The Marion County Farm Bureau sponsored an Ag Day that was held at the 3654th Support Maintenance Company Iowa National Guard in Knoxville Tuesday. A total of 369 fourth grade Marion County students attended with 17 classrooms from five different schools.

The event consisted of nine aspects of agriculture, some of which were baby farm animals, farm equipment, Plants to Food, Pork, Karen Adams with Ag in the Classroom, Corn to Ethanol trailer, and more.

Jill DeBruin, with the Farm Bureau, tells KNIA/LKRLS News, “Marion County Farm Bureau is proud to invite the fourth grade students from Marion County to the Knoxville Armory. We are just educating and sharing our passion for agriculture and the education of agriculture with these kids.”

DeBruin adds “The goal is to make agriculture relevant in the lives of students. It is core knowledge to know how food gets into the stores and onto your plate.”

 Speakers that presented a station for the kids at the Marion County Farm Bureau sponsored Ag Day included Knoxville FFA brought the live farm animals-Teacher Tiffany Johnston.

Van Wall Equipment brought the tractor with Darin Botkin who is a Van Wall employee and  Marion County Farm Bureau Board member presenting it. Mike Finarty who works with Iowa Corn and Soybean and is a Marion County Farm Bureau board member presented the Bio Diesel Trailer and Bio Diesel made from Soybeans.

Ashtin Wells from the Marion County Extension Office presented the bicycle powered blender and the anatomy of plants. The Honey Bee Station was presented by Kristen Van Donselaar of Dutch Bee Honey Farm. Lely presented their robotic dairy equipment presented by Jim Mitchell.

Iowa Soybean Association was represented by Kennady Moffitt and they made soybean necklaces that will grow. Cress VanWyngarden who is a Farm Bureau Board member demonstrated Ag technology including GPS and Drones.

Iowa Pork Producers was headed up by Hannah Spurr and also the Iowa Pork queen read the kids a book about pigs.

There was also a group of volunteers. Jacob Bowers Pella Community FFA sent 16 students that guided the classes to the stations and kept the event on schedule.

Financial Sponsors were:

Ulrich Ford, Two Rivers Coop, LDJ Manufacturing, Marion County Bank, Lely, Marion County Soybeans, Knoxville Raceway, Community First, and State Bank of Bussey