Natural fit for WSU-Everett
Published 12:01 am Wednesday, August 24, 2011
As part of the deal that will put Washington State University in charge of University Center at Everett Community College, the Pullman-based institution must add its engineering degree to the program in the fall of 2012. This is in direct response to industry demand — Boeing needs engineers, now an
d in the future.
The ability to quickly respond to market demands is the difference between being an economic driver or a day late and a dollar short.
WSU showed this understanding when it offered the nation’s first degree in organic agriculture in 2008. It now also offers an 18-credit certificate in organic ag, which can be earned online, as part of a major, or on its own.
Now dozens of other universities (and not necessarily the land-grant schools) are offering courses, certificates or degree programs in organic and sustainable agriculture, USA Today reported. The graduates shouldn’t have trouble finding jobs as the industry replaces aging farmers — the average age of a U.S. farmer is 57 — and farmers look to diversify their operations, the paper reported.
Washington is second only to California in sales of organic farm products. When it comes to fruit, Washington is the No. 1 conventional and organic producer of apples, pears and cherries in the nation.
Miles McEvoy, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s organic program, and former director of the Washington Department of Agriculture’s organic program, called WSU’s field of study “forward thinking.” Consumer demand for organic food is still growing, he said, creating a need for an educated workforce. Schools are responding to rising demand for food that is produced on sustainable farms that are environmentally responsible and treat workers and animals humanely, USA Today reported.
Farming today is more technically and financially demanding than ever. About one-quarter of farmers today have bachelor’s degrees and close to 70 percent have some college coursework, according to the American Farm Bureau — compared to the 4 percent of farmers and ranchers who had college degrees in 1965.
WSU has long had an important presence in Snohomish County through its agriculture extension courses and programs. Adding the organic agriculture degree to the offerings at University Center would be a natural fit.
Those involved in agriculture education are quick to point out that “organic” and “sustainability” are not the same thing, and that many conventional farms can incorporate changes that make sense, such as scaling back or eliminating the use of pesticides, which can help save money and the environment, without converting completely to organic farming.
Snohomish County stands to grow, and smartly, with WSU firmly planted in farming education at University Center.
