Do you believe in the future of agriculture? Because the Agriculture Executive Council and the thirty student organizations within it sure do!

Let’s take a back road and find out more about the remaining clubs who presented about their bright spots in serving the agriculture industry to end the 2018-2019 year off. So, sit back, pull over, and put the tailgate down.

Spring Term Club Spotlights

Collegiate Future Farmers of America (CFFA)

Learning to do. Doing to Learn. Earning to Live. Living to Serve. These four statements make up the FFA motto that embodies what it means to be a servant leader in high school and even further progressing into college. The Collegiate FFA serves to support the Oregon FFA Association as well as the Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom. The Oregon FFA organizes Career Development Event Days (CDE Days) for two days all over OSU’s campus during Spring term. CFFA is the group of people who are passionate for the future of agriculture and strive to help the annual operations that is the Oregon Future Farmers of America.

OSU Dairy

Cheese, ice cream, milk, and so much more! The OSU Dairy Club is here to fill our admiration for all things milk related as they strive to achieve educational activities for dairy youth as well as the general public. Members also serve both the state of Oregon and the national dairy industries as they maintain a presence at the Oregon Dairy Farmers Convention and the Oregon State Capitol to celebrate Oregon Dairy Day.

MANNRS

The Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences Club is here to empower and promote academic and professional advancement with minorities in agriculture and surrounding fields. Some of the activities they seize include the Food for Fund Food Drive, Mentor Program with the Junior MANNRS, and hosting mock interview as well as professional development workshops for its membership to further their growth in leadership opportunities. In the past one such leadership experience was the journey the membership embarked upon as they traveled to Puerto Rico for a service learning trip. A few of their projects during their stay ranged from incorporating an Agriculture Education curriculum and performing construction, engineering, and cleaning around the region.

Collegiate 4-H

“To Make the Best Better.” This club found a place here on campus to bridge the gap between the 4-H youth and desire to continue the passion as well as the drive for continuing growth beyond high school. The Collegiate 4-H and its members serve to provide immense assistance with the 4-H extension office and maintain an active presence at the National Conference, which will be in Oklahoma this next year. Some of the social impacts this club has to offer is found also in their bowling nights and membership retreat they have in the fall. Moreover, Collegiate 4-H has a handful of volunteer opportunities that promote their Head, Hands, Heart, and Health to greater service and loyalty to the Oregon State Fair.

Poultry Science

Why didn’t the chicken cross the road? Because it was too busy enjoying the Poultry Science Club meeting! It is at these meetings that they discuss research opportunities to understand the laboratory setting and gain animal experience in a field not a whole lot of people are comfortable working in. The list for public outreach with this club is endless. They help out at the Oregon Ag Fest with bringing a BABY CHICK display. Members also volunteer at the FFA Poultry Judging at the CDE Day Event and assist with 4-H Club Presentations.

Team Toxicology

Trainees of the Environmental and Molecular Toxicology are here to save us all in times of need. Their mission is to further enhance and diversify the educational experience of all EMT graduate and post graduate trainees, and associated undergraduate students. Team Tox is very involved in K-12 Outreach as they introduce several modules and activities including yeast-dose response, strawberry DNA extraction, and dealing with exposure and the susceptibility with that. Within the past two years a new partnership has formed with STEM Leaders where they are now able to pursue an array of mentoring and networking opportunities for students. Talking about succeeding in helping the future generations grow!

AAEA

Who here loves some friendly competition Jeopardy style? Well, one thing is for certain. The members of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Associations do. This is the unique opportunity to join a professional association to study, research, teach, and participate in agriculture and applied economics in a whole new light. This summer, actually, the team will be going up against 35 teams in Atlanta, Georgia and making an early arrival a few days in advance to visit the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama.

Sigma Alpha

A professional sorority with a passion fueled by agriculture, the Xi chapter of Sigma Alpha serves to promote their four pillars of scholarship, leadership, fellowship, and service. OSU founded their chapter in 1991 and since then have had over four hundred active members. Their philanthropy is Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom, which is a very impactful program for the entire state of K-12 education to benefit from as they learn about agriculture and how it affects them in everyday life. Sigma Alpha members volunteer to help organize lesson plans and going out into the community with taking on literacy projects.

OSU Sheep Club

Who would turn down the opportunity to pursue any activity that involves learning more about sheep production? It definitely would not be the members of the Sheep Club. They gain countless hands on opportunities throughout the year including lambing, ultra sounding, breeding, hoof health, and vaccination. Did I mention Lambing Crew? Because members are able to actually watch and help BABY LAMBS being born. As if this isn’t enough fun stuff members get to do, there is also the opportunity to experience basic sheep handling by showing the animals at a competition, drawing blood and collecting fecal samples, and learning how to grade wool. One fun thing they get to take a trip to attend is the Northwest Championship Sheep Dog Trials.

Horticulture

The Horticulture Club participates and actively engages in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition where they make professional connections and access internships all over the country. Something super interesting about the club is how they fundraise. They grow most of their plants from starter plant in the green house, which is such an amazing opportunity to those who are interested in greenhouse production.

Sigma Delta Omega

A sisterhood of scientists, Sigma Delta Omega was founded here at OSU in 2006. These intelligent women are united by their passion for pursuing a future in science not only for themselves, but also the community. Every member actively volunteers in tutoring OSU students or working with OSU’s STEM Academy Program. In fact, the OSU STEM Academy is their philanthropy, which advocates for Women in Science, Engineering, and Math. SDO organizes a trivia competition for science and raises money for the program by selling chocolate covered espresso beans. YUM! Last year they actually raised over $3,000 for the STEM Academy. It is clear that these ladies have a good balance between social, academic, and professional life.

