2012 National PAS Conference

Walking the Fields of Opportunity

March 14 - 17th - Sheraton West Des Moines, Des Moines , IA

Plans are well underway for the 2012 National PAS Conference

Events are taking place in four major venues:

• Sheraton West Des Moines
• Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC)
• The FFA Enrichment Center (FFA EC)
• Iowa State Fair Grounds

Conference Begins - Wednesday, March 14, 2012

• 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM - Participant registration, check-in and drop off auction items - Hotel Lobby
• 8:00 AM to 12:00PM - PAS Board of DIrectors meeting
• 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM - Tours take place
• 2:00 PM College Bowl Orientation
• 3:00 PM College Bowl
• 3:00 PM National Officer Candidate Orientation
• 4:00 PM Nominating Committee - Planning Session
• 4:00 PM State Delegate Orientation
• 5:00 PM Advisor Meeting
• 6:00 PM Career Program Area Check-in Desk Closes for Session
• 6:30 PM Kick-off Dinner/Opening Ceremony

A more complete conference schedule will be posted soon....

Conference Highlights

• Career Fair: Thursday at FFA Enrichment Center -
• 10 Workshops offered on Thursday and Friday
• Tours will take place on Wednesday afternoon and on Friday morning and afternoon. Though tours limit number of participants, each tour will be offered two or three different time slots allowing more conference attendees to participate. 
• Tour sites include the following businesses and industries: 
  • Iowa Cubs (a Triple-A Affiliate of the Chicago Cubs)
  • Hawkeye Breeders Service Inc. (Bull Collection Service)
  • Jasper Winery
  • John Deere Des Moines Works
  • Kemin Industries
  • Pioneer Hi-Bred International
  • Titan Tire Des Moines Plant
• Live Auction Thursday night at hotel - Start planning the items you will bring to the PAS Auction.
• Competition in 20 Career Program Areas - Most specialist CPAs will take place on Thursday and the FFA Enrichment Center.   
• Guest Speakers: Bruce Vincent and Damian Mason 

Four new CPAs

• Biofuels Specialist
• Food Science and Safety Specialist
• Geodata Specialist
• Precision Agriculture Specialist)

Meals included in conference registration

1. Wednesday Dinner
2. Thursday Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
3. Friday Breakfast and Dinner
4. Saturday Breakfast
5. Note: Friday lunch is not covered and conference participants will need to pay for their own lunch.

Conference fee: Early bird registration is $230 through February 24.2012. February 25, 2012 and beyond, registration fee goes up to $255. Conference fee includes registration, meals, and tours

Hotel Information

Reservations should be made by calling 1-888-627-8043. Individuals must identify themselves as being with the National Postsecondary Agricultural Student Organization at the time the reservation is made in order to receive the group rate. The cost of the hotel room is $89 + tax. All reservations must be made by February 22, 2012.

Announcing: 2012 National PAS Conference Workshops

A variety of workshops will be offered at the 2012 National PAS Conference. Workshops provide all conference attendees to the opportunity learn about emerging trends in agriculture, hands-on learning activities, and exploration of specific career opportunities. Some of the workshops to be held include: 

• What Beginning Farmers/Ranchers Need to Know (Mike Dunker, Nationwide Agribusiness)

• Everything I Know about Leadership I Learned on the Farm (Rick Parker)

• Internships in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (Danielle Sanok, AgCareers.com, Cornell University Ambassador)

• Focus on STEM skills with MC² in Agriculture (Kathy Reeves) 

• Let the Sparks Fly! (Monica Pfarr,Corporate Director, Workforce Development, Prinicpal Investigator, Weld-Ed, American Welding Society Foundation)

• Using the PAS Website to Promote PAS (Holly  Feldmann and Dr. Rick Parker)

• Overview of the New PAS Leadership Curriculum (National PAS Officers)

• Report on Chinese Agriculture (Lealand Schoon)

• Career Opportunities in Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources (Ashley Collins, AgCareers.com)