An ISU agriculture tradition will celebrate a half century of growing and adapting.

The McNay Research Farm will celebrate its 50th anniversary Thursday with a video history of the farm and an address from Wendy Wintersteen, dean of agriculture administration.

Walking tours will be available at 10 a.m. to view the antique farm equipment and research plots, and a luncheon will be served at noon.

The original 480 acres were donated by siblings Harry and Winnie McNay to the Iowa State Alumni Achievement Fund for agriculture research in 1956.

The farm’s research projects include the development of synthetic beef, livestock reproductive management, double cropping, no-till production of corn and biomass production.

The farm is located near Chariton and the event is open to the public.

For more information, contact the Research and Demonstration Farms office at 515-294-5045.