Students in the ag production class at Chase County Schools are going over seed identification, from left, Tyler Larson, Adeline Christensen, Alonso Martinez and Krystal Smith.
Grains remain important focus in ag classes, FFA events
With so much changing in agriculture today, one thing has not — education on ag production, specifically grains.
Ag teachers and FFA advisors at Chase County Schools in Imperial and Perkins County Schools in Grant indicate grains will always be important in what they teach in the classroom and in the Career and Leadership Development Events in which their FFA members involve themselves.
That’s to be expected with corn and wheat comprising much of the farm ground in southwest Nebraska, as well as northeast Colorado.
Jason Speck, an ag teacher and FFA advisor in Imperial, said grain education has a prominent place in his CCS ag production class, which has an agronomy unit.
Students study identification of plants and seeds — from corn to wheat to barley and oats, he said.
Diseases grain crops are afflicted with is another topic, while insects, both the good and bad from them, is reviewed.
Finally, equipment ag producers use in grain production is taught. While equipment size and technology is constantly changing, Speck said they study about drills, planters, discs, strip till machines and cultivators. They also learn about different combines, headers and cutters used in grain production, Speck said.
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