By Chabella Guzman, PREEC Communications
Agriculture is not just growing a crop or raising livestock, as around 190 high schoolers interested in agriculture found out at the annual Careers in Ag Day at the Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff. The event, held on Nov. 13, was hosted by the Scottsbluff/Gering Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee had 26 community business representatives discussing their place in agriculture.
“When people start thinking about agriculture, they’re like, well, I don’t want to grow a crop, or I don’t want to take care of cattle, right?” said Kelly Downer, Careers in Ag Chair, Scottsbluff/Gering Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee. “So the goal of today is to let the students know there is so much more to agriculture.”
The event had 11 different pathways, from ag education to technology and veterinarian. The event gives the students a broad-based look at all aspects of agriculture, from working in the field doing hands-on work to being the person sitting in the bank as an ag lender.
“We have an incredible set of resources with the business people in this community and the ag community here to share what we do and how we got where we are with these students,” said Paul Burgener, vice president of Farm Management, Manulife Investment Management. “So they have some idea of some opportunities coming out of high school and if they want to be involved in agriculture.”
Students heard from and could ask questions of professionals in grain merchandising, ethanol production, conventional production ag, and feedlot and livestock production. “So, it’s one thing to think. I want to get into the banking world,” Downer said. “Until you have that conversation with somebody and understand why they got into banking and what they’re doing with banking, are you going to understand what it looks like.”
The event also had representatives with information for students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Western Nebraska Community College, University of Wyoming, and Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.
Platte Valley Bank, Manulife Investment Management, Farm Credit Services, and Runza sponsored the Careers in Ag Day.