The Iowa State University Foundation announced Thursday two major gifts of intellectual property from Cargill, Inc.

The first gift, for the College of Agriculture, supports the Crop Inventory, Forecasting and Analysis System. The system combines crop models with satellite and weather station data to produce a crop forecast.

The second gift, given to the College of Engineering, is the Manufacturing Execution System, which uses information gathered from across a manufacturing operation, and helps to analyze and enhance all aspects of manufacturing.

“This will provide students with state-of-the-art learning and make them more competitive,” said President Gregory Geoffroy. He said current and future students will benefit.

“It gives us the tools we need to invest in people who come to Iowa State,” Geoffroy said Thursday during the ceremony in the Memorial Union.

Dave Raisbeck, vice chairman of Cargill and ISU alumnus, said Iowa State was a good place for this investment.

“These gifts can be more broadly used at an institution like Iowa State,” Raisbeck said.

James Melsa, dean of the engineering college, said the Manufacturing Execution System gift would serve as the focal point of the future.

“This is the cornerstone of our new learning environment and it has a far reaching, long-term impact,” Melsa said.

Catherine Woteki, dean of the agriculture college, said the Crop Inventory, Forecasting and Analysis System gift would be used for research in precision agriculture, remote sensing, climate change and the development of environmental policies.

According to an ISU Foundation press release, the Crop Inventory, Forecasting and Analysis System will make Iowa State the only university in the world with that level of crop forecasting capability.

Raisbeck said Cargill recruits more graduates of Iowa State than any other university.

Cargill Inc. is an international company dealing in agriculture, finance and industry.