By Scout Nelson
Northeast Community College agriculture students gained hands-on experience with modern farming practices, technology, and safety during the college’s annual Agronomy Field Day. About 200 students took part in the event, which connected classroom learning with real-world agriculture.
The field day gave students an opportunity to learn directly from agriculture professionals. Through demonstrations, discussions, and farm activities, students saw how technology and safety practices are used in today’s agriculture industry.
The event also helped students learn more about businesses and career opportunities in agriculture. Industry professionals shared information about their work and gave students a chance to ask questions about farming, technology, safety, and future careers.
The Agronomy Field Day received support from A-FAN, the Nebraska Soybean Board, and the Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement, also known as C2A3.
Several agriculture businesses and organizations took part in the event. Sessions included presentations and demonstrations from CVA, Sandramere Seed, Farmers Pride, Helena, McKeon Ag Solutions, Channel Seeds, and Red Solutions. Students also visited the Northeast Urban Farm.
Farm safety was an important part of the field day. CVA conducted a grain rescue demonstration that showed students the dangers of grain entrapment. Grain entrapment can happen when a person becomes trapped in stored grain and can create a serious safety risk.
The demonstration helped students understand why safety is important when working around grain storage areas. It also gave students a better view of the equipment and methods used during grain rescue situations.
Technology was another major focus of the event. Red Solutions demonstrated how a drone can seed cover crops over standing corn. The demonstration showed students how new tools can support farming practices and help producers complete some tasks in different ways.
“I thought the drone demonstration was really cool because it’s not something you get to see every day,” said Drew Reinhardt, an Agri-Business major from Wayne, Nebraska. “Watching it seed a cover crop over standing corn showed me how technology can make jobs in the ag industry easier and more efficient.”
The use of drones is one example of how technology continues to change agriculture. Farmers and agriculture businesses use technology for many tasks, including crop management, field monitoring, planting, spraying, and other farm operations. Field demonstrations allow students to see these tools in action instead of only learning about them in a classroom.
Agronomy Field Day also provides students with opportunities to meet people working in agriculture. These connections can help students learn about businesses, internships, jobs, and different career paths.
“Our industry partners are an important part of how we prepare students for careers in agriculture,” said Jill Heemstra, director of the Northeast Ag program. “Agronomy Field Day allows students to see the practices and technology being used in the industry today, ask questions directly of professionals and begin building relationships with people they may work alongside in the future.”
These connections can be useful as students prepare to enter the workforce. Meeting agriculture professionals can help students better understand the skills employers need and the types of jobs available in the industry.
Northeast Community College also uses its agricultural land to provide students with practical learning opportunities. The college operates a 650-acre working farm where students can take part in field experiments, precision agriculture demonstrations, and other hands-on activities.
The working farm serves as a learning space where students can connect classroom lessons with actual farming practices. Students can learn about crops, equipment, technology, and other parts of agricultural production while working with instructors and industry partners.
Industry partnerships continue throughout the year and are not limited to the Agronomy Field Day. Agriculture businesses and professionals work with Northeast students through different learning activities and demonstrations.
These partnerships help make the college farm a living laboratory for agriculture education. Students can apply what they learn in class to real farming situations and gain experience before entering the workforce.
By bringing students and industry professionals together, Northeast Community College provides students with a better understanding of modern agriculture. The field day combines hands-on learning, safety education, technology demonstrations, and career connections.
Photo Credit: istock-psisa
Categories: Nebraska, Education