The ISU Agricultural Council creates opportunities for student clubs to become involved with the College of Agriculture, while focusing on issues facing the college and its clubs.

This council is comprised of representatives of more than 20 agricultural departments and clubs.

Barb Osborn, Agricultural Council adviser and former collegiate Agricultural Council officer, said the council is the student governing body of the College of Agriculture.

Members of the Agricultural Council meet twice a month to focus on issues and events centered around agricultural clubs. Matt Czirjak, junior in horticulture, said the council is “a way to network all the clubs in the college of ag so everyone knows what is going on.”

In yearly elections, the council elects a president and other cabinet members. These members are in charge of communication with the college of agriculture.

Jennifer Taylor, president of the Agricultural Council, said she takes members’ concerns to the administration and faculty in a monthly meeting with the agricultural department heads.

Taylor said this year the council is focusing on the agriculture college’s numbers and recruitment of students into agriculture-related majors.

“Agriculture is not just about farming,” she said. “The College of Agriculture has a lot of opportunity.”

The council will have a chance to recruit potential students to the college at this year’s Future Farmers of America convention in April, which will be held on the ISU campus. The convention is for high school students involved in agriculture, Taylor said.

The members of the council will help facilitate this event. Every club represented at the council will set up a booth, and the council will hold a barbecue. Taylor said the council members will work at a “social level” with the high school students.

The council is also working with the Agriculture Business Club and Agriculture Career Services to plan the fall Agricultural Career Day. Czirjak said companies representing a variety of agricultural fields will be present.

Council members also participated in picking up litter along a stretch of road in Story County, Taylor said. They assisted the Story County Conservation Board in restoring the Daikens Prairie on March 8.

They participated in the project as part of the Veishea volunteer program.

Taylor said the council mostly did the “grunt work” of prairie restoration, but said the council “jumps on anything that will help the community.”

The council has an industry adviser as well as academic advisers. This year’s industry representative is from John Deere.

Osborn said she believes this adviser has “brought self-motivation to motivate the students in a business atmosphere.” The adviser also plans an event for the students.

“It helps the students to work with someone who is out in the industry,” Osborn said. “Through the student’s involvement, they are given the opportunity to network with companies.”

This council is important for students because they learn how to run a professional meeting similar to that in a work environment, she said.

It also gives the students a “great opportunity” to become involved in the College of Agriculture, she said.

The council will host a barbecue from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday on Central Campus, free of charge and open to the public.