[March 23, 2012]    

At Thursday morning's Ag Scholarship Breakfast, the Hartsburg-Emden ag issues team presented their competition skit for the audience.

The team, under the guidance of Hartem ag teacher and FFA sponsor Betsy Pech, presented a look at the pros and cons of federal regulations on diesel emissions as they pertain to farm equipment.

In February the team won on the state level, and in October they will participate in a national competition in Indianapolis.

Agriculture and FFA are key components of the education system at Hartsburg-Emden. Of the 80-plus students enrolled at the high school, over 60 are involved in ag and FFA.

Pictures by Jan Youngquist and Nila Smith

Members of the Hartsburg-Emden FFA with their leader, Betsy Pech.

Ag issues team members Cole Baker, Noah Cross, Natalie Nowatney, Alicia Clark,  Erin Rankin.

 

Pech explains the setting for the skit.

Nowatney served as the "host" at a breakfast meeting of area farmers there to hear discussions on diesel emissions.

 

Rankin, playing the role of an EPA official, drew a real laugh from the real audience when she said, "I'm from the government.  I'm here to help you."

Cross spoke as an engineer involved in designing ERG engines, with exhaust gas recirculation, that are designed to control hazardous emissions from farm equipment.