The ISU Agronomy Club is raising money to head north in November to participate in the National Agronomy Meetings.

The national meetings will be in Minneapolis the first week of November, said John Schafer, co-adviser of the Agronomy Club. The students are now holding meetings that parallel the national meetings, he said.

“The students have three objectives for going to the national meetings,” said Schafer, professor of agronomy. “They can participate in a local tour that helps give them a better understanding of the fields, or they can share ideas between clubs and also participate in contests.”

Most of the fund-raising activities are on campus, Schafer said.

One of their activities includes selling donuts and popcorn in Agronomy Hall every Friday.

Schafer said the club also earns money by helping hand-harvest research plots. The money goes into a fund instead of to the individual students, he said.

“Another of our fund raisers is pizza sales on Wednesdays in Agronomy Hall,” said Dawn Refsell, vice president of the club.

She said there is a large variety in the types of events sponsored by the club.

“We also have special popcorn sales during the holidays, but Veishea is probably our biggest fund raiser where we have a food stand with a new special item every year and our kiddie tractor pull.”

The kiddie tractor pull also helps to get the community involved, said Refsell, senior in agronomy.

The Veishea fund raiser covers 75 to 80 percent of the national meeting costs and 100 percent of the costs for the regional meetings, she said.

“Iowa State is one of the largest groups represented at the national meetings even though not all of our members participate,” she said. “We have 50 to 60 members in the club, and everyone is involved in some project”.

Refsell said that although not every member competes at this particular competition, most members participate in some competition.

“They might participate in the regional meetings if they do not participate at nationals,” she said.

Refsell said the club and its members also have educational programs, such as farm safety camp.

They also try to help other clubs when they need it.