It’s that time of year again when all things agriculture are front and center at NC State University.

NC State’s agricultural honors fraternity, Alpha Zeta, is hosting its annual Ag Awareness Week March 18-22 on Wolf Plaza. Agriculture is an important pillar of North Carolina’s economy and culture, and Ag Awareness Week highlights the industry’s continued importance to NC State students, faculty and staff.

As part of the weeklong series of events, Wolf Plaza will transform into a bustling farm, with animals, including goats and cows, as well as a tractor and displays of soybeans, peanuts, corn and cotton. Agricultural-related student clubs will also be on hand throughout the week to talk about how students can get involved.

“Our goal for Ag Awareness Week is to spread awareness of what agriculture does for all of us and how it plays a big role in everyone’s lives,” says Danielle Wojcik, a junior studying agricultural science and Alpha Zeta’s Ag Awareness Week co-chair. “We want people who have never seen where their food comes from to gain a new understanding of agriculture.”

Along with the daily activities, special events are scheduled throughout the week:

• March 18: Ag Olympics – To kick off the week, professors and agricultural leaders will compete in an Olympics. This event will take place at noon on Wolf Plaza.
• March 18: Ag Forum – This year’s Ag Forum topic will feature a discussion on tobacco with industry professionals. The event will be held at 6 p.m. in room 1403 in Williams Hall.
• March 20: Ag Trivia – Alpha Zeta wants everyone to learn more about agriculture. This event will allow participants to bring a group of friends or meet new people to create a team and compete in a trivia game full of agricultural facts. The event will begin at 6 p.m. in room 1403 in Williams Hall.
• March 21: Mr. and Mrs. Ag Pageant – The pageant consists of three categories: farm attire, business attire and entertainment. All students are welcome to participate. The winner will win an Ag Awareness Week merchandise item of their choice and a custom sash. The registration deadline to participate is noon on the event day. The pageant will begin at 6 p.m. on Wolf Plaza. In the event of rain, the pageant will take place in Williams Hall. Register now.

Wojcik hopes the week gets people more connected to the essential role of agriculture.

“We think it is important to raise this awareness to get people engaged and show the importance of agriculture and how, without it, we wouldn’t have most of the products we enjoy on a daily basis,” she says.

For more updates on Ag Awareness Week, follow Alpha Zeta on Instagram @alphazeta.ncstate. 

This post was originally published in College of Agriculture and Life Sciences News.