Greenville Technical College offers new sustainable agriculture program
October 5, 2015
GREENVILLE, SC – Beginning in Spring Semester 2016, Greenville Technical College will offer a Sustainable Agriculture Certificate Program through its highly respected Culinary Institute of the Carolinas. This program was created as a result of increasing local interest in sustainable agriculture practices and will strengthen the local food system and economy by providing knowledgeable and skilled employees.
“We are committed to being a leader in forward-thinking environmental practices and teaching these standards to tomorrow’s farmers, chefs and food science entrepreneurs,” said Chef Alan Scheidhauer, department head.
The program consists of 35 credit hours and can be completed in less than 12 months via the spring, summer and fall semesters. Students will grow and maintain crops that are suitable for sustainable production in the Southeast while demonstrating use of appropriate pest, soil, and water management strategies. In addition, students will write a business plan that includes product choices, profitability calculations, and pricing and marketing strategies appropriate to the size and scope of the farming operation.
“Our Sustainable Agriculture program will prepare students for positions in agribusiness, particularly in the areas of entrepreneurship and farming,” said Rebecca McKinney, academic program director.
The learning environment includes classrooms, labs and state-of-the art kitchens in an 110,000 square foot facility, a one-acre, tiered garden with annual and perennial vegetables, and an herb garden. Frequent contact with the chefs will help students understand various aspects of food safety, produce handling, and produce quality.
Future expansion plans include clearing an additional three acres for an incubator farm, building an equipment shed and greenhouse with water catchment features, and selectively replacing ornamental trees on the campus with fruit and nut trees. For additional information about the program or to apply, visit www.gvltec.edu/sustainable-ag.
Greenville Technical College is a four-campus system where nearly 30,000 students are annually preparing for the strongest careers of today and tomorrow. Visit www.gvltec.edu/gainful-employment for important information about the educational debt, earnings and graduation rates of student who attended programs.
