June 04, 2014

Media Advisory -- Cooperative Youth Conference

Approximately 50 FFA students from high schools throughout Illinois will attend the annual Cooperative Youth Conference this week at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.  The conference is Thursday and Friday, June 5-6. Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to attend the conference. 

The students will learn the principles of member-owned cooperatives from members of the Illinois Cooperative Council board, Farm Services (FS) and local Shawnee Winery, a cooperative of grape growers in the region.  Students will also visit the Neighborhood Co-op in Carbondale. 

The youth conference has been part of the College of Agricultural Sciences outreach for more than 20 years.  Most activities take place in the Agriculture Building on campus.  For more information, contact Peter Dirks, coordinator of student transition and success in the College of Agricultural Sciences, at 618/453-3080 or at pdirks@siu.edu.