SACNAS

The Society for Advancement of Chicano/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science is an outlet for all to understand and help in the promotion of recruiting students in underrepresented minorities. This group of genuine people hold an essential and thriving position as they represent at the Mi Familia Weekend to assist in families’ understanding what college is all about and so much more. Furthermore, they host a wide variety of workshops that include such topics as how to find an internship, grad school options, and salary negotiation.

Let’s keep on cruising as we take a trip down memory lane with a little reminiscing from the Agriculture Executive Council’s main events this term!

Coast with the Most Industry Tour

Do you smell something fishy? Do you see beyond the douglas firs? Do you taste the cranberries in your juice? This year’s annual industry tour took us on a road trip full of singalongs, sightseeing, and exploring along the great Southern Coast of Oregon. Our adventure started off with going to Newport to visit Pacific Seafood and partake on a dock walk to see the various types of boats used for different purposes. We traveled a little further over to Coos Bay where we explored a little bit into the past of the town and the history that shaped the agriculture that surrounds the county. On day two of the trip, we started off with visiting a cranberry farm to learn more about the process from start to finish on their production site. Additionally, we had enough time for a pit stop to the Coquille River Light where we took a step into the past to see what it was like to manage a light house in the early 1900’s. Nothing like an amazing view of the ocean and the little town of Bandon! Afterward, we detoured to the Face Rock Creamery to get dessert first with delicious dairy products just before heading on over to shoot some oysters and get our feet a little wet as we understand what it takes to shuck some oyster shells. On our last day we ventured on over to the Coquille Tribal Land to explore their forestry management program. Our final stop was a luncheon with the amazing people of Northwest Farm Credit Services over in Roseburg. Here we discussed what it is that they do and how it can apply to what we, as students pursuing degrees in the agricultural sciences, hold a strong passion and desire for. One common thing was for certain on this Industry Tour among the various fields we uncovered along the southern coast: We all believe in the future of agriculture.

Ag Days BBQ, Recruitment, Panel and More!

Tuesday, April 16th: The Agriculture Executive Council and hundreds of people in attendance celebrated agriculture and its importance. The first day of Ag Days showcased the outreach and individual interpretation of what agriculture means in our lives. Each student organization was in attendance and were all stationed at booths around the SEC Plaza. There were interactive displays filled with baby goats, tastings of sausage, and roping dummies. Also, on display were undergraduate research posters, John Deere tractors, and a hay pyramid for all to enjoy. To top it all off, we had an amazing live performance put on by a local high school Mariachi band courtesy of the MANNRS club here at Oregon State. How cool is that?!

Wednesday, April 17th: The following evening the student organizations were invited back to the SEC Plaza for a lovely BBQ and to hear from a panel of Oregon agriculturists. They discussed the peaks and valleys of the hard work it takes to operate a farm as well as the day to day balance of pursuing this lifestyle.

Ag Exec Council Takes On Dam Jam!

This past term the Agriculture Executive Council was invited to apply for the Student Leadership and Involvement Dam Jam Awards. We applied through an extensive application process and received the opportunity to attend the Awards ceremony at the 2019 Dam Jam. It was announced that Ag Exec received the “Biggest Small Scale Event” of the year for organizing and implementing Ag Days. A lot of hard work and dedication was poured into the future of what Ag Days brings. This two day event brought a sense of culture and belonging from numerous backgrounds and fields of agriculture, which is why the event earned the credit it did.

Ag Exec and FarmHouse Wild Wild West Dance

For our annual CAS Dance we became partners in crime with the FarmHouse Fraternity in order to put on the best boot scootin’ boogie on campus. We took over the MU Ballroom for the evening and had a performance by the Country Western Dance Team, Cowboy Up. In addition to this, we also hosted a dress up competition for the best dressed in the Old West.

Huge Shout Out to ARF and ER Jackman

The thirty clubs within the AG Exec Council receive the opportunity to earn funding from two amazing foundations and we would like to this time to thank the people working behind the scenes to make this all possible. Students within Ag Exec associated clubs are able to fill out an application regarding information about the club’s purpose and breakdown of their budget as well as what it is they are asking funding for.

Fall Term Opportunity! The Agricultural Research Foundation was established in 1934 to facilitate, encourage, aid, promote, and engage in scientific experimentation and research in all branches of agriculture and related fields including physical, biological, chemical, economic and social aspects for the benefit of the agricultural industry.

Spring Term Opportunity! The E.R Jackman Foundation is a group of volunteers dedicated to actively plan, participate in, and support student programs, alumni relations, and friend building on behalf of the College of Agricultural Sciences.

Words of Wisdom from Our Advisor

Christina Walsh serves not only as the Student Engagement Coordinator for the College of Agricultural Sciences, but also the advisor for the Ag Exec Council. In her role as the Student Engagement Coordinator she works to support and develop programs, opportunities, and experiences pertaining to internships, research, service learning, leadership, and global opportunities.

The advice for clubs who are a part of the Ag Exec Council, Christina says, would be to focus on making your club the best it can be in order to offer great opportunities for the students to connect around the common interest that brought them to the club in the first place.

