This January, the Agribusiness Club took their annual trip to expose students to career opportunities related to their degrees. The Agribusiness Club at The Ohio State University facilitates an annual trip that allows members to see their degrees at work while also giving them the opportunity to build relationships with industry partners across the nation.
This year the club did a Florida tour connecting Orlando, Gainesville, and Tampa. Students stopped along the way at a number of agricultural operations, including H & A Farms, Villages Grown Hydroponic Produce, UF/IFAS Plant Research, the University of Florida, M & B Dairy and Products, and Sun Coast Equine Veterinary Care.
Students took the chance to go on this Florida trip because of the diverse range of agricultural products produced in that state. This gave the students the opportunity to see production practices not present in Ohio. The trip allowed students an eye-opening experience to the challenges faced in Florida and the impact policy can have on Florida farmers.
This year, twenty-seven of the club members attended the trip to Florida. Accompanying the club on this year’s trip was Stan Thompson, an AEDE emeritus professor and former department chair, along with his wife, Chris. Stan said that the trip "was an enjoyable learning experience for all of us.”
Senior and Agribusiness Club President, Ryanna Tietje, encourages future students to attend next year's trip because of the ability to diversify their agricultural knowledge and make lifelong friendships. Tietje said, “Over the past three trips, I have learned a tremendous amount about agriculture that I will be able to apply to my career. To add to that, I am incredibly thankful for the many friendships gained and strengthened because of the trip. I will treasure the memories forever, and it is remarkable to witness the impact the trip has on our members overall.”
To learn more about how you can get involved, check out the Agribusiness Club's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/agbusinessclubosu/