Texas A&M AgriLife Extension goes to the State Fair

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service personnel will be on hand at the State Fair of Texas from Sept. 24 to Oct. 17 with teaching installations on food production systems, natural resource conservation, nutritious eating and youth education to improve Texans’ health, organizers said.

Larry Pierce, AgriLife Extension regional program leader, Overton, said the agency’s presence at the fair provides a great opportunity for outreach and to introduce Texans to the everyday solutions AgriLife Extension can provide.

“The theme for this year is focused on the people at AgriLife Extension and humanizing the agency as the frontline service provider to educate Texans, whether it is agriculture or lawn care, 4-H youth development or family and community health,” he said. “AgriLife Extension works daily in every county in the state, and residents need to be aware of the services, assistance and advice our experts provide.”

Visit AgriLife Extension’s State Fair exhibit

It will be AgriLife Extension’s fifth year exhibiting inside the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Go Texan pavilion at the State Fairgrounds. The Go Texan pavilion is designed to showcase Texas-made products and introduce people to the many ways that Texas agriculture is used by companies to produce food and beverages.  

The pavilion, and being surrounded by Texas agriculture products, is an ideal setting for AgriLife Extension to interact with the public, Pierce said.

AgriLife Extension personnel, along with volunteers from the agency’s Texas Master Gardeners and Texas Master Naturalists, will be on hand to meet visitors, he said. Fairgoers can stop in and ask questions or receive information on a wide range of topics including the agency’s Path to the Plate program, healthy recipes, tips on vegetable gardening, or how to be involved in 4-H programs.

“This year’s exhibit includes educational videos and other media to help us connect with people at the fair,” he said. “We will showcase our specialists and agents and how they work with the public to meet the range of needs we service.”

Videos will focus on topics ranging from healthy meal preparation and 4-H successes to the connections between agriculture, food and health, Pierce said.

AgriLife Extension works for the people of Texas, but many Texans are not aware of the breadth of the agency’s services, he said. The exhibit is part of the outreach that connects agency personnel with the public, companies like HEB and other professionals, helping build relationships that ultimately enhance Texas communities.

“People come from all over the world and visit the pavilion, so it’s fun,” he said. “Over 250,000 people usually come by the exhibit, so it’s a great opportunity for us to interact with people and let them know who we are and what we do.”