The John Wood Community College Agriculture Department has a new tool to teach ag students about best practices on the farm.
According to a press release, Beard Implement Company donated $25,000 and a new tractor to the program recently.
The tractor was put to use recently at the Agricultural Sciences Complex and the Fred L. Bradshaw Learning Center in Baylis on Friday during livestock judging. The tractor will also be used to train students, some of whom who may not have grown up on a farm, on how to use a basic piece of equipment as well as equipment safety.
Previously, according to the report, faculty at John Wood would have to borrow heavy equipment from nearby neighbors or students’ families, or they would have to borrow it directly from the University of Illinois.
JWCC faculty member Bethany Beeler told WGEM that the $25,000 has been put into finishing the HVAC system for the arena at the center.