By Darrell Blackwelder

Special to the Post

When we sit down to eat a meal, whether at home or at our favorite restaurant, most will never consider the amount of time and the dynamics of how agriculture producers do such a remarkable job of producing an abundant, healthy source of food or the research that goes into discovering healthy foods.

The Rowan County Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee is sponsoring the 2015 Agricultural Initiative Research Tour on Tuesday, May 19. This event will feature ongoing agricultural research with detailed tours at the Piedmont Research Station in Salisbury and the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.

The first part of the tour will feature the Piedmont Research Station. This agricultural research station is a vital part of the agriculture community, providing growers with the latest research information to support the diverse and growing agriculture industry. From a dairy unit with electronic equipment to track each cow as she enters the parlor to tunnel-house strawberries, the ongoing research is amazing.

The tour goes a step further with a visit after lunch to the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. Universities from across the state located at the campus are committed to ongoing research on various aspects of agricultural commodities, including phytochemicals in fruits, vegetables grains and herbs.

Lunch for the May 19 tour will be catered by Restaurant Forty Six of Kannapolis. The tour group will depart from Trinity Oaks in Salisbury at 8:30 a.m. and return by 3:30 p.m. The cost for the tour is $25 for members of the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce and $35 for non-members. The deadline to register is Friday, May 15. To register or for more information, contact the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce at 704-633-4221 or email cdeese@rowanchamber.com