Breeder's Classic Flyer ~ Breeder's Classic Steers ~ Breeder's Classic Heifers
Southwestern Community College • Creston,
Iowa
THE PROGRAM
Southwestern’s two-year program in Agricultural Business combines business administration with agricultural science. Students receive a variety of agricultural classes in several key areas. Agronomy courses include crop and forage production. The introductory animal science, beef production, and livestock merchandising classes get hands-on experience with the college’s 17 head cow-calf operation. Ag business classes include commodities, ag business management, ag finance, and ag sales.Southwestern's two-year program in Agricultural Production Technology is an applied program that provides students with hands-on experiences and current knowledge of production and management techniques on the College’s farm. The successful operation of a farm is a mainstay in rural America and providing students with experience in sales, service, production, management, marketing, and research are key to a healthy rural community.
This program is designed to give students an option for applied skills and knowledge that allow them to seek employment in the farming industry or to engage in a farming operation. Samples of the topics students will experience include, but are not limited to, the following: Farm operations and production techniques, agricultural sales and marketing, crop and animal science, along with finance and record keeping. Students will develop computer skills to support farm operations including an introduction to global positioning systems, data collection, and geospatial mapping.
THE CLASS
Students in the livestock merchandising class manage all aspects of the SWCC Breeders Classic sale. Creating a sale budget, obtaining consigners with top quality animals, designing advertising and contracting with media outlets are the early focus of the class. Receiving animals, grooming and care, and planning sale day operations are the next focus. When sale week arrives, the entire Southwestern Ag Club assists the class in the transformation of Southwestern’s ag site into the SWCC Breeders Classic auction grounds.THE AG SITE
Southwestern’s ag laboratory site is a 120 acre working farm which supports the college’s cow-calf operation. This environment enables students the to opportunity to receive hands-on experience and provides a real world context to which classroom instruction can be related. Classrooms and offices for the agricultural program and a modern shop were recently added to the existing farm buildings. This support reinforces the college’s ongoing commitment to provide Southwest Iowa quality post-secondary instruction in agriculture.
Contact Deron Shawley 641-782-1352 (Office) or 641-202-3626
(Cell)
email: shawley@swcciowa.edu