A Closer Look at

The Ecological Agriculture Major

Offered by: CALS Plant and Soil Science Department

Overview

Are you interested in using ecological principles and strategies to design diverse, sustainable agricultural systems? Are you interested in how systems can maintain fertility and be pest-suppressive? Would you like to examine working farms using ecological principles? Nationally there is a growing need for professionals who can understand and apply ecological principles to agriculture.

The Ecological Agriculture Program integrates course work in ecology, plant science, soil science, entomology, economics, and policy with an experiential learning internship to create educated professionals.

A Look at Our Program

The Ecological Agriculture major focuses on applying ecological concepts to the field environment. Students in this major are interested in growing horticultural or agronomic crops or diversified agriculture systems. Ecology is the uniting thread that integrates the course-work and ties the curriculum together. Faculty in Plant and Soil Science will help you develop an excellent individualized program of study based on your agricultural interests and career goals.

What Will I Study?

The Ecological Agriculture major offers a strong background in science. It includes economic, policy, and ethics course-work, and an internship that allows students to gain hands-on experience. All students who enroll in the program must complete the basic core requirements for a bachelor of science degree from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In addition you will be required to complete courses within the program in such areas as botany, ecology, plant and soil science, economics and policy. This course-work supports your internship experience.

Looking to the Future

Students graduating from this major will be trained to use ecological concepts to solve agriculture problems for careers as farm managers and owners, farm scouts, consultants, and agriculture related employment. Our alumni own and operate farms, work for grower based organizations, and ecological design organizations. Students also pursue graduate studies.

Core Courses: Introduction to Ecological Agriculture Principles of Plant Science Insect Pest Management Plant Pathology Commercial Plant Propagation Ecological Agriculture Internship Fundamentals of Soil Science Soil Fertility and Management Ecology, Ecosystems and the Environment Weed and Crop Ecology Principles of Agriculture and Resource and Community Development Economics Agricultural Policy and Ethics

Advanced Level Courses: Vegetable Fruit Crops Vegetable Root Crops Small Fruit Crops Tree Fruit Culture Greenhouse Operations and Management Forage Crop Management Pasture Production and Management Garden Flowers and Indoor Plants Woody Landscape Plants Composting Ecology and Management Agroecology Permaculture Ecological Farm Management Ecological Agriculture Senior Seminar

Faculty and Area of Expertise

LORRAINE P. BERKETT, PH.D.	PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY Integrated pest management in apple production, plant pathology.
SIDNEY C. BOSWORTH, PH.D.	UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY Agronomy, forage and grain crop management and production for animal agriculture.
MICHAEL BROWNBRIDGE, PH.D.	UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE, TYNE Entomology, insect pathogens for biological control of greenhouse and forest pest species.
M. ELENA GARCIA, PH.D.	UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS Cultural aspects of horticulture fruit production.
WENDY SUE HARPER, PH.D.	UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT Soil science, composting process and sustainable agriculture.
WILLIAM E. JOKELA, PH.D.	UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Soil science, nutrient and soil management for corn and forage production, soil testing, fertilizer and manure management and effect on water quality.
FREDERICK R. MAGDOFF, PH.D.	CORNELL UNIVERSITY Soil science, soil fertility, soil chemical and physical problems associated with waste disposal and bioremediation.
BRUCE L. PARKER, PH.D.	CORNELL UNIVERSITY Entomology, insect pest management, fungal pathogens for integrated pest management of greenhouse and forest pests.
LEONARD P. PERRY, PH.D.	CORNELL UNIVERSITY Horticulture, production of perennials, hardiness of plant species, perennial cut flower production.
DONALD S. ROSS, PH.D.	UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT Soil science, chemistry of soils in terrestrial ecosystems, soil and compost testing.
MARGARET SKINNER, PH.D.	UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT Entomology, insect pest management in greenhouse and forest environments, biological control using fungi.
MARK C. STARRETT, PH.D.	NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY Horticulture, propagation and production of woody ornamental plants.
MILTON E. TIGNOR, JR., PH.D.	UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA Horticulture, vegetable production, compost utilization, curriculum development, greenhouse operations and management.
JON P. TURMEL, M.S.	UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE Vermont State entomologist.

Last modified September 10 2007 04:11 PM