Written by: Maegan Connor
Students in the Agriculture Department at Emmanuel College now have the opportunity to gain experience and skills in tractor operation and maintenance due to the donation of an 80-horsepower, four-wheel drive tractor by Deutz-Fahr Corporation in Dacula, Georgia and Shoemakers Equipment in Athens/Carnesville, Georgia. Ernie Cooper, Southeastern Representative for Deutz-Fahr USA worked with the corporate offices in Dacula and SDF Corporation, Italy to arrange the donation and use of the 80-horsepower tractor to Emmanuel College Agriculture Department. Bill Banks, Sales Manager for the Shoemakers newest location in Carnesville will be assisting with the educational use of the tractor and providing technical support.
The new tractor will open opportunities for the students in the department as equipment safety, tractor operation, etc. can now be taught on the latest, most modern tractor in the market. The tractor will become part of the school farm and will help support the 40-acre operation that includes beef, fruit, vegetable, and forage production. Students will be able to perform more operations in a safe manner due to the donation. The tractor will also be used in community agriculture classes, which are held by the Emmanuel College Agriculture Department. Deutz-Fahr has agreed to replace the tractor once it reaches 150 hours which will allow the program to use cutting edge technology.
Head of the Emmanuel College Agriculture Department, Owen Thomason, stated, “We are very fortunate that the students at Emmanuel College are recognized and encouraged in their educational journey by great supporters! We are looking forward to working with Deutz-Fahr to provide great experiences and lasting memories for the agriculture students.”
The Agriculture Department at Emmanuel College offers degrees that are hands on and industry-based, which provides college students with the necessary academic skills to succeed in today’s agriculture workforce. Currently two agriculture degrees are offered here at Emmanuel College: Diversified Agriculture Bachelor’s Degree with concentrations in Business, Communications, Missions, and Science or Agricultural Education. Emmanuel College is one of the top small colleges in the nation and is training leaders for the future. For more information about the degree programs, contact Owen Thomason at othomason@ec.edu, Wayne Randall at wayne.randall@ec.edu, or call 706-245-7226. More details about the agriculture degree programs can be found at www.ec.edu/ag or www.ec.edu/aged.
