U of G student Amanda Brodhagen is among 20 students from around the world selected to participate in the International Livestock Congress in Calgary next week.

“I have a lot to prepare but I’m really excited. I’ve never been out West before,” says Brodhagen, a fourth-year political science student who was raised on a beef farm north of Stratford.

Brodhagen, who is the president of the Canadian Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow chapter at U of G, learned about the conference from a club colleague who participated in 2009. Other students are coming from the United States, Brazil and Australia.

The students will get a look into the future of the livestock industry, issues and opportunities and meet more than 450 industry leaders.

Brodhagen, who plans to attend graduate school, hopes to one day work as an agricultural policy adviser. She would be the fifth generation of her family to work in agriculture.