Closing Remarks for the Year

Just like when it is time to harvest your crop and plant a new one, it has come to the end of my time your Director of New Fields for this year. It has been a huge pleasure serving in this position and utilizing this communication platform to advocate for Ag Exec and the amazing individuals, members, and clubs within it. Without any of you there would be no Ice Cream Social for recruiting new students in the College of Agricultural Sciences, there would be no funding from the Agriculture Research Foundation and E.R. Jackman Foundation for the clubs, and there would be no future for agriculture to continue to flourish on the OSU campus.

With this said, I am beyond excited for what the future holds with the New Fields Blog as Ms. Baylee Amion- Jarra takes over. Baylee is going into her Senior year here at Oregon State as she pursues a degree in Animal Science. She is an active member in the professional agriculture sorority, Sigma Alpha, and is highly motivated for what is to come in this leadership position. More to come about her and the rest of the 2019-2020 Agriculture Executive team coming to a computer near you in the Fall term edition of the New Fields blog.

Stay on the beaten path with OSU Ag Exec’s New Field! And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Thank you students, faculty, alumni, and supporters for helping the blog become what it is today.

As always, GO BEAVS!

Sincerely,

Monica Debord, Dakota Lager, Katelyn Schrum, Jolie Dickerson, Ashleigh Ehrke, Katelyn Wetzler, and Jessica Croxson

Lights, Camera, Action! Ten student organizations presented over Winter term about the AMAZING events, activities and opportunities they do. Read below to find out more from the CAS Club Spotlights!

Steer-A-Year Club

Building a brand through hands on experiences and networking opportunities is what Steer-A-Year (SAY) implements and represents throughout the year. There are over fifty-five active members who are responsible for daily feedings and ensuring the proper maintenance of each cattle through weighing, vaccinating, and incorporating health checks every day. Currently the Steer-A-Year club has twenty-five head of cattle, which are all donated from cattle operations far and near. Additionally, members have a strong presence throughout the industry at the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association Convention and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). Three members went to New Orleans for the NCBA convention where they were actively engaged in a series of educational seminars, including such topics as low stress handling with Temple Grandin, the latest news with meat substitutes, and ways to program your cow herd for success. If you are interested in learning more about the beef cattle industry, there is also the unique experience to take Steer-A-Year for credit. For more information, all are welcome to join the organization in Oatfield 106 every Tuesday at 6 PM. Find them on Facebook to stay in touch at Oregon State University Steer A Year.

Meat Science Club

Most people ask how they want their hair cut from their hair stylist and most people ask for directions from their GPS tracking device, so shouldn’t we refer our questions about all things meat to none other than the Meat Science club here at Oregon State University. The purpose of their club is to tie in the processing as well as the science behind the production of the meat in order to become more knowledgeable about the meat products we all know, enjoy, and consume. Members of the club recently attended the Northwest Meat Processors Convention. This opened up the chance for these members to be involved in numerous workshops revolving around what has recently been going on in the meat processors industry. There were also ample networking opportunities with small custom meat shops from all along the Pacific Northwest and surrounding areas. One fun part of their experience at this convention was seeing the first USDA inspected mobile slaughter trailer.

Pre- Veterinary Medical Association

The best therapist has fur and four legs, and the members of the Pre-Veterinary Medical Association at OSU are here to help better serve that statement with their annual fundraiser, Dog n’ Jog. This event is April 13^th and half the proceeds go to Rescuers without Borders. PVMA prides themselves with being one of the largest student organizations at OSU with their primary purpose being to further the knowledge of OSU students who are interested in the field of Veterinary Medicine. In doing so, they host a variety of hands on workshops to better equip animal lovers and Pre- Vet students for such things as horse handling, applying sutures, and utilizing veterinary skills. There are ample opportunities also for volunteering and ranges from serving on the lambing crew for the OSU Sheep Center and observing at the large animal hospital in campus to going out into the community with the Chintimini Wildlife Center and Heartland Humane Society. As an active and due paying member, there is the additional bonus of going on trips to the Oregon Zoo, Hatfield Marine Science Center, and Wildlife Safari. Last term members attended the American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association National Symposium, which was held at Penn State University and provided the experience to gain extensive knowledge in the field of veterinary services through an array of labs, lectures, and presentations.

Bird Nerds

If you want to be a part of a community of students who have a passion for volunteerism, furthering their education, and conservation efforts of any kind, then the Bird Nerds Club just might be the place for you. To name a few workshops that the members are involved in, there is tree climbing, mist netting/ bird banding, raptor identification, and Pelagic Birding Identification. The Bird Nerds membership just got back from their Spring Break Field Trip. It was here that they went to Patagonia, Arizona to visit the Borderlands Restoration Network (BRN). This organization specializes in collaborative restoration projects for wildlife in a sensitive ecoregion known as the Sky Islands. The first four days of this trip took the Bird Nerds through many different habitats for birding, with the added opportunity to help on some important BRN projects, as well as with the Tubac Hawk Watch. Throughout the rest of the trip, members traveled to Saguaro National Park, Audubon Paton Center for Hummingbirds, Patagonia Lake State Park, and more! From the membership of the Bird Nerds student organization, stay nerdy! Also, go check out their awesome pictures and amazing updates by “Liking” their Facebook page “The Bird Nerds Club at Oregon State University.”

Mycology

Ever heard about that one fun guy? Me neither! But I hear there are over eighty thousand of them yet to be explored by the friends over at the Mycology club. This is a club dedicated to, yes, the most interesting fungi out there, mushrooms. The Mycology club is relatively new to campus and the Ag Exec council, and currently they are looking to expand their network and membership. Their mission is to educate the public on mushrooms and expose members to the taxonomy, ecology, and economy of fungi. Last year right here on the OSU campus, Joey Spatafora gave a distinguished professors lecture on “How Fungi Changed the World.” The Mycology club is here to echo the research and development that has been invested in this field. You never know when there could be a fungus among us.

