BOZEMAN- The Montana State University College of Agriculture and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station will host its 18^th annual Celebrate Agriculture event, set for Nov. 3-4 on the MSU campus. The event is held in honor of the state and university’s joint agricultural legacy and in celebration of current students, agriculture alumni, and MSU’s extended agricultural community across Montana.

MSU Vice President of Agriculture Charles Boyer said the event is a longstanding tradition at the university.

“Each year, we look forward to the weekend in November that’s dedicated to celebrating our university’s agricultural roots alongside a large portion of Montana’s agricultural community,” Boyer said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to see current students engage with alumni, producers and major stakeholders across the state. MSU agriculture wouldn’t be what it is today without the diverse agencies, alumni, businesses and generations of families that support our programs and this is the weekend we get to honor our joint accomplishments.”

The two-day event will feature the MSU Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics’ annual Outlook Seminar, “Managing Land Resources in the Context of Variable Weather,” scheduled from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 3, in the MSU Procrastinator Theater. Several MSU agricultural economics faculty will present short talks on topics including climate and drought, peas and lentils, public lands and land valuations and rental rates, in addition to updates on Farm Bill 2018. Representatives from Triangle Communications, the Montana Cooperative Development Center and the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center will speak about current issues facing rural economies. Paul Jakus, Utah State University professor, will deliver the keynote M.L. Wilson Lecture, “Can States Afford a Federal Land Transfer?”

Registration for the outlook conference is $25 and can be found online at http://www.ampc.montana.edu/fallconference/.

Following the conference, the MSU Collegiate Stockgrowers will host a reception beginning at 4 p.m.in the atrium of the Animal Biosciences Building.

On Saturday, Nov. 4, a free Harvest Brunch will be held from 10 -11:30 a.m., in the Shroyer Gym, where the college’s annual Outstanding Agricultural Leader and 2017 Homecoming awardees will be recognized. MSU President Waded Cruzado and Boyer will deliver remarks. At noon, Bobcat Football will play Kennesaw State University for the Ag Appreciation game at Bobcat Stadium. 

Preceding the two-day event, the College of Agriculture Ambassadors will host an Ag Career Social at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, in the atrium of the Animal Bioscience Building. The COA Ambassadors is a student-led advocacy group for the College of Agriculture and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. Current agricultural students are encouraged to attend for a casual professional networking event with prospective agribusiness employers representing finance, sales, production, marketing and public agencies.

A full schedule of events for the Celebrate Agriculture weekend can be found at http://agriculture.montana.edu/celebrateag/.

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This story is available on the Web at: http://www.montana.edu/news/17135