Postsecondary agricultural students

The National Postsecondary Agricultural Student Organization, regularly referred to as PAS, is a national organization associated with postsecondary institutions offering baccalaureate degrees, associate degrees, diplomas and/or certificates in agriculture/agribusiness and natural resources PAS was originally organized for postsecondary programs awarding associate degrees or certificates and has since expanded to include baccalaureate degree programs.
The national organization was organized in March 1979 under Draft Bylaws. PAS was officially founded in March 1980 in Kansas City, Missouri.
PAS is one of the ten career and technical student organizations that has been approved by the United States Department of Education as an integral part of career and technical education also referred to as vocational education. PAS is a member of the Consortium of Collegiate Agricultural Organizations.
History
The history of PAS begins with the expansion of vocational technical education at the postsecondary level. With state and federal legislation in the 60’s and 70’s, the agricultural education movement expanded greatly with more and more postsecondary agricultural programs. This movement started the creation of many local college student agricultural organizations at the two-year institutions.
On the national level, the formation of PAS began with a National Seminar in 1966 at SUNY Cobleskill, Cobleskill, New York. A Committee on “Youth Organizations and Activities for Two-Year Post High School Students in Agriculture" was created. It was decided that PAS should be separate from the National FFA Organization. It also recommended that the organizations begin first with the local, then state, and proceed to a national organization.
The idea of a National Organization was again reviewed at the National Agricultural Education Seminar held in Muscatine, Iowa in 1969. However, there was not enough interest in forming a national organization at that time.
In 1973 a National Standards conference hosted by the state of Minnesota recognized the potential need for a student organization. A NPASO Development Committee was formed and was to meet each year at the American Vocational Association (AVA) convention.
In 1976 the committee held a brain storming conference in the Quad Cities. Some of the major decisions included (1) the terminology of “Agriculture and Related Occupations for students enrolled in two-year institutions; (2) that the organization would be independent of the National FFA Organization and the FFA Alumni; and (3) the development of a procedure for funding and obtaining industry support.
In 1977 with a grant from White Farm Equipment Company, an ad hoc committee met at the National FFA Center to develop the strategies for a national postsecondary student organization. The purpose was to verify the need for and feasibility of organizing an organization.
In 1978, as a continuation of the White Farm Equipment Company grant, a National Seminar for Educators in Postsecondary Institutions was held in Kansas City, Missouri. The seminar concluded with acceptance of six reports including the acceptance and endorsement of the need for a National Postsecondary Student Organization for Agriculture/Agribusiness and Natural Resources students and the need to proceed immediately to finalize the organization.
The first national conference for the National Postsecondary Agricultural Student Organization was held in April of 1979.
Membership
The 2010 membership is comprised of 1,300 enrolled college students from 78 chapters located in 22 states.
PAS Associates
PAS Associates is an organization of former members of the National Postsecondary Agriculture Students Organization. Advisors, administrators, industry representatives, parents and other PAS supporters are also members.
PAS Associates was officially organized at the 10th reunion National Conference in Kansas City, Mo., in March 1988.
Motto
Uniting Education & Industry in Agriculture

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