Aims Agriculture Club
This club is for you and other students interested in agriculture and agricultural related fields in Animal Science, Precision Agriculture and Production Agriculture, as well as careers that support farmers. This club offers opportunities for field trips, networking, conferences, community service and developing professional skills to help students succeed.
To join the Aims Agriculture Club or for more information, visit us on Aims Campus Connect or email agricultureclub@aims.edu
Advisor:
Amy McFarland
amy.mcfarland@aims.edu
(303) 718-5911
Precision agriculture technology has continued to grow and develop,
assisting farmers with efficiency, productivity, and profitability by using GPS in
the field, in the tractor and in software. The need for people that understand and
use this technology is in high demand.
"Aims has a vision to equip the next generation of farmers with the tools they'll
need to succeed. Precision agriculture is one of those tools," said Weston McCary,
the Precision Agriculture Instructor responsible for precision ag curriculum at Aims.
In the last year, Aims Community College’s Agriculture Program looked at the agricultural
workforce need for technical skills in precision 
agriculture and put in place the first community college courses in Colorado. Students
completed their second course in spring and have already seen the benefits of the
classes as they step into the industry for a future career.
Agriculture students Jason French of Keenesburg, Zach Carpenter of Fort Morgan, and
Nicole King of Johnstown, have taken precision agriculture courses at Aims Community
College since fall 2013. French recently accepted an internship with Wagner Equipment
Co. in the Technology Solutions division, where he is learning hands-on skills in
troubleshooting, installing and using precision agriculture equipment. Wagner Equipment
Co. is the Caterpillar Dealer for Colorado, New Mexico, and far west Texas. Wagner
is also a Trimble, Challenger, Massey Ferguson and Gleaner dealer for agricultural
customers.
"The precision agriculture program at Aims has provided a solid 
foundation of industry skills. It was this foundation that allowed me to seamlessly
transition into my internship position at Wagner Equipment Co.," French said.
Nicole King and Zach Carpenter recently accepted internships with Trimble Navigation’s
Agriculture Division in the customer support area. Their training will enable them
to understand the current technologies from Trimble, as well as the GNSS foundation
of their products.
“We are excited about the opportunity to help the Aims Precision Ag Program and to
teach the exciting and growing field of precision agriculture to the future workforce,”
said Brant Caley, support manager for Trimble’s Agriculture Division. “With this internship
program, we will be able to better support Trimble resellers and customers, as well
as provide students with a growth path to becoming valuable employees upon graduation.”
“The internship is a great opportunity to enrich what I am learning in my classes,
especially in precision ag,” King said.. “It will also help me create relationships
with professionals in the precision ag field.”
“Precision agriculture technologies are the way of the future for agriculture,” said
Carpenter, “and Aims is one of the few schools that focuses on these technologies.”
The agriculture program is based on the Fort Lupton campus, where it offers transfer
degrees to Colorado State University in Soil and Crop Science, Agriculture Business.
and Animal Science. The program also offers two-year degrees in Agribusiness, Production
Agriculture and Animal Science, along with one-year certificates in Precision Agriculture,
Agribusiness Management, Production Agriculture Mechanics, Production Agriculture
and Crops and Animal Science. Aims Community College gives students a well-rounded
knowledge base of agriculture and assist with choices in their career and educational
path.
“As the agriculture community continues to look for trained people with hands-on and
technical skills, Aims keeps in mind the importance of the educational needs for students
to be successful along with the needs of employers,” said Aileen Rickert Ehn, Agriculture
Advisor and Instructor. “Precision agriculture continues to be a conversation in the
agriculture community, and employers are looking for people with skills in this technology.
Aims can provide a solution through hands-on classes.”
For more information on the Agriculture Program at Aims, please visit: aims.edu/academics/agriculture.