revolve around the fact we are stewards of the land for a short period of time and their products and methodology promote sustainable agriculture for future generations," Henry said.

In 1983 Cook’s daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Troy Bancroft, joined the company and it incorporated. Today, the Bancrofts’ three sons are involved with the company as well.

"When the corporation first began, it took three days to make 1,400 gallons of fertilizer," Henry said. "Today, the (company’s) facility in Ashley alone has capacity for 3.5 million gallons."

Henry added that IQhub – essentially part of the company’s community outreach efforts – had been in construction since the new headquarters was built two years ago; however, it didn’t open until September 2014, a year after the new building was finished.

He went on to explain the 9,500 square-foot space that houses IQhub was originally going to be an antique tractor museum, but company CEO Troy Bancroft "thought they could do something more with that space." There are 23 museum-quality exhibits at the venue, including a Kids’ Korner, appropriate for pre-Kindergarten through second grade.

Kids’ Korner has various hands-on activities as well as children’s books. The IQhub also has a "dirt on soil" wall exhibit, a "water moving through soil" exhibit, an exhibit on crop rotation, a world population trends exhibit and a number of others. The purpose of all the exhibits is to teach people about where their food comes from and how it reaches them.

"We have a tractor simulator," Henry added. "It’s up and going now. It’s a true tractor cab. It’s pretty realistic." The simulator shows how GPS systems work on today’s high-tech tractors.

Henry said the venue had 1,100 visitors in April. There’s no cost to go to the IQhub, but he asks that groups call ahead. Also, since field trips have been commonly cut from school budgets, Agro-Culture has sought grants to help pay for transportation costs to and from IQhub.

As of February, the company had garnered $45,000 for that purpose. More information about applying for a transportation grant is available on the company’s website at www.agroliquid.com

The company’s headquarters, and IQhub, are located at 3055 W. M-21, St. Johns, MI 48879. The company telephone number is 800-678-9029.