Agriculture, Food, and Sustainability
CENTER for SUSTAINABILITY AND GLOBAL CHANGE
Agriculture, Food, and Sustainability majors are farm-focused and community-minded. They are interested in the ways in which local farmers and food enterprises contribute  to healthy food supply—from growing crops and raising animals, all the way through to distribution and fair access to food. They are keenly interested in where their food comes from. They have an innate respect for the land, what it provides, and the people who work it. They are both naturalists and business people.
Agriculture, Food, and Sustainability majors are not afraid to be advocates for social change when it comes to protecting farmlands and furthering best practices in agriculture. They are concerned about changing government food policies. They care about alleviating hunger at the town level and beyond. They see great opportunity in the future of farming. They want to play an active role in producing nutritious food and making it more accessible to all.
 Is this you?
Do you marvel at the shape and shine of an heirloom apple? Do barnyard sounds and smells excite you? Could you stand wearing rubber boots for 12 hours a day? Would you be comfortable milking a cow? A goat? Leading a draft horse in long rows for hours? Can you explain why it’s important to preserve farmland? Are you willing to take the time to understand what Fair Trade really means and be open to its evolution? Are you interested in economics? Would you find getting up at 5 a.m. to pack two hundred pounds of cheese for market fun? Does the thought of eating a meal of foods