Sustainable Agriculture Science and Policy

Catalog description

This inter-domain (GN/GS) general education course addresses the science, socio-economics, and politics of managing food and fiber production systems; and the sustainability implications of current practices and future options. The course will teach students about the soil, plant, animal, and ecological sciences; technologies, socio-economic implications, and policies of our agroecosystems in an integrated manner. We will examine agricultural scientific, agricultural policy, and economic opportunities to enhance the sustainability of agriculture for food and fiber production. Students will have many opportunities to examine and critically analyze scientific knowledge and policies during discussions, writing exercises, and role playing to develop analytical and communication skills. There are no prerequisites for this course. This course can link with other courses that address how research and efforts in agricultural sciences, ecology, policy, economics, philosophy, education, and communication influence sustainable management of natural resources for the present and the future.