MONROE - Agriculture is the backbone of the Wisconsin economy, and cultivating young talent to lead the next generation of ag experts is a role Blackhawk Technical College student Madeline Gallagher wants to fulfill.

An agribusiness science and technology major at the BTC Monroe Campus, Gallagher was recently elected secretary of the Wisconsin Postsecondary Agricultural Student Organization.

In this role, the second-year BTC student will help plan and coordinate Wisconsin PAS events for the next year and be asked to speak at ag events across the state. In addition, Gallagher and her fellow officers will be charged with organizing the upcoming state conference in February.

Five BTC students along with PAS advisor Dustin Williams attended the recent PAS fall leadership conference where Gallagher and five other PAS officer positions were elected.

While at the conference, BTC students had the opportunity to speak with industry representatives from John Deere, Cargill, Accelerated Genetics, Insight FS, Growmark, St. Joseph's Equipment and Allied Cooperative.

Gallagher is taking over the secretary position from another BTC student, Dani Hagen, who served in the role during the last year.

Hagen and Gallagher joined BTC students Carly Arneson, Karly Ready and Brianna Sheehan at this year's PAS event.