Each Thursday, a group of students from WTAMU gathers around the lunch table to discuss topics in agriculture that are taking place not only in West Texas but all over the world.

The Ag. Chat groups converse about various current events in the agriculture industry such as the shut down of the Cargill Meat Solutions facility in Plainview.

“Ag. Chat provides an extra hour every week to apply the things that students learn in multiples classes to a real world case study,” Dr. J. Tanner Robertson, assistant professor of Agricultural Sciences, said. “[It] provides a forum for discussion and debate on how future professionals in the agricultural industry can further apply particular skill sets toward the topics that are brought up weekly.”

Ag. Chat provides opportunities for students to reach out and build friendships within the agriculture community.

“As a transfer student, it can be nerve-racking to come into a big university where you don’t know anybody,” Kaitlyn Dickey, junior Agricultural Communications and Media major, said. “Ag. Chat allows me to converse with fellow students who are as passionate about agriculture as I am.”

About 15 students meet for Ag. Chat every week.

“It is a great way to figure out what is going on in the world of agriculture and still make friendships with ag activists,” Kylynn Thomas, freshman Agricultural Communications and Media major, said.