STORY CONTACTS: Caroline Nilsson, (208) 885-6835, cnilsson@uidaho.edu or Mark Heitstuman, (208) 885-7984, markh@uidaho.edu
MEDIA CONTACT: Bill Loftus, (208) 885-7694, bloftus@uidaho.edu

MOSCOW, Idaho —— "Idaho Agriculture in the Global Economy" is the focus of a panel discussion featuring top elected and agricultural leaders planned Friday, Oct. 22, during the University of Idaho Ag Days celebration.

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, is among those invited to join the panel. Other panelists include Idaho Lt. Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, J.R. Simplot Co. President and CEO Steve Beebe, Idaho Department of Agriculture marketing specialist Laura Johnson and UI ag economist Joseph Guenthner.

UI Agriculture Dean Larry Branen will moderate the panel, which begins at 3:30 p.m. in the College of Law Auditorium. The public is invited to attend the session.

Sponsored by the College of Agriculture during the university’s Homecoming Week, Ag Days attracts several hundred alumni back to the Moscow campus. The North Idaho Chili Cook-off and a food fair sponsored by the college’s activities clubs will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 22 along the mall east of the college.

An inaugural Ag Days Street Dance is also planned that evening on Rayburn Street in front of the college. Admission will be free and live music will play from 8 to 11 p.m.

Other Ag Days events will include a meeting of the college’s Agricultural Consulting Council, FFA Extravaganza and alumni livestock and dairy judging contests.

Saturday, Oct. 23, events include the annual beef barbecue, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the J.W. Martin Laboratory (formerly the Ag Engineering Building) along Sixth Street. Tickets will be $5 for adults and $3.50 for all students. Children younger than six are admitted free.

College of Agriculture alumni and friends will hold their annual meeting from 2 to 3 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Martin Laboratory. An open house will be held in the Agricultural Sciences Building from 1 to 3 p.m. to feature 4-H and FFA workshops and a demonstration of distance learning technology with the college’s interactive compressed video system.

Shuttle buses will be available from 3:30 to 4 p.m. Oct. 23 from the Martin Laboratory to carry Vandals to the Idaho versus Utah State University football game at Martin Stadium at Pullman. A pre-game social begins at 4 p.m. there at the Washington State University Field House. Game time is 6 p.m. As part of the Ag Days celebration, the college will offer reserved seating at the game for half price, $7.

More information is available by calling the college at (208) 885-6835 or (208) 885-7984.