"We volunteered to take on the job two years ago at the National Convention in Ames, Iowa," said Convention Co-Chair Chase Vineyard, a junior animal science major from Stephenville. "This is also a time for the students to become familiar with agricultural issues."

Convention events include tours of agricultural industry-related facilities in Lubbock area, educational sessions and talks from keynote guest speakers. Tours range from cotton production, beef cattle, well known ranches, American Quarter Horse Association, as well as agricultural museums in Lubbock.

"We'll also be doing a community service project with Kids Against Hunger," Vineyard said. As a convention, he said, they'll be packaging 30,000 meals that will be sent to distribution centers in the United States and in impoverished countries.

Vineyard noted that Texas Tech's Block and Bridle chapter has worked diligently behind the scenes in order to prepare for the event. One benefit of hosting the convention includes exposing students to the educational programs and facilities within Tech's College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources.

"By exposing 325 undergraduate students to Texas Tech, it will give them a feel for what we have to offer for graduate school. That exposure could be just enough to influence them to join us for graduate studies," he said.

Written by Brittani Pfau

CONTACT: Michael Orth, chairman, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2805 or michael.orth@ttu.edu

1014NM14 / Editor's Note: For a complete schedule of events, click http://www.depts.ttu.edu/afs/nationalblockandbridle.php .