MORE than a dozen US tertiary students have become Queensland's newest batch of unofficial agricultural ambassadors after a brief pit-stop in Rockhampton.
The visitors from New Mexico State University will soon return home thankful to their hosts at Central Queensland University and Capricorn College for their exposure to the beef, pork, sheep, cotton and cropping industries.
CQU's head of Strategic Partnerships Dr Tieneke Trotter said the tour down under was borne of strong relationships between both universities and will most likely be repeated.
"As we speak we have reached the halfway mark in the tour but the visiting students and those from our own campus have been very involved in each of the activities and I am sure they have each taken benefit from the occasion," Dr Trotter said.
NMSU microbiology student Nicolas Mairata said he kept an open mind on expectations but was delighted to have taken the trip.
"It has been nice because it has given us a snapshot of agriculture here in Australia," Mr Mairata said.
"I'm not sure what to take from the trip for a career. I am a microbiology major and a pre-medical student so I am out of my element here, yet this is also about getting out from your comfort zone and I have been learning about some very important things that I would not otherwise have known."
Cheyenne Maese hopes more students from NMSU venture to Australia, or locals head across the Pacific.
"Where we're from is actually a very big agriculture school and so we have our own breeding branches of Brahaman, Angus and and cross between the two," she said.
"We've learned there is a lot more technology involved with the cattle out here. There's stuff that even identifies when the cattle are coming in to drink and being able to track where they are.
"We don't have that support so that's one of those very interesting things we will take back home."