Montana State University-Northern agriculture students have recently begun an ambassador program that is designed to introduce high school students around the state to the agriculture programs available at MSUNorthern and career opportunities in the agriculture field.
 

The idea for the agriculture ambassador program was born at a Havre Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee meeting early this year. Mike Zook, director of the Havre Farm Services Agency and a member of the Chamber Agriculture Committee, then presented the idea to the MSU-Northern Post-secondary Agriculture Students (PAS) Club.  He explained that the Agriculture Committee would provide support and shirts for all members interested in participating.

L to R: Joleen McFarland, Perry Johnston, Mitzie Liddle

In preparation for the program, MSU-Northern's ag ambassadors sent Perry Johnston as a representative to the Fourth Annual Agriculture Ambassadors Leadership Conference in California. Johnston attended the conference with six members of the MSU-Bozeman ag ambassadors program as well as those from twenty colleges around the country. "During the conference I learned a lot about what other colleges are doing to recruit agriculture students," says Johnston. "Then I brought those ideas back to our program where we have been shaping them to fit the people in our area."

In the MSU-Northern ag ambassadors program agriculture students travel to high schools around the state and present the agriculture education opportunities available at MSU-Northern. They share their experiences as agriculture students and also talk to high school students about the numerous career opportunities available in the agriculture industry. "Currently 25% of America's workforce is employed in ag related positions," explains ag business major Joleen McFarland. “The opportunities out there for people interested in agriculture extend far beyond traditional farm based jobs, and upcoming generations need to know about them."

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