The Auburn Agricultural Alumni Association and the College of Agriculture are set to host the 2016 Ag Roundup on Oct. 1, prior to kickoff of the Auburn–Louisiana Monroe football game. The goal of the event is to increase the general public’s awareness of agriculture’s impact on Alabama’s economy.
This will be the 37th year the two groups have sponsored the event, which has become a homecoming football game tradition. The public is invited to stop by Auburn University’s Ag Heritage Park between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to celebrate the event and sample Alabama-grown foods, ranging from bacon-wrapped pork to steamed edamame.
There will also be activities set up for children, including informative displays. Silent and live auctions will take place to raise money for the College of Agriculture scholarships. Last year’s Ag Roundup hosted more than 2,600 visitors and raised a record $28,850 for agriculture scholarships.
Admission costs $5 a person, which is payable at the gate. Children aged 6 and under will be admitted free of cost.
Agriculture and forestry are critical components of Alabama’s economy. In fact, the industries combine to account for 22 percent of the state’s workforce and more than $70 billion annually. Dr. Gary Lemme, director of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, has said in the past, “We produce and process a wide diversity of products that not only are consumed here in Alabama but are exported to every corner of the world.”