More than 200 college of Agricultural Sciences alumni returned to their alma mater to celebrate homecoming 2013. ER Jackman Friends and Alumni welcomed them to Corvallis with a pre-game tailgater, which included current students, former classmates and professors, and an abundance of food.

Members of the student clubs within the College of Agricultural Sciences developed interactive booths to showcase their club’s events, activities, and contributions to hands-on learning. Young Cattlemen’s Association had a roping cow for people to practice their roping skills, which was a big hit among the kids who attended with their families. Voted the most interactive booth, the Dairy club brought a replica cow that allowed guests to practice their hand milking skills along with a newborn calf.

It was exciting to see so many agricultural graduates back at Oregon State to join in on the excitement of homecoming. The tailgater grew from last year’s inaugural event and plans are underway to improve the event further for next year. The Agricultural Executive council would like to thank the clubs who helped make the event possible, along with the College’s Director of External Relations and Marketing, Betsy Hartley.

On October 12^th and 13^th the Agricultural Executive Council went on retreat in Newport, Oregon. The team worked diligently to plan and ensure the success of the council’s annual events, including Ag Day, the Etiquette Dinner, and the Ethics Panel among many others. The team’s primary new goal is to get more involved in the clubs within the College of Agricultural Sciences and develop more outreach to other student organizations around campus. The tradition of establishing a “wingman” for each club was enhanced, allowing for personalized updates, messages, and assistance to each club in the council by a specific officer. The officer team also committed to being more involved in ASOU, educating more people throughout campus about the College of Agricultural Sciences and our amazing clubs and programs.

As the year progresses, the executive team welcomes any student comments and input on how the council can better meet the needs of the students in the college. We look forward to working with each and every student and club this year.

On Monday, November 25 SACNAS will be hosting a Wellness event from 6pm to 7pm at the Native American Long House. There will be a special guest from the Student Health Services to discuss healthy eating habits. Everyone is welcome to attend and learn some important tips on living and eating healthy while in college.

Take a break from studying and homework to come join SACNAS with eating well and being active.

On Friday September 26^th, the Agricultural Executive Council and the Ambassadors for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources hosted the College of Agricultural Sciences annual Fall Gelato Social. Current students, new students, and faculty were able to socialize and check out the over 30 clubs and organizations in College of Agriculture. The College of Agriculture Sciences Dean, Dan Arp, gave a warm welcome and offered new students three tips; 1. Establish a good routine, 2. Get to know people, and 3. Take advantage of opportunities outside of class but within the university. One of the best parts of the Social besides meeting new people and catching up with old friends was enjoying some of the gelato! As we begin to settle in to fall term, we would echo the Deans comments and encourage students to get involved. There are so many opportunities within the college and campus as a whole where students can make social and professional connections that will last a lifetime. For those who were not able to attend the social, welcome back, and best wishes to a very successful fall term.

The Agricultural Executive Council held officer elections on May 29 for the 2013-2014 school year. The new officer team is:

President: Hayden Bush
Vice President: Kelsie White
Director of Correspondence: Brooklyn Nelson
Director of Finance: Alec Pacheco
Director of Public Relations: Josie Hubbard
Director of Ag Day: Jasmine Unrau
Director of New Fields: Stephanie Foster

The College of Agricultural Sciences  Professor and New Professor of the Year award will be announced June 6^th, at the Agricultural Education banquet. Students in the College of Agricultural Sciences, please vote for a professor that has had a positive impact on your education. This is a very important award acknowledging the two professors who teach to the best of their abilities, and promote higher education. There are voting forms available in Strand 137. For more information please contact an officer on the Agricultural Executive Council.

        The Agricultural Executive Council hosted their annual Agricultural Awareness Day this last week May 6-8, with the theme Preserving Tradition, Agvocating Today, Growing Tomorrow.  This year “Ag Day” was a three-day event leading to the future goal of a 5 days.  The week began with a motivating speech Monday night by Marty Campbell who spoke about sustainable agriculture, and the challenge of feeding the world when the population reaches 9 billion people. Students filled the Memorial Union quad Tuesday morning prepared to share the importance of agriculture to others on campus. Booths were set up with food, animals, tractors, and more exhibiting the many commodities of the agricultural industry. The Young Cattleman’s Association provided a BBQ, the Dairy Club brought ice cream, and the Country Western Dance Club taught line dances to onlookers. Wednesday ended the week of activities with a new community service event held in the Oldfield Animal Teaching Facility. Students brought canned food, as well as sent letters to troops overseas. It was a very successful week and we are very thankful to those who helped out!

The agricultural industry that feeds the world population today needs a future. With seven billion people currently living on the planet, and a projected nine billion by the time Oregon State University’s current students retire, there are immense challenges ahead. It is the agricultural students today that will be feeding those tomorrow while making sure farming practices remain sustainable. To learn more about the future of sustainability in agriculture please join the Agricultural Executive Council in the Memorial Union Ballroom at 7:00pm Monday, May 6. Marty Campbell, 2010 Oregon Agriscience Teacher of the Year will inspire the audience with humor and his challenge for agriculture tomorrow. For more information please contact an officer on the council or visit the facebook event page.

https://www.facebook.com/events/300576320075547/

Officer Applications are now available to those interested in running for a position on the Agricultural Executive Council for the 2013-2014 school year. The mission of the council is to promote club activities within the College of Agricultural Sciences, along with acting in cooperation with the administration of the college to further public relations. This is a great leadership and networking opportunity for students interested in benefiting the College. Positions available include President, Vice president, Director of Correspondence, Director of Finance, Director of Public Relations, Director of Agriculture Day, and Director of New Fields. Additional information about each position can be found on the application. Applications will be due Wednesday May 15, by 5:00pm in STRAND 137, or via email to Florencea@onid.orst.edu. Elections will be conducted Wednesday, May 29 at the Agricultural Executive Council meeting. If you have any further questions please contact a current officer.

The Agricultural Executive Council hosted their annual industry tour this past weekend April 12 – 14.  The trip enabled students within the College of Agricultural Sciences to visit a variety of agricultural related industries throughout Central Oregon. The tours included a visit to an alternative farm, Bend Equine Vet Center, OSU Extension Service, Ochoco Forest Service, Deschutes Brewery, Coyote Rock Ranch, and High Desert Museum. It was a very successful weekend full of learning opportunity, and we would like to thank everyone who attended.