AGRICULTURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The Agricultural Entrepreneurship program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of sustainable food and plant production in an urban environment. To become an agripreneur, students will learn a broad range of skills in plant biology, soil science, horticulture, pest management, sustainability, and food systems as well as vital business and entrepreneurial skills. The program emphasizes the importance of social and environmental justice in food systems, while equipping students with the skills to address issues related to food insecurity and climate change. Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared for a variety of career paths, including starting their own agripreneurship enterprises in environmental horticulture or sustainable urban agriculture. This program provides students with a strong foundation for success in the growing field of urban agriculture and prepares them to make positive contributions to their communities and the environment.

Employment opportunities include positions in: Urban agriculture, urban agriculture enterprise management, fruit and vegetable landscape design/construction/maintenance,  small farm management, small farm sales

A Certificate of Achievement is awarded upon completion of all required courses with a grade of C or better.

Projected 20 students per year with room for some growth

The primary goal of this program is to increase local workforce development for sustainable urban agriculture and for the creation of local small agricultural enterprises.

Program Outcomes

• Develop small business management skills to create sustainable urban agriculture businesses.
• Apply principles of environmental horticulture to design and manage landscapes that are environmentally responsible.
• Apply skills acquired to address local and global sustainability challenges

These outcomes will equip students for careers in diverse areas of the plant sciences with an emphasis on building entrepreneurial skills.  This will allow students that complete the program to start their own business or work in local enterprises that utilize sustainable urban agricultural practices.

The core courses in this program provide a foundation in agricultural plant science – horticulture, soil science, irrigation, and pest management.  The other core areas are science and sustainability, small business management, and marketing and food production.  Together these  areas provide skill in both agriculture and small business management.

This program does not duplicate any existing or previously existing program at PCC.  It includes some courses in common with PCC’s existing AS-T degree for Plant Science.  This program will be complimentary with the existing Plant Science program and allow student a CTE option in this area of study.

The nearest similar program is located at Mt. San Antonio College (with LA Pierce College also having a similar program).  These programs both offer similar course work in horticulture and soil science, but are more focused on horticulture overall and don’t offer the focus on development of entrepreneurial skills.  Mt. San Antonio College and LA Pierce College are both 30 miles away from PCC, and would not typically be an easy commute for students.  The nearest colleges to PCC do not have similar programs.  The addition of this program to PCC would allow students from this geographic service area access.

Cal Poly Pomona offer both BS and MS degrees in these areas.  Both the current Plant and Soil Science Chair and the Chair emeritus sit on the PCC Advisory Committee and have been involved directly in the development of this program.  The Department Chairs from both the LA Pierce and Mt. San Antonio College programs have been contacted and informed of this proposal and have no objections (in fact the faculty form Mt. San Antonio College are very supportive of this addition ).

Summary of LA Pierce College Programs

The most similar program is the certificate in Horticulture.  The LA Pierce College certificate requires 18 units of course work.  The Horticulture certificate is more centered on turf grass/park management, and flowering plant production.  It also does not contain specific outcomes linked to sustainability or any outcomes related to entrepreneurship.  Additionally, LA Pierce college offers an AS degree in Horticulture, which again is more focused on flowering plant production. 

Summary of Mt. San Antionio College Programs

The most similar program at Mt. Sac is a certificate in Horticulture Science.  This program requires 18 units of coursework.  The program outcomes do not have any reference to entrepreneurial skills.  Some course work is similar, but the Mt. Sac program includes a course in turf grass management and does not include any course work in entrepreneurial skills – such as business, marketing, and accounting.  Additionally, the Mt. Sac program does not requires the science and sustainability course outlined in the PCC program.

The addition of the Agripreneurship  Program at PCC will provide student in the San Gabriel valley a much closer alternative that is tailored directly to the needs of our local community.  The combination of Plant Science and Entrepreneurship (Agripreneurship ) of the PCC program is unique for this region (similar programs exist in other states) and in alignment with initiatives from the city of Pasadena and surrounding communities. 

20 students 

n/a