SIKESTON, MO (KFVS) - The Department of Agriculture at Southeast Missouri State University held a grand opening Thursday for their Biomass/Biofuels Research and Demonstration Field at the Sikeston campus.

The university says they have identified a 5-acre plot in the working farm behind the Sikeston campus at 2401 North Main to use in launching the initiative. A $200,000, two-year grant from the Delta Regional Authority, the Missouri Research Corporation and the Missouri Department of Agriculture is funding the effort.

The hope is to eventually have bio-based economy for southeast Missouri's bootheel. Their vision is to grow bio mass bio energy crops that will create jobs for the future. The department says it would not compete with traditional farming and crops range from sweet sorghum to sugar beets and switch grass.

SIKESTON, MO (KFVS) - We had the first sighting of the American Goldfinch in Sikeston on Tuesday.

They appear every year as the sunflowers bloom. Their color is so close to that of the sunflower, you might have difficulty spotting them.

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Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.

SIKESTON, MO (KFVS) - This Snowberry Clearwing Hummingbird Moth showed up in our yard in Sikeston Friday.

He blended in well with the bumble bees among the bee balm flowers. He is larger than a bumble bee and smaller than a hummingbird, and actually belongs to the moth family.  Interesting to watch as he can maneuver exactly like a hummingbird.

You can e-mail us pictures from your community to cNews@kfvs12.com or click here to upload them. Don't forget to include your name, where you're from and a brief description of the picture.

Copyright 2011 KFVS. All rights reserved.