UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- One in five American workers is involved in the production, processing, packaging and distribution of food and fiber, and Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences offers a wide array of majors to prepare students for work in those fields.

Diverse careers and educational opportunities in agricultural sciences will be showcased at Ag Progress Days, Aug. 20-22, and prospective students and their parents are urged to come to the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs to ponder the possibilities.

The theme of this year's show is "Discover Your Future Today," and prospective students can do just that at the College of Agricultural Sciences Exhibits Building, where displays will be arranged in four areas of interest: food sciences, animal sciences, plant sciences, and forestry and environmental sciences.

"Our food system starts with the farmers, and production agriculture education is perhaps what Penn State is best known for -- we are proud of our reputation," says Jim Mortensen, the college's associate dean for undergraduate education. "Our farmers are the most efficient in the world and each one can feed many, many people.

"Strong employment opportunities will exist for food scientists, food process engineers, plant and animal geneticists, water-quality specialists, turf scientists, horticultural scientists, plant and animal inspectors, food and agricultural waste specialists, golf course managers, landscape contractors, agricultural science and business teachers, and computer information specialists, as well as marketers, merchandisers and sellers of food, forest and horticultural products to domestic and international consumers."

A visit to the College Exhibits Building will be a fun way to consider careers and curriculums. There will be interactive displays and exhibits on a wide variety of topics, from soil profiles and wildlife pelts to flowers and animal anatomy.

Informative presentations in the building's theatre will feature such topics as "So You Want To Be A Vet," telemetry in wildlife tracking and "The Nose Knows" (electronic nose used to "sniff out" bacteria).

For a cool treat, don't miss "Ice Cream -- the Whole Scoop." There will be demonstrations of a chocolate "enrober" (used to coat cherries, peanut butter and other candy centers) and tales told by a master storyteller.

Faculty and staff members and successful alumni of the College of Agricultural Sciences will give presentations about study and career paths students may choose, and will be available to answer questions. Penn State financial aid representatives will be on hand to talk with prospective students and their parents about grants and loans that may be available to help pay for an education.

"Only through education can we be sure that our food and agricultural system will be able to meet the challenges of increased production, greater safety and security and greater environmental sustainability, thereby continuing to be number one in the world," Mortensen said. ("And where better to get that education than in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences?")

The schedule of presentations in the College Exhibits Building theatre follows:

Tuesday, Aug. 20

9:30 a.m. -- Bird watching for Beginners

10:30 a.m. -- Alumna Laurie Williams, Food Marketing Institute

11:30 a.m. -- Alumnus Kirk Sattazahn -- Select Sires

Noon -- Master storyteller Jan Kinney

1:30 p.m. -- Telemetry in Wildlife Tracking, Justin Vreeland

2:30 p.m. -- Alumna Angela Costanzo, "Angela's Canine Learning Center"

3:30 p.m. -- "The Nose Knows," Tremaine Powell

Wednesday, Aug. 21

9:30 a.m. -- "Meet the Bugs," Maryann Frazier

10:30 a.m. -- Alumnus Darren Narber, Narber's Landscaping and Nursery

11:30 a.m. -- Alumna Betsy Dupuis, lawyer

Noon -- Master storyteller Jan Kinney

1:30 p.m. -- Alumnus Tom Palchak, University Creamery

2:30 p.m. -- Alumna Kerry Golden, Pennsylvania House Ag & Rural Affairs Committee

3:30 p.m. -- "So You Want To Be A Vet?" Dave Wolfgang

6 p.m. -- Alumnus Greg Long, Discovery Channel "International Junkyard Wars" winner

Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, call (800) PSU-1010 toll-free through August 22 or visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.cas.psu.edu.

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EDITORS: Contact Jim Mortensen at 814-865-7521 or e-mail jmortensen@psu.edu

Contact: Jeff Mulhollem jjm29@psu.edu 814-863-2719 814-865-1068 fax #228