Introducing College Aggies Online

I'm so excited to tell you about a new program that just launched last week! This program is called College Aggies Online, and it is a joint venture of the Animal Agriculture Alliance (AAA) and American National CattleWomen, Inc. (ANCW) that will connect college students from across the country who are interested in promoting agriculture by sharing their story. Participants will receive training and instructions from industry professionals and will enjoy access to a private forum (accessible at http://aggiesonline.ning.com) to post information about current and emerging issues facing farmers and ranchers. The online community will provide resources to students on key issues to help them better use tools such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to share agriculture’s story with the public. Get involved and join College Aggies Online, today!

ANCW member Barbara Jackson (Ariz.) is helping to spearhead this effort, and she is excited to get young people involved in this project. Her passion and enthusiasm for this project is contagious, and she can’t wait to get others on board. Agriculture clubs from all universities with an agricultural academic program are invited to sign up for the program, and in the first weeks of advertising the program, 65 young people had already registered to participate. Once signed up, each member receives an individual account, where they can customize their homepage and upload information. Student groups will earn points by posting blogs, photos and videos to the forum and by participating in online outreach activities. Efforts will be awarded with fun prizes, scholarships and incentives. I had the opportunity to interview Jackson while we were attending the National Beef Ambassador Contest last week, and you can listen to my podcast with her below. If you are a college student, or if you know of kids that would be great for this program, please get involved to make a difference. Your voice truly matters.

BEEF Daily Quick Fact: Eighty-nine percent of America’s consumers enjoy beef on a regular basis, making beef America’s Favorite Food. (Iowa Beef Industry Council)