Buena Vista University is expanding hands‑on learning in agriculture through a new partnership with the Boettcher family.
BVU has announced the creation of the Boettcher Raccoon River Sustainable Agriculture Center, located on the family’s 160‑acre farm about ten miles north of the Storm Lake campus.
The farm has been in the Boettcher family for more than 150 years and is fully enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, reflecting a long tradition of soil health and water quality stewardship.
The partnership was celebrated at a campus event this fall.
BVU President Brian Lenzmeier said the farm will serve as an outdoor laboratory, giving students meaningful opportunities to learn through experience.
Landowner Iris Boettcher told attendees the collaboration honors her family’s history while supporting innovative, sustainable practices for the future.
BVU senior Annie Johnson said the center will allow students to continue the kind of real‑world learning that has shaped her own education, adding that the Boettcher family’s generosity will benefit generations to come.
Faculty and staff say the center will support interdisciplinary research and collaboration in agriculture, conservation, and environmental studies.
The Boettcher Raccoon River Sustainable Agriculture Center is now part of BVU’s academic programs and will be used by students this year.