Food and Fermentation

Who doesn’t love good food with good company? The Food and Fermentation club provides these opportunities with workshops that include smoking salmon, making ice cream with gelatin beads, creating queso fresco, and enjoying cheese fondue. Industry tours around Oregon are also a big part of what the club does every term such as visiting the Tillamook Cheese Factory and partaking on a Portland Food and Pub Crawl. Don’t worry just yet because there are even more events to look forward to this Spring term. Visit them on Facebook “OSU Food and Fermentation Science Club” to seek out more information about a coffee tasting workshop, more upcoming industry tours, and the chance to attend the Food Ingredients Expo in Portland.

Vitis

Did you know OSU has a vineyard? Well, now you do! With the help of the Vitis club, OSU’s Woodhall Vineyard and Lewis-Brown Farm get the best maintenance as students are able to harvest, prune, thin, and sucker the vines. For those of who may be wondering what sucker means, essentially it is best defined as the removal of all unnecessary shoots which grow on vines as the weather warms up. In addition to this hands-on work experience throughout the year, the membership attends winery tours around the area, participates in a winemaking extravaganza, and engages in a variety of wine sensory events. During Winter term, members also attended the Oregon Wine Symposium which offered a great number of seminars and speakers who passionately discussed hot topics and interests in the Oregon wine industry. These topics included business and marketing as well as viticulture and enology. Go to their Facebook page “OSU VITIS Club” to see their latest whereabouts. SAVE THE DATE for May 30^th for those wine connoisseurs or anyone interested in seeing the current research going on in the Food Science department! “A Taste of Research: The Sensible Science” will be taking place in the MU Ballroom from 3:30-8:00 PM. See the link below for more details!

https://foodsci.oregonstate.edu/foodsci/taste-research

Crop Science

Asking why and knowing how is what the Crop Science club is all about when it comes to farm crops and discussing potential issues that arise in the production process. Through various industry tours members have visited such places as the Hazelnut Growers of Oregon/ Wilco Distribution Center, Valley Agronomics, and the Industrial Aviation Services. In the past they have consistently extended a helping hand toward Oregon FFA’s Career Development Experience (CDE) Days where they planted crops, created seed kits, and volunteered to better facilitate the agronomy competition. During their weekly meetings they have guest speakers come in from throughout the industry to speak on new technology, prevalent issues, and the daily news in crop production. This last term they had representatives from the McGregor Agronomy company speak about career networking opportunities. On that note, the Crop Science club knows that every day is a new day to thank a farmer. So, if you ate today go out and thank your local farmer!

International Agriculture

You might be in the International Agriculture club if you knew that at each meeting they have FOOD. Each meeting they try new food while sharing an interest in agriculture and learning about countless countries’ relationship through this industry as well as the scientific progression and fascinating historical innovations within the field of agriculture. In previous years, members have been able to travel as far as Indonesia to attend the World Congress, which was in collaboration with students from over twenty-six countries. Get to know and experience a new country while collaborating with others and become more aware of agriculture in different regions through workshops, sightseeing, and educational farm visits. If anyone wants to expand their global horizon, then International Agriculture is the place for you!

Collegiate Farm Bureau

Grow in membership and knowledge as we welcome the Collegiate Farm Bureau to the OSU community. The mission of the Collegiate Farm Bureau is to provide opportunities to engage students in the leadership, advocacy, and networking resources made available throughout the conferences as well as the agriculture industry. Some of the events they travel to include the American Farm Bureau National Convention and the Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Conference. This is a great opportunity to travel the United States and build connections with individuals who have the same interest in agriculture and natural resources. Find them on Facebook under “Oregon Collegiate Farm Bureau at OSU” and stay in the know as the club travels to Woodburn this term to visit the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm. Join them every third Wednesday of the month at the Crop Science building at 7:00 PM.

Recapture the Moment! Did you miss out on the leadership and networking opportunities last term? No need to fear for a recap is here! Check out below now!

Etiquette Dinner Recap

Classy, professional, and very much educational. To say the least, the Etiquette Dinner was a huge success with participants from a wide variety of student organizations. We started off the evening with our keynote speaker, Calli Davis, who brought a twist to dinner table etiquette. As she went over the basics of place settings and how to serve food around the table, people in attendance were able to practice when food was served at our table. A few notes that were mentioned by Callie included passing food from left to right, never separate the salt and pepper, and never intercept a pass when food is going around the table. By the time dessert came around- tiramisu and strawberry shortcake, Calli moved on to her next topic, which was how to dress professional and business casual. To end the evening, our very own advisor of the Agricultural Executive Council, Christina Walsh, spoke so eloquently in regards to how to work a room when speaking toward an audience. She mentioned how to properly use a microphone, how to use the space you are given to speak in, and how to captivate the attention of your audience. Christina captivated us with her warm personality to better prepare us for getting over the fear of public speaking in which seventy four percent of people suffer from. We ended the night with an activity in each table where each person was given two words to come up with a story and give a speech by using some of the concepts Christina shared. Overall, the evening was full of good food, good company, and a unique experience.

