Ag Day Celebrates State’s Top Industry

NC State’s second-annual “Ag Day” celebration will earn an undergraduate College of Agriculture and Life Sciences student an endowed scholarship to study in one of its programs that benefit the state’s top industry.

The two-day celebration of NC State’s agricultural heritage – sponsored and organized by CALS, Wolfpack athletics and Wolfpack Sports Properties – begins with lead-in activities on Friday and culminates with Saturday’s 6 p.m. football game against Old Dominion at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Anchored by CALS, Ag Day receives support from presenting sponsors BASF, Case IH, NC Farm Bureau, North Carolina Soybean Producers Association, Bayer CropScience and Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina, as well as from supporting sponsors Agri Supply and North Carolina Pork Council.

“Sponsors of this year’s event are making an investment in future ag leaders by creating a scholarship for our students that will impact the future of this state’s almost $80 billion industry,” said CALS Dean Richard Linton.

The festivities will begin Friday with a private screening of the Hollywood-produced documentary “Farmland.” Faculty, staff, students and sponsors are invited to get tickets to watch the film from award-winning director James Moll, which gives an inside look into the lives of young American farmers and ranchers.

Saturday, CALS will host its annual alumni tailgate, which will include several statewide youth organizations. All fans can take advantage of the entire Ag Day experience by visiting machinery and truck displays and other exhibits at Fan Zone between PNC Arena and Carter-Finley Stadium. The first 5,000 fans to visit the CALS tent at Fan Zone will receive a free T-shirt, while corporate sponsors will offer free food samples throughout the day.

Inside the stadium, videos highlighting North Carolina’s agriculture will be featured during every quarter on the videoboard and multiple on-field presentations will be made throughout the game.

Parking lots open at 1 p.m. for the game, while Fan Zone activities begin at 3 p.m. The Walk of Champions takes place at 3:30 p.m. and the stadium gates open at 4:30 p.m. A limited number of single-game tickets are available through the NC State Ticket Office.

Since the forecast for Saturday again calls for hot weather, the athletics department will again offer ice and cooling stations around the stadium. Fans are encouraged to be fully aware of the heat-management plan that will be implemented on game day.

Visit Gameday Central for complete information.