To protect and preserve

Cal Poly's College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences was awarded $39.5 million in one-time state funding to build long-term stability for food, forestry, and agricultural systems in the face of intensified weather events and changing climate patterns. 

• The funding will help provide the infrastructure needed to build programs to teach future generations sustainable agriculture practices.

Andrew Thulin, dean of Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, says that building climate resilience is critical to the future of farmers, food producers, and land, water, and air resources, and that it will benefit future generations by providing a new workforce equipped to tackle environmental challenges.

• Ironically, in the heat of recent catastrophic wildfires, the need for improving the health and resiliency of forests prior to and after the fires has been elevated.
• The funding will be used to help offset remaining restoration costs at the Swanton Pacific Ranch and help fund the college's effort to build an Education Center there.
• The funding will be used to replace aging farm equipment with climate-smart upgrades, enhance the Plant Sciences program with greenhouse facility upgrades, modernize dairy production and processing facilities, while decreasing its environmental footprint and enhancing sustainable working landscapes on campus for the college's livestock.

Students will have regular access to the Education Center through field trips, weekend enterprise classes, senior projects, undergraduate research, and residential internships. Access will be available to Cal Poly or visiting faculty conducting research, industry and government agency participants, and participants in seminars and short courses.