Professional Symposium

Be bold. Be persistent. Be challenged enough to rise to any occasion. These three main takeaways from this year’s Sigma Alpha Professional Symposium in partnership with the Agricultural Executive Council motivated and inspired the students who were in attendance. This year’s theme was “Women in Agriculture: Rising to the Challenge.” The panelists included AshlyAnn Lemhouse with Veterinary Services, Inc.; Rachel Palmer with Phibro Animal Health; Kathy Ferge with USDA-NRCS; Elizabeth Sell with FarmHouse Marketing and Communications; and Kellie Claflin who is a graduate teaching assistant completing her PhD in Education with an emphasis in Agricultural Education. These women touched on topics such as how to balance work with your personal life and why being a woman in the agriculture industry should push us more. They also discussed some of the biggest challenges they have each had to overcome. It was an evening of reassurance and guidance from strong individuals thriving in the field of agriculture.

Spring Term Events at a Glance

Ag Days in the SEC Plaza

If you happen to see a tractor on campus between April 16th and 17th, do not be alarmed! This just means Ag Days are here, which means lots of opportunities to sign up for some or all of the thirty amazing clubs within Ag Exec, eat some great BBQ, and receive some REMARKABLE advice from panelists in the agriculture industry. Stop by on Tuesday, April 16th in SEC Plaza from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM!

“Coast with the Most” Agricultural Executive Council Industry Tour

From Newport to Coos Bay, students within the College of Agricultural Sciences will be traveling the Southern Coast. There’s no doubt why this is the coast with the most to offer. The weekend of April 26^th, the Ag Exec Council and students from throughout the college will be driving out to Newport to tour Pacific Seafood and commercial fishing boats in the area. We will then head on over to the Coos Bay History Museum and move on down to Bandon for a Lavender Farm tour as well as a cranberry operation and then jump over to Charleston check out their marine center. There are many more stops along the way, and we are excited to find out more about the agriculture that makes up this region of Oregon. What an awesome opportunity for student organization to not only represent their membership, but also Oregon State University.

CAS Dance with FarmHouse Fraternity

Save the date for May 22^nd! This Spring term the FarmHouse Fraternity has invited the Agriculture Executive Council to help host the College of Agricultural Science Western Dance. Look forward to a night of dancing, games, and mingling with other student organizations. Details to come, so stay posted on Ag Exec’s social media on Facebook and Instagram.

The Agricultural Executive Council wishes you all the best of luck in your Spring Term!

Welcome to the New Fields Blog published by the Agricultural Executive Team at the beginning of each term. Check the regularly updated blog calendar for info on events and club meeting times and locations!

Happy Holidays from Monica, Dakota, Katelyn  S., Jolie, Katelyn W., Ashleigh, and Jessica (Your Elected Agricultural Executive Team)!

We hope the New Year brings you good food, good company, and good grades. We also look forward to seeing our 32 student organizations at our first meeting of Winter term on January 16th at 7:30 PM in Weniger 153 for our Ag Exec Council Meeting.

The Agricultural Executive team and student organizations have many events planned this term to you in order to better equip you all professionally, and as we continue to network at Oregon State University.

We started this year with a day long retreat in Newport, OR where we set our sights on creating a memorable year for students and clubs at CAS. Winter & Spring term will show you what we’re all about including the CAS Etiquette Dinner, Food Drive and Dance, Ag Days, State Ag Industry Tour and so much more!

Social Media

Did you see us at the Football Game on November 3rd? We had such a blast talking to alumni and Beaver fans about Oregon Ag Trivia and all our student clubs at CAS.

Stay in the loop to see what Ag Exec are up to, and stay in the know about the amazing events CAS student organizations put on each term?

“LIKE” us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, or shoot us an email oregonstateagexeccouncil@gmail.com. See the link to the right!

Winter Term Events!

Annual CAS Etiquette Dinner: A Fun Fine Dining Experience Sponsored by Ag Exec, January 24 5:00- 9:00 PM. RSVP here! Space is limited!

From your table manners and posture, to what you order and how you eat, there will be many opportunities in the workplace where decisions can make or break the first impression of a potential employer or even in gaining the respect of a client. Whether it is a formal interview or a business meeting, the Agriculture Executive Council will be hosting this Etiquette Dinner to better prepare College of Agricultural Science students for what to expect in your future.

This is a FREE event on January 24th, happening from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM in the Willamette Room in the Alumni Center. Students will learn and have fun while polishing their professional presence in a formal setting. The entrée options include: Chickpea and Quinoa Cakes (Vegan/ Vegetarian) and Garlic and Herb Roasted Chicken (Gluten Free) plus appetizers, deserts, and beverages. Click here to RSVP now! RSVP as soon as possible because spots are limited.

Annual CAS Canned Food Drive Dance with Ag Exec and the Country Western Dance Club **Postponed until Spring term**

Come one, come all for a night full of dancing, desserts, and donations as the Agricultural Executive team and the Country Western Dance Club join forces to organize an event where we can dance to help a cause and also include some homemade desserts courtesy of the CAS student organizations. From Line to swing dancing there will be ample dances you will see throughout the evening. Don’t know the steps to the dances? That’s okay! This is a great opportunity and environment for learning. The Country Western Dance team will be here to take you through some of the different styles. Everyone is always welcome!

Give back to the Community!  Additionally, this night is about having fun as we show support toward other clubs and give back to the Corvallis community. Admission for the event will be $3 or three cans, but either way you choose to pay, all monetary and canned food will be donated to the Linn-Benton Food Share. More information about the event will be presented as Winter term begins.

