Cream of the Crop in Agriculture Education

Busy, busy, busy; describes the life of Grant Grebner, a farmer and assistant professor at Illinois Central College. Grant has many sleepless nights as he juggles his time on the farm, at Illinois Central College, and most importantly, with his family. He has a strong passion for the agricultural industry and makes that apparent throughout his everyday life!

Kelsey: Can you please tell me a little bit about your farm.

Grant: My family farm is a diversified livestock and grains farm operated by myself and my two brothers Gary and Stanley. The grains portion of our farm includes approximately 800 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, and oats. On the livestock side we currently have 60 head of commercial cows and a 30 sow farrow-to-finish commercial swine operation. (A sow is a female hog that has had piglets; farrow-to-finish means that we raise the piglets from when they are born until they are ready for market or to be a showpig.) The cattle offspring are fed out in our feedlot and marketed through private sales for freezer beef or through a value-based marketing system with Tyson Foods in Joslin, Illinois. The swine are marketed through a grade and yield basis with Farmland Foods in Monmouth, Illinois. A portion of our sowherd focuses on showpig production with sales to 4-H and FFA youth across the Midwest.

Kelsey: Can you please tell me a little bit about your role at Illinois Central College?

Grant:  I began teaching agriculture at Illinois Central College in August of 2007. At that time, we reduced our swine operation at the farm from 100 sows to 30 sows. I am currently an Assistant Professor of Agriculture. I am also Teaching Chair within the ICC agricultural division, advisor to the Agri-Business Club, and the Livestock Judging Coach. I teach primarily animal science and agricultural economics to the agricultural transfer students and agricultural sales, pork production, and ruminant animal production to the agricultural business management students. The students in our two-year program are also required to participate in two separate eight week internships during their sophomore year and I am in charge of this program.

Kelsey: What do you feel is the biggest issue facing the agricultural industry today?

Grant: Without question, I feel the biggest challenge that we face in agriculture is the “disassociation” that mainstream society has with agriculture. The gap between our producers and consumers continues to grow as our consumers are consistently bombarded with outside information that is not always accurate. As production agriculturalists we must take an active role in TELLING our story and not let it be TOLD for us. A safe food source, fresh ground water, and well cared for animals are common objectives for both producers and consumers. We must make connections; our future depends on it.

Kelsey: What is the most rewarding part of being an agriculture teacher?

Grant: There are several things that I find rewarding about being an ag teacher! However I would have to say helping students discover the broad scope of agriculture in the educational and employment views is number one. It isn’t just cows, sows, and plows anymore! The career opportunities my students will have are endless and there are not many teachers who can say that in today’s economy. Today’s American farmer can feed an average of one hundred and fifty-six people. Therefore, not everyone in agriculture can farm; we don’t have enough land and we would have an over abundance of food! However, agriculture encompasses so many careers and I applaud my students for choosing the career path of agriculture. I also love to see the “light go on in my students eyes”. It is one thing for me to see my students’ tests results and know that they comprehend my lectures. Although it is something completely different when we are in a lab or they are on their own and something I taught them comes into play. From a teacher’s standpoint in general I enjoy seeing my students grow and mature intellectually and emotionally. While I hope all of my students gain agricultural knowledge I also hope they leave ICC as respectful and caring members of society. As a community college assistant professor I see my job as “laying a foundation”. My kids have a long journey ahead of them and anything I can do to assist them in being successful makes my job rewarding each and every day.