Story by Sydney Anthony, Contributing writer

Murray State is hosting Agriculture Appreciation Week Friday Oct. 28 through Thursday Nov. 3.

Kaitlyn Ziesmer, graduate student from Danville, Kentucky, and coordinator of the event said the week will be full events for every student on campus to participate in.

Ziesmer said Friday the Peterson Farm Brothers will hold a concert at the William “Bill” Cherry Agricultural Exposition Center at 7:30 p.m. She said that the concert is free and open to all students, but donations will be accepted to go toward the meals being packaged on Thursday for Murray Kids Care for Hunger.

She said Monday there will be a farm animal meet and greet along with booths set up in front of Oakley Applied Science. She said Racer One, pigs, dogs and a cow will be present. Grilling will begin at eleven with free lunch for everyone and the day will end with a Halloween Fun Run that will cost $15 per runner.

On Tuesday Troy and Stacy Hadrick, a couple who advocate for farmers and agriculture, will be speaking in the Curris Center Theater at 7 p.m.  The Hadricks are from South Dakota and are founders of Advocates for Agriculture, a group which promotes people telling their farming stories to combat negativity toward farmers.

Ziesmer said Wednesday there will be an internship and career fair in the Curris Center Ballroom from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Zeisman said she was enthusiastic because this is the first fair where there is an internship emphasis, and over 35 businesses have already reserved spots. She said she encourages all agriculture students to come with resumés.

Ziesmer said Thursday will begin with a lunch for the Hudson School of Agriculture Faculty and a Monsanto appreciation presentation.  At 2 p.m. the initiative to end hunger in Kentucky will be discussed, with a hunger task force and press conference followed by packaging meals for Murray Kids Care for Hunger.  She said the meals will go to various organizations who distribute food to those in need, such as schools, churches, and the Murray Calloway County Need Line. She said she is hoping to set a new record by packaging 40,000 meals.

Rebecca Mackey, junior from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and member of the planning committee for Agriculture Appreciation Week encourages all students to attend the events.

“Agriculture affects us daily, and the students in the Hudson School of Agriculture love to talk to you about agriculture,” Mackey said.   

She said feeding people is what being a farmer is about and what keeps agriculture going.

Shelby Fuhr, senior from Columbia, Kentucky, and head of publicity for Agriculture Appreciation Week said opportunities during Agriculture Appreciation Week are a great way to learn about something that impacts everyone, everyday, three times a day, because all of our meals and clothes stem from agriculture.

Fuhr said “Students are part of the conversation between farmers and consumers.” She said consumers are learning more about where their food and clothing comes from and farmers are more than happy to discuss this with them.