CAS Clubs: A Quarterly Spotlight of Our Many Student Organizations 

Botany & Plant Pathology Club:

Hikes, campus plant sales, and propagation sessions are just a few activities this club partakes in throughout the year. During their meetings the officer team hosts an array of guest speakers and workshops that surrounds the culture of botanists and plant enthusiasts, which all contributes to the ability to network, volunteer, and take trips to some amazing locations.

During this term the Botany Club hiked Mary’s Peak and the Mcdonald-Dunn Research Forest. They also learned how to properly propagate plants, taught others how to grow succulents, and gave an inside look of the greenhouses. The club also hosted a “Tree Talk” where Dr. Liston, a botanist and professor here at Oregon State University, took the group on a walk and held an interactive discussion on the stories behind trees on campus. Did you know that our campus meets almost all of the qualifications to be an arboretum?

Check out their views, botanical excursions, and unique adventures on Instagram @oregonstatebotany. Also stay in the loop and mark your calendars as the Botany Club has numerous events posted throughout the term on their Facebook page.

Goat Club:

There’s no kidding around, the Goat club hosts a variety of fun hands on events throughout the year, including gaining experience in goat care, understanding the products used and expanding knowledge in the numerous industries.

During this term members were able to vote on names of the new baby goats. Welcome Hazel, Heather, Petunia, and Poppy! Furthermore, members helped with the maintenance of hooves and learned how to trim. The opportunity to perform an ultrasound on two pregnant does allowed members to learn how to read the ultrasound and identify the sex. To end the term and take a break from studying, the membership participated in Goat Jeopardy, which tested the knowledge students learned throughout the term.Follow the OSU Goat Club on Facebook to stay in touch with the many interesting events that happen throughout the year

Fisheries and Wildlife Club:

Do you have a passion for all things nature? Or a niche for learning about what wildlife has to offer? Then the OSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club is the answer you have been looking for. There are numerous opportunities to take ahold of throughout the year, especially those that became available this term.

The F&W Book Club is now up and running through Facebook, so go ahead and join to discuss natural history and environmental writings. This term offered the chance to listen in on a discussion regarding the various ways reducing recreation has an impact on wildlife with Assistant Professor Ashley D’Antonio and BLM Wildlife Biologist Corbin Murphy. In addition to this, the club went on a rafting trip on the North Santiam River and a Coast trip in Coos Bay. There is also a mentorship program through this club that enables undergraduates to connect with graduate students in order to gain insight about potential research opportunities and resume building concepts.

Need a 2019 Calendar? Look no further because the Fisheries and Wildlife Club is offering a limited-edition Student Photographed Nature Calendar. How cool is that? Send them an email at fwclub@oregonstate.edu to check availability.

Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Club:

The mission of the Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Club is to facilitate communication between graduate students and faculty, promote sharing ideas and collaboration across the department, and increase opportunities for professional development of graduate students.

The membership helps the transition for new graduate students during an orientation at the start of the year. They also have a fall camping trip and winter ski trip to have a little fun in the middle of the term. Moreover, members are given the opportunity to attend the Research Advances in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Ecology Symposium where they are able to further their growth and knowledge of the latest interests in the field.

Country Western Dance Club:

Are you head over boots for a little dancing in your roots? The OSU Country Western Dance club is here to create and encourage a fun environment to learn how to perform dances from line to cha cha. In previous years, other clubs have partnered with the club to raise money for a cause. The members of the dance team have attended the Oregon State Fair and also county fairs to teach and communicate about what it is they do.

Put on your dancing shoes because the first and last Fridays of the term are FREE nights to attend the Country Western dance. Throughout the rest of the term, the dances happen every other week (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) and admission is usually $3. To become a member, it is only $15 for the whole year, which enables the opportunity to get into the dances for free, vote on important dance events, and be included in a community of dancers.

Farmhouse Fraternity:

Faith, Ambition, Reverence, Morality, Honesty, Obedience, Unity, Service, and Excellence. The words stated above represent the core values that the men of Farmhouse hold true toward what they do in and out of their membership. Academically, the membership has a 3.1 national GPA and perform over ten community service hours per term per member. So far this year they have had weekly brotherhood poker nights and their annual fall retreat. They also partnered with the professional agricultural sorority, Sigma Alpha, for Fall Family Weekend Brunch as well as their recruitment events.

Their philanthropy is “Be the Match,” which will start during Winter term here at OSU where the active members of Farmhouse raise money for childhood cancer. This organization manages the world’s largest and most diverse bone marrow registry where they are able to match patients with blood cancers and other diseases.

If you are interested in joining their membership or learning more about what FarmHouse, the Builder of Men, has to offer for you, please message them and check them out on Facebook.

Looking to find out what’s happening this coming term at CAS? A new edition of the New Fields blog will be published early Winter Term. Stay tined to find out about the many student organizations, events, and opportunities heading your way in 2019. Until then, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Oregon State University is home to a diverse and abundant amount of opportunities. In the College of Agriculture there are also a wide variety of opportunities for people to get involved with. Here are just a few of the club spotlights of opportunity waiting for you:

Bird Nerds

The OSU Bird Nerds is a student-run ornithological club at Oregon State University (OSU). The mission of the club is to provide OSU students with an opportunity to learn more about the amazing world of birds through bird-related activities, résumé-building experiences, guest speakers, species identification workshops, and field trips. They share the knowledge gained from these activities with the Corvallis community through volunteerism, education, and conservation involvement.

Some of their activities they do as a club are tree climbing workshops, bird walks, raptor identification and day and overnight trips.

For more information check out: http://osubirdnerds.weebly.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/The-Bird-Nerds-Club-at-Oregon-State-University-1983945715218458/

Sign-up for Listserv:   osubirdnerds.mailinglist@gmail.com

Collegiate FFA (CFFA) 

The mission statement for CFFA is they are a group committed to service and striving for personal growth. Their club motto is “Giving Back and Growing Forward”. Throughout the year they volunteer at a variety of events and are also involved with Oregon FFA.

Some of the activities that the club does are volunteering at Oregon FFA State Convention, CDE Days, Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Fall Harvest Dinner, fun activities, monthly meetings, guest speakers and new this year is an industry tour.

How can you get involved?

Follow the club on Facebook @Oregon State Collegiate FFA and come to meetings!

FFA background is not needed!

Crop Science Club

The mission of the club is to provide a medium for study, investigation, and discussion of problems related to technical farm crops and crop problems of the farm. They also strive to create close acquaintance with undergrads and grad students interested in farm crop production, open to all majors. The club acts as “vehicle” to connect students to service projects and internship opportunities.

Some of the events that they do as a club are an industry tour that is coming up on March 9^th, Hyslop Field-Day BBQ, FFA CDE Contest and Judging, and more.

The club meetings are Tuesdays at 5pm in the Crop Science Building room 138.

The Agricultural Executive Council is excited for the busy term that we have ahead. Some of our biggest events are held this term and we would love to have a large turnout at each of them. We would like to share with you a list of the events that the council has planned for Winter Term.

Etiquette Dinner- January 25th

Ethics Panel/ Women’s Symposium- February 7th

Council Meeting- February 8th

CAS Dance – February 16th

Council Meeting- March 7^th

We hope to see you at our next event!

The Agricultural Executive Council is excited for the upcoming year that we have planned out. We would like to share with you a list of the events that the council has planned so far for Fall Term.

October 25 at 7pm- Council Meeting and ARF Workshop 

November 1- ARF Application Due Date

November 15 at 7pm- Council Meeting

November 16 at Time TBD- ARF Interviews

November 17 at Time TBD- ARF Interviews

We hope to see you at the next Council Meeting!

Welcome back Oregon State University!

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. The Agricultural Executive Council had a busy and fun summer, but now its time for us to focus on the new school year ahead and all that we have planned for the year. My fellow council and I were elected last May at the last meeting of the year. Since this is a new year I would like to introduce the Agricultural Executive Council to you so that you can get to know us a little better. Lets kick this year off right with some introductions! We are excited to build a partnership with everyone and make this a great year!

August Peterson- President

Duties: Organizing and running Council meetings for both the officers and for the body at large. He is also responsible for running and organizing a couple of events throughout the year. These include the Ice-cream social and the Etiquette Dinner.

Major: Double Major in Agricultural Science and Political Science

Goals: Help organize extracurricular learning activities related to agriculture and to grow club membership through strong and meaningful outreach.

Hometown: Ione, Oregon

Fun Fact: He spent a year living in Mexico during elementary school.

Kayla Rushing- Vice President

Duties: Put together the industry tour and preside over meetings in the absence of the president.

Major: Animal Science with an option in Animal Production

Goals: She hopes to be able to put together an amazing industry tour for everyone to enjoy.

Hometown: Oakland, Oregon

Fun Fact: Her dream day is playing with goats, eating some cheese, then driving the jeep wrangler to go to a Toby Keith concert and then getting to meet him.

Monica Debord- Director of Correspondence 

Duties: Her job is to send out emails, take minutes from the meetings and see track of Battle of the Aggie points.

Major: Agricultural Science with an emphasis in Agricultural Education

Goals: For the clubs to know what exactly is going on for each event.

Hometown: Damascus, Oregon

Fun Fact: She started a summer camp for students in her area to learn more about Agriculture.

Shelbie Mason- Director of Finance

Duties: She manages the budgets for all of the officers.

Major: Animal Science with an option in Animal Production, but she is thinking about becoming a high school Ag teacher or a county extension agent.

Goals: Be involved with the clubs and all of the events so she can get to know everyone better.

Hometown: Cave Junction, Oregon

Fun Fact: She had brain surgery her freshman year of college.

Erika Lepschat- Director of Public Relations

Duties: She manages the social media platforms, helps support the officer team when needed, and plans the CAS Dance.

Major: Agricultural Science with an emphasis in Education and a minor in Leadership

Goals: Get more followers on all of the social media platforms and have some interactive posts.

Hometown: Banks, Oregon

Fun Fact: She hates watching balloons float away in the sky and she received her American FFA Degree last October.

Katelyn Wetzler- Director of Ag Days

Duties:  To coordinate and plan Ag Days

Major: Animal Science with an option in Animal Production

Goals: She hopes to plan an exciting and fun Ag Days for everyone to enjoy!

Hometown: Clackamas, Oregon

Fun Fact: She has never been outside the US, but if she could go anywhere she would go to France.

Mikayla Unger- Director of New Fields 

Duties: I manage the New Fields Blog and publish articles for the Source through CAS. I communicate activities and information about the college and Ag Exec to the OSU community.

Major: Animal Science with a minor in Agricultural Business Management and Spanish

Goals:I hope to make a strong connection with the OSU community and CAS through the blog posts and article publications that I write to help gain support and involvement with the activities we will put on this year.

Hometown: Dallas, Oregon

Fun Fact: My brother and I rode on the world’s largest sling shot while in Florida last December.

Katie and Raisa- Advisors

Duties: Provide support and professional development to the Ag Exec Officers.

Background:

Katie: She has a Bacheor’s degree in Psychology and German and a Master’s and PhD in Educational Policy and Leadership with a focus on International and Comparative Education. Her position at the College of Agricultural Sciences is Experiential Learning Program Coordinator.

Raisa: She got her Bachelor’s degree in Translation and Interpreting in Barcelona, then came to OSU to get her Master’s in Education with Ethnic Studies and Foreign Languages and Literature as minors. She is currently a PhD student in Education part of the LEEP program. She also teaches Spanish at the college.

Goals:

Katie: One goal for the year is to make the Ag Exec Council feel more inclusive and welcoming for all clubs and members.

Raisa: She hopes to enhance the learning and professional opportunities for the students in the College of Agricultural Sciences through all the activities and events that Ag Exec provides.

Hometown:

Katie: She is originally from Massachusetts, but spent most of her childhood in Ohio. She completed her graduate work at Ohio State University and was a professor at Iowa for two years before moving to Oregon.

Raisa: She is from Barcelona, Spain. She also lived on the island called Mallorca for 12 years. She moved to Oregon 3 years ago and she loves it.

I remember after high school graduation the advice I got from so many was to get involved when you go to college. Every time I asked for advice it always seemed to lead to the same answer…. That answer was always get involved and join clubs. I never really understood why so many people told me to get involved until I started college and realized that joining clubs was one key to a successful college experience for me.

The experiences I have gained from the clubs I joined are experiences I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to even dream of doing on my own. For example I joined the Dairy Club and through that club I got the opportunity to travel to Washington and Canada to learn an abundance of new things about the dairy industry. I was also involved in the Ag Executive Council last year and attended meetings. That involvement led to me going on the Industry tour where I got to tour several successful Oregon Ag Businesses.

The personal growth, knowledge, and experience that I got from these opportunities were life changing and will contribute to my future success. The reason I even got these opportunities is because I took the advice I received before starting high school seriously and GOT INVOLVED!

Here are a few more reasons why you should get involved with clubs here at Oregon State University:

1. It allows you to become connected to your school
2. It helps you build community
3. It allows you to discover your passions and strengths
4. It’s a résumé builder

There are so many remarkable clubs for you to get involved with in the College of Agricultural Sciences and even in the other colleges. Don’t miss out on life changing opportunities and join a new club.

Here is a list of the clubs that you can get involved with in the College of Agricultural Sciences:

A.A.E.A

Ag Ed

Bird Nerds

Botnany and Plant Pathology

CFFA

Collegiate 4-H

Country Western Dance

Crop Science Club

Dairy Club

Fisheries and Wildlife

Fisheries and Wildlife GRAD

Food and fermentation

Forestry Club

Goat Club

Horticulture

International Ag Club

MANRRS

Organic Growers club

PVMA (pre-vet)

Poultry Science

SACNAS

Sheep Club

Sigma Alpha

Steer-a-Year

TEAM Tox

VITIS

The 2016-2017 school year was one for the books. It was a year full of many successes and accomplishments. This all wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of the 2016-2017 Agricultural Executive Council to the College of Ag. As this year comes to a close the newly elected officer team has big shoes to fill.

The new officer team is ready to hit the ground running. Our year of service started on May 24 when we were elected at the last Agricultural Executive Council meeting of the year. Since then we have had our transition meeting and look forward to an officer retreat this summer. We are so excited to serve the college of Ag this upcoming school year.

I would like to introduce my fellow teammates and give you a glimpse of our summer plans.

President: August Peterson

He will be traveling to Vietnam at the beginning of the summer and will help build a home with Building Homes and Hope. After that he will be heading home to the farm in Ione, OR to work for the rest of the summer.

Vice President: Kayla Rushing

This summer Kayla will be working at the Oregon State University Turf Center as a landscape worker, where she will help prepare the center for a field day. She enjoys getting to be outside all day and getting her hands dirty on the job. She is also excited to be the maid of honor in her best friend’s wedding this summer.

Director of Correspondence: Monica Debord

Monica will be traveling to Costa Rica for two weeks for a study abroad program. She will also spend her summer working as a lifeguard and swim instructor at the North Clackamas Aquatic Park. When she isn’t working, she plans to spend time hanging out with friends or hanging out by her pool.

Director of Finance: Shelbie Mason

Shelbie plans to spend most of her time working this summer. She is also excited to spend some time traveling to Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana for an agriculture tour.

Director of Public Relations: Ericka Lepschat

Ericka is going home to Banks, OR and will be doing odd jobs on her grandparent’s farm and helping her mom with her at home daycare. She is also looking forward to 2 camping trips she has planned, the St. Paul rodeo and a few concerts.

Director of Ag Day: Katelyn Wetzler

This summer Katelyn is going back home to Clackamas and is going to spend time around their school farm. She is also attending the Charolais Junior Nationals in Nebraska and will be spending a week there showing her two heifers.

Director of New Fields: Mikayla Unger

I will be traveling to England for 17 days for a study abroad at the beginning of the summer. After that I plan to work all summer at Stahllbush Island Farms and continue my internship at OmniGen Research. I am also looking forward to camping trips, the Willamette Country Music Festival, and some rodeos.

Advisors: Dr. Katie Gaebel and Raisa Blazquez

Dr. Gaebel is going to be presenting at several experiential learning conferences. She is also looking forward to hiking in New Mexico and traveling around Oregon visiting with student interns.

Raisa is looking forward to going back home to Spain for a month and will spend the rest of her summer working.

I hope everyone has a wonderful summer and we will see you in the fall!