New sustainable ag classes set, major on the way
September 2008
A growing student interest in sustainable food and farming systems that are good for people and the environment has led to new classes and development of a new major at UC Davis.
Sustainable food and agricultural systems that integrate environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic fairness are becoming universally recognized as the direction society must go, according to UC Davis researchers implementing the new major.
Starting this year, new freshman-level courses in food systems and sustainable agriculture and an upper division course in agroecology, the study of the ecology of the entire food system, will be offered.
The new major is expected to be approved within the next 18 months. It is a collaborative effort by the UC Davis Agricultural Sustainability Institute (ASI) and affiliated faculty and staff, and will provide students with a broad background in sustainable agricultural and food systems, according to institute director Tom Tomich.
“The skills and knowledge gained through this broad, interdisciplinary curriculum will prepare graduating students to become leaders in sustainable agriculture in California and throughout the nation,” said Tomich.
The new undergraduate course, "Food Systems," will be offered fall quarter 2008 through the Department of Human and Community Development. It will focus on contemporary food and farming systems, agricultural sustainability and economic equity, according to course instructor Ryan Galt, assistant professor in the department.
"Students will see how production, processing, distribution and consumption affect food price, nutritional content and access," said Galt. "We will also examine the social context of food systems and the often contradictory goals of nourishment, profit, power and impact on the environment, producers' livelihoods, citizens and communities."
Field trips to meet with stakeholders are part of the course, designed to complement "Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture," which will be offered for the first time in spring 2009 through the plant sciences department. That course will be taught by Mark Van Horn, director of the UC Davis Student Farm.
"Students will examine production practices and systems, including resource use and unintended consequences," said Van Horn. "Field work will help students understand the connection between agricultural and environmental sciences and farming."
Internships will be a required part of the curriculum. Students will be encouraged to work on farms and ranches, at farmers markets, with agricultural processors and handlers, with policy makers at the state capital, with non-profit organizations like Valley Vision, Community Alliance with Family Farmers or with government agencies including the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
An upper division course in agroecology will be offered spring quarter 2009 by Johan Six, assistant professor in the Department of Plant Sciences.
Will Horwath, professor of soil science, is chair of the sustainable agriculture major implementation committee.
"The major will draw from both traditional and nontraditional teaching concepts and methods and place a strong emphasis on experiential learning," said Horwath. Students will choose to focus on a natural-science track or a social-science track, but all students will take courses in both areas.
"A wide range of skills will be emphasized in the new major, including critical thinking, problem solving, communication and group process management," said Horwath.
While a formal major in sustainable agriculture and food systems is a new initiative for UC Davis, both field-based and classroom-based interdisciplinary sustainable agriculture learning opportunities have been available to students at the Student Farm for more than three decades, said Van Horn.
"Student Farm staff and students have played key leadership roles in the development of the new major," he said.
More information:
- ASI Web Site (http://asi.ucdavis.edu)
- Student Farm (http://studentfarm.ucdavis.edu/)
Media contacts:
- Van Horn, at
- Galt at
- Horwath at
- Tomich at