We have achieved great success over the past year in engaging many people across our campus and surrounding community, as we envision what a sustainable food systems curriculum and student farm can be. Here are some highlights from our planning process so far. This is truly a collective initiative!
Integrative Planning Process Accomplishments in Year 1: 2014-2015
Student Engagement and Support
- A fall 2014 survey of current Penn State undergrad and grad students demonstrates significant and broad student interest (461 responses, 20 or more responses each from seven colleges).
- 82% want to have a student farm at Penn State
- 78% would choose to enroll in a course that incorporates on-farm activities over a similar course that does not
- 70% want to learn about healthy eating and sustainable crop production on the student farm
- 85%-90% want to purchase fresh vegetables and fruit from the student farm, through direct market outlets (i.e. campus farm stand)
- 61% of undergrad students would purchase student farm products over similar non-student farm products in the dining commons
- 160 students from 36 majors and six colleges have engaged in planning during fall 2014-spring 2015 through class projects, independent studies, club activities, and volunteering their time.
- Student leaders on the Facilities Fees Advisory Committee allocated $225,000 for student farm site development: funds will cover utilities and a building for tool/equipment storage.
Faculty and Staff Engagement and Support
- 70 faculty and staff have attended student farm visioning meetings to contribute to planning.
- Faculty self-identified 69 existing courses and at least 13 new course ideas, across several colleges, that would be enhanced through the student farm teaching facilities.
- Nine faculty and staff have already submitted three federal grant proposals seeking funding for their teaching and research on the student farm (all currently pending).
- Faculty/staff unit representation includes eight colleges and nine other units.
Institutional and Operational Engagement and Support
- OPP’s Landscape Architect has developed a preliminary site design.
- Housing and Food Services is eager to purchase student farm products.
National Benchmarking
- 95 US colleges and universities have student farms, including 33 Land Grant Universities.
- Universities’ dining services are purchasing more local, sustainable, and organic foods, often to recruit students; over 164 US colleges and universities have farm-to-college programs.
- Over 20 colleges and universities now have undergraduate food systems programs (majors, minors, certificates).