Conference pulls Ag groups together

Hundreds of Iowans are promoting various aspects of Iowa agriculture, but they often don’t know what counterparts in similar groups are doing. A conference in Ames today will try to get people from all of the ag organizations together to promote Iowa’s food-and-fiber industry.Dr. Robert Martin is head of Iowa State University’s Department of Agricultural Education and Studies. Martin says today’s 2nd annual “Summit on the Future of Agricultural Education in Iowa” is gathering more than 200 people from a variety of ag-related groups.Martin says there will be a variety of mini-workshops and round-table discussions where people from one ag-promotion group can learn all about other groups, then develop ways to work together toward the common goal.The daylong summit is free. Registration begins at 8 a-m at I-S-U’s Scheman Building. Governor Vilsack is slated to address the group this morning, while state Ag Secretary Patty Judge is the noontime speaker.