Stephanie Beeman always has had a passion for agriculture, and she's not afraid to travel to experience it.

An agribusiness management major, the Carlisle, Pa., native in 2009 traveled to Paris to compare the French and American agricultural systems. "Other members of Collegiate FFA persuaded me to choose the Paris trip when they talked about the food and how much fun they had visiting France," she said.

Beeman, a senior who plans to graduate at the end of the coming fall semester, recalled that her favorite part of the journey was visiting Rungis, home of the largest wholesale food market in the world. "The market covers 573 acres, and I saw everything from fresh fish and cow brains to poultry with the heads still attached," she said.

"All of it was being sold for human consumption, and it helped me to understand the cultural difference between France and the United States."

Compared to this country, Beeman pointed out, France has fewer large farms. She said the French also seem to put a premium on sustainability, which in turn increases the amount of organic products.

"The combination of smaller farms and interest in sustainability provides conditions that encourage niche or specialty products, which the French people and government protect and respect," she said.

"It was also an eye-opening experience on a personal level to communicate with people from a completely different culture and see how their background shaped their point of view in comparison to mine."

During her visit, Beeman sampled new foods. "I even tried an octopus dish with avocado sauce," she said. "We also had cheese with every meal, and I tried as many as possible.

"And the croissants were so flaky and light -- I haven't been able to find croissants that compare since I've been back home."

Beeman, who plans to work in a partnership with her mother at the family bakery after graduation, this year went on the College of Agricultural Sciences' trip to Chile over spring break and participated in the college's Penn State immersion experience in Mexico at the end of this past spring semester.