New York State Fair Hosts Agriculture Career Day August 21

By Blake Jackson

The Great New York State Fair will once again spotlight future opportunities in agriculture with Agriculture Career Day, scheduled for Thursday, August 21 at 10:00 a.m. The event takes place at Gate 2, near the Administration Building at Tonawanda Street and Hiawatha Avenue.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball will join representatives from the New York State Department of Labor, New York Agriculture in the Classroom, FFA, SUNY Morrisville, SUNY Cobleskill, and other partners to engage young people in exploring career possibilities within the agricultural industry.

Agriculture Career Day features the Career Challenge, an interactive scavenger hunt designed to introduce fairgoers to various agricultural career paths through hands-on exhibits. Participants can meet industry leaders, connect with educational organisations, and even compete for prizes.

“Young people are the future of our industry and it is more important now than ever before to get them excited about all the incredible opportunities for successful, meaningful careers in the agricultural field," Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said.

"We are proud to work with some incredible partners to bring Ag Career Day to The Fair each year, and look forward to seeing this program continue to grow and inspire the next generation."

“The New York State Fair has deep roots in agriculture, so there’s no better place than The Fair to help young people learn about the endless possibilities this diverse industry has to offer," Fair Director Julie LaFave said.

"I encourage families with young fairgoers to take part in the Career Challenge to have some fun and learn about how you can help bring food from farm to table.”

Participants will visit nine themed stations covering topics such as dairy food processing, animal and plant sciences, natural resource conservation, agricultural technology, and environmental engineering.

Those who complete at least six stations and return their cards by 2:15 p.m. will be eligible for a prize drawing at 2:30 p.m., with two Nintendo Switches up for grabs.

Beyond Agriculture Career Day, student demonstrations in agriculture, robotics, and science will run daily throughout all 13 days of The Fair in the Youth and FFA Buildings.

Photo Credit: ny-state-fair