Montana State’s Celebrate Ag scheduled for Nov. 2-8

BOZEMAN - Montana State University's College of Agriculture will host its annual celebration of the university's agricultural heritage the first week of November when the expanded Celebrate Ag returns. Events recognizing MSU's agricultural students, faculty, alumni and community supporters will run Sunday through Saturday, Nov. 2-8, on the MSU campus in Bozeman.

For more than 20 years, Celebrate Ag was held as a two-day event before expanding to a full week last year in coordination with the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station and MSU Extension. The week will include agricultural equipment decorating the MSU campus; a panel with young agricultural leaders; the Agricultural Economics Conference; a tailgate before Saturday's Bobcat football game and more.

The event will also feature the presentation of the 2025 Outstanding Agricultural Leader Award, MSU's highest agricultural recognition.

"We look forward to Celebrate Ag every year because of the many opportunities it presents to engage with our community," said Sreekala Bajwa, MSU's vice president for agriculture and dean of the college. "Seeing today's students come together with our alumni and Montana's agricultural producers is always special. These events allow us to continue building and fostering the relationships that keep our state, our university and our industry thriving."

Most Celebrate Ag events will be held on the MSU campus and are free and open to the public, though some will be held off campus and require registration or tickets. A full schedule can be found at https://www.ag.montana.edu/celebrateag. Individuals or businesses interested in sponsoring the event can find more information at https://www.ag.montana.edu/celebrateag/sponsor.html.

An overview of the Celebrate Ag schedule is below.

Sunday, Nov. 2

• Jillien Streit, director of the Montana Department of Agriculture, joins Montana Ag Live, 6 p.m. on Montana PBS.

Monday, Nov. 3

• Department kick-off events, times vary: Individual departments will host welcome events for students and alumni of the College of Agriculture.
• Presidential prime rib dinner in Rendezvous dining hall, featuring a visit from MSU President Brock Tessman and including MSU Steer-A-Year beef and other locally sourced ingredients.

Tuesday, Nov. 4

• Community chili feed, Malone Centennial Mall.
• Friends of Local Food panel.
• Celebrate Ag Showdown, Miller Pavilion: Games and friendly competitions between participating teams.

Wednesday, Nov. 5

• Ag and American Indian Heritage Exhibition.
• "Ag and Art" artist discussion.

Thursday, Nov. 6

• Montana Ag-Tech Innovation and Investment Summit, Strand Union Building Ballroom A: This independent event brings together technological innovation and the agricultural community. Tickets are required, and more information is available on the event website.
• Ag Employer Mingle, SUB Ballroom A: An opportunity for current MSU students to meet and network with employers from across the agricultural industry.
• Young Ag Leaders Panel, SUB Ballroom A: Hear from recent MSU graduates and other outstanding young professionals on their experiences and recent trends in agriculture.

Friday, Nov. 7

• Agricultural Economics Conference, Bozeman Hilton Garden Inn, 2023 Commerce Way: An annual conference hosted by MSU Extension and the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics. Attendees will learn about trends in the agricultural industry, the state of agricultural markets and the latest economic research. Registration can be found on the event website.
• Research Happy Hour, Norm Asbjornson Hall's Inspiration Hall: Explore current research projects by MSU undergraduate and graduate students.
• Celebrate Ag Social, the SUB ballrooms: A celebratory event for students, alumni and community members featuring a Montana-made meal, a live band, a raffle, an address from President Tessman and the recognition of the Outstanding Agricultural Leader. Tickets are free but advance registration is encouraged.

Saturday, Nov. 8

• Celebrate Ag tailgate, Dyche Field: The "Ag Alley" tailgate will include snacks and beverages, family-friendly activities and demonstrations from MSU's agriculture student groups ahead of the Bobcat football game against Weber State, which kicks off at 1 p.m. in Bobcat Stadium.