Organic eggs, organic arugula, organic education
March 12th, 2007 by Matt
Because of the increasing (and rightful) popularity of organic produce, organic agriculture educational programs are finally sprouting up (sorry about the pun) in the United States. According to an article in the first full-fledged U.S.-based major in this field of study was started in 2006 at Washington State University, becoming only the second university to offer such a program in North America (the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, was the first).
Since many of the students taking on this degree are newbies to traditional farming and gardening, there’s a need for more experiential learning.
The program is tapping commercial organic farmers to help students get the experience they need through the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) program. This group of farms, though not officially connected to the university, have pooled their collective knowledge to give interns a more diverse experience: different farms, different farmers, different techniques.
According to E. Ann Clark, a professor in the Canadian program:
These students tend to have a social as well as a biophysical interest in farming, so they see farming in a broader societal context. It tends to be the more activist-type students who are willing to make such a profound change. Because it is a big change, from being a nonfarmer to becoming a farmer.
Too often, America seems to take Canada’s lead, but we’re glad we at least have a model of a more progressive culture to literally look up to, and it’s encouraging and satisfying to see citizens of the world taking activism into their professional lives.
In 2002 at the Washington State University, “50 faculty and staff…were involved in organic research and education projects,” and graduate students there are working on theses dealing with orchard productivity, organic wheat production, income risk assessment, the use of composted tea to help with plant growth, the use of compost from mint distilleries, and “Entomopathogenic Nematode Efficacy against Colorado Potato Beetle under Organic and Conventional Fertility.” We have no clue what that last one means, but it sounds important. Why? Because we like potatoes.
The success of any large-scale progressive shift is typically dependent on some combination of three factors more than any others: economics, education, and ethics. Now that companies are seeing an increased demand for organic foodstuffs, the education must follow in order for the movement to grow and sustain itself in the long term. In particular, we believe this will help prevent factory farming from taking the lead, allowing small farmers to reap the financial benefits.
P.S. Lest we forget, we’re now going to root for the Cougars every chance we get, and we’ll think of them as we pour organic milk over our morning Fruit Loops. I’m seriously considering getting a t-shirt. Yes, I know, this might seem over-the-top, but I’m an over-the-top kind of guy, ok?
Arugula photo c/o this veggie lover.
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