Ecologue

IAAS USA National Summit 2015

Ann Bernert

5/15/2015

This April, Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences hosted the 2015 National Summit meeting for the International Association of Students in Agriculture and Related Sciences. The theme was “Local Soils to World Solutions” and Dr. Dan Arp made a great Welcome Address connecting this idea to our generation’s challenge of feeding 9 billion people in 2050. The Welcome Address kicked off the trade fair event in which the attending Universities were able to showcase agricultural programs and state’s agriculture. Attending universities included Iowa State, University of Minnesota, Washington State, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, North Carolina State, and Clemson. The following day was a collection of tours exploring local Oregon agriculture and highlighting how students at Oregon State University get involved in sustainability, agriculture and related sciences. Included in this tour was a hike through McDonald Dunn research forest, learning about organic growers club and honey bees at Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture, making cheese at the Beaver Classic™ creamery, learning about brewing at the student pilot brewery and then checking out the growing small businesses of 2Towns Cider house and Nectar Creek Honeywine. Then, a full day of presentations followed with topics ranging from agroforestry to bilingual education. The themes of the symposium for these presentations were sustainability in agricultural systems, business, international development, water, and natural resources. A number of Oregon State CAS professors and extension agents participated and presented their international work and experience making Oregon State University students particularly proud to be a part of the College of Agricultural Sciences here. The conference finished off with the final business meeting for the student organization which covered the successes of the past year and decided upon directions in which to take the organization in the future year. The new Executive Committee was elected into office and a new social media board was instated. Overall, the IAAS USA National Summit 2015 was an incredible and inspiring event that motivated students to continue upon their professional pursuits of careers in sustainable international agriculture.