People may have noticed, by the cow in the Brickyard, that it is time for Agriculture Awareness Week again.

The event began yesterday and spans through the end of this week.

Alpha Zeta, the honors agricultural fraternity for men and women, sponsors the event. Jeff Meier is a member of the fraternity and a junior in animal science.

“One of the goals of AZ is the continued promotion of agriculture, which is why we have put on this event every year since 1972,” Meier said.

According to Meier, this event is important because it educates students about agriculture’s contributions to our state economy and highlights the strengths of N.C . State’s agricultural program.

“We want to stimulate conversation on campus. We want people to be proud that N.C . State and the N.C . Department of Agricultural Research and Extension program is the flagship for agricultural research in the nation, and that other states look to us as a model to strive for,” Meier said.

Scott Whisnant is the senior advisor for the Alpha Zeta chapter and, like Meier, hopes others will recognize the importance of agriculture on a multi-tiered level after attending Ag Week.

“We are a land grant university, and that means agriculture is one of our missions,” Whisnant said.

According to Whisnant , direct farm sales receipts were over $9 billion in 2020.  

“When you add in sales to farmers, the taxes paid and tens of thousands employed in agriculture or [in its] support industries, it is easy to see the importance,” Whisnant said.

Elizabeth Cooper serves as the fraternity’s chancellor. She feels the plans for the week are salient in achieving such goals.

“Anyone can walk up to one of our many tractors and pieces of equipment and get up close and personal with it. They can do the same with the crops and turf grasses that are on display,” Cooper said.

Emily Skipper, senior in biological sciences, appreciates the event because it gives her a chance to interact with animals, though touching the animals is not allowed due to bio-control issues.           

“It’s like the petting zoo comes to me!” Skipper said.

Cooper’s favorite part remains to be the spectacle that surrounds the event.

“My favorite part is people watching. I enjoy watching people’s expressions if they have never seen a pig or a tractor,” Cooper said.

Another highlight of the week is the annual ‘Kiss the Pig’ fundraiser in which the faculty or staff member with the most money raised in his or her assigned bucket (placed on the brickyard) must kiss a pig on Thursday. Among the previous winners is football coach Tom O’Brien. All proceeds benefit Relay for Life.

The fundraiser will take place on Thursday at noon.

Representatives from many clubs in CALS will be on hand throughout the week to answer any agriculture questions students may have, as well as answer questions about the clubs they are involved in.