2026 National Ag Week
Every year, Puck has a busy week hosting events celebrating National Ag Week. Each year the Manning campus hosts National Ag Day for high school students and Women in Ag for industry women in the community.
The 2026 National Ag Day was Tuesday, March 24th, and Puck once again opened its doors to welcome high school students for a morning of activities. The Manning location hosted more than 100 students for a celebration of all the work that goes into the food and products we consume. This year, Puck’s National Ag Day event was dialed into the message of understanding all the small details in the equipment farmers use, as well as understanding why they use them.
Understanding Manure Application
After being split into small groups, students moved through the production floor to different stations focusing on department jobs. In the showroom at the front of the building, the sales team had two stations that explained why a dragline operation is used to apply manure. One station utilized our 1:64 diecast toys on a farm display to show how a dragline is set up and the benefits of dragline operations over tankers. The second station displayed LightSpeed automated controls on a pump trailer, explaining how technology improves efficiency. To drive home the efficiency of dragline over tanker trucks, students raced a small pump by manually transferring buckets of water one cup at a time.
The Engineering Department provided students with a deep dive into the science behind manure application. They learned about the food their food consumes, discussing nutrients and how they affect crops. In the warehouse, students raced against the clock to find parts on the shelves, imitating the quick turnaround times needed for customers in the field. They also wrapped pallets for shipping, making sure to pack products in a manner that does not damage anything in transit.
Production
Across the production floor, stations demonstrated how precision manufacturing and quality materials factor into equipment durability. The CNC department quizzed students on their math skills to see if they’ve retained the knowledge required for computer numerical control jobs. They also displayed metal pieces made in Manning and discussed the differences and importance of efficiency, accuracy, and creatability.
The Fabrication Department had welding tables set up for students to try their hand at piece layouts. One table was empty and tested students’ ability to perfectly place and connect wooden pieces to accurate quality standards. Another table was set up with jigs, which helped to not only speed up the layout, but also improved connection accuracy for welding points. Students learned how precision in manufacturing can play a large role in the success of a product.
In the assembly bays, students raced against each other to put together a hose pincher. A hose pincher is a simple piece of equipment used to stop the flow of liquid through a large diameter hose to safely allow work to be done on the hose. With no instructions or a finished product to model after, students were challenged to see which team could correctly assemble the hose pincher.
Women in Ag
The following Friday, Puck hosted Women in Ag. We invited women in the agricultural industry from the community to come out and learn and network. Our first speaker, Alexis Stevens of Momentis Family Office, spoke about the 2026 Market Outlook and reviewed the economic impacts farmers can expect this year. Our second speaker was business owner Natalie Paino of Hightail Delivery. Natalie presented her business story and talked about how she added value to her consumer products without adding more livestock to her family farm. She even brought samples of her ice cream for attendees and Puck employees!
Our final presentation was from the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach office and was hosted by Madeline Shultz, Aimee Lutz Wertz, and Lori Williams. Attendees broke up into groups and worked through a cybersecurity incident management exercise. The activity walked through losing all electricity and communication, asking participants to consider new priorities and take home ideas for necessary preparation for disasters.
Puck would like to say a special thank you to the FIRE Program students at IKM-Manning for designing and creating the National Ag Day shirts. Community involvement is a large part of our core beliefs at Puck, and exhibits our overarching vision of teamwork, innovation, and enjoyment.
