The 2019 Husker Food Connection event Tuesday, April 16, brought an estimated 3,000 city campus students out to experience a taste of Nebraska agriculture through exhibits featuring farm animals, equipment exhibits, and a free lunch. The event was held on University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s City Campus Union Plaza.
The Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (AFAN) and several University of Nebraska-Lincoln agricultural clubs teamed up to organize Husker Food Connection. Student organizers included representatives from such East Campus groups as the Collegiate Farm Bureau, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, and Block and Bridle.
“The purpose of this event was to connect urban students to agriculture through something they’re familiar with–food,” said Amanda Kowalewski, Husker Food Connection coordinator. Amanda is a senior agricultural economics major from Gothenburg, Nebr.
HFC organizers answered questions and shared personal experiences by engaging in one-on-one conversations with the students during the event. More than 125 students, supervisors and representatives of the state’s agriculture’s commodity groups participated.
Over 3,000 lunches were served, consisting of Nebraska-produced pulled pork, chicken and beef brisket. Chocolate milk was provided by Hyland Dairy.
Theme for this year’s Husker Food Connection was “Agriculture is Everything,” according to Hannah Borg, a senior in agriculture communications from Wakefield, Nebr., who served as the event’s communications coordinator.
“It’s important to the agricultural community to share the story of food from production to consumption,” she said. “Whether you realize it or not, you rely on a farmer three times a day and the agricultural students of our university are excited to engage with the public about our industry.”
Ag students enjoyed the conversations with their city-oriented peers, according to Hannah.
“When students came to us to pick up their free T-shirts after visiting the exhibit booths, I would ask them what they had learned,” she said. It was so fulfilling to hear their answers. Some said they learned about Nebraska corn production, some would mention seeing pigs up close, and said that ‘it was the first time I’ve ever been on a tractor.’”
