Celebrate Ag recognizes the past, present and future of Montana’s agriculture

MSU’s annual Celebrate Agriculture Week returned this month to honor Montana’s agricultural roots and shine a light on the people and programs shaping the state’s future in the field.

The weeklong celebration, which featured over 20 events, took place from Nov. 2 to 8 across campus. According to the MSU website, the celebration brought together students, faculty, alumni, producers and industry partners to recognize the hard work and dedication of Montana’s agricultural community, while showcasing the next generation of leaders and innovators in the field.

Celebrate Agriculture Week focused on providing both a reminder of the traditions that built Montana’s agricultural identity and a celebration of the new technology, education and partnerships that will carry it forward, according to the MSU website.

The celebration — which included award ceremonies and activities — allowed students the chance to learn directly from professionals who live and work within the field.

The events highlighted a diverse range of agriculture from across Montana, spanning from farming and ranching to research in environmental science and plant biology.

Throughout the week, departments within the College of Agriculture opened their doors to the public through tours, demonstrations and special talks.

The departments — including Ag and Tech Education, Agricultural Economics, Animal and Range Sciences, Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Microbiology, Cell Biology, Land Resources and Environmental Sciences — hosted open houses and events throughout the week, according to the week’s schedule of events.

On Tuesday, there was a Celebrate Ag Showdown in the Miller Pavilion and a Friends of Local Food Panel focused on local Montana food systems in rural economies.

Mid-week events included the Chili Feed on Malone Centennial Mall — which was voted one of the most popular events last year — and The Ag and American Indian Heritage Exhibition, which featured horse painting and other cultural activities in honor of agricultural traditions of Montana’s Native communities, according to the MSU website.

Later in the week, students had the chance to network with employers and professionals at the Ag Employer Mingle in the Strand Union Building ballrooms. The event gave students a chance to explore internship and job opportunities in a variety of agricultural fields.

For more information about Celebrate Agriculture Week or the College of Agriculture, visit https://agriculture.montana.edu/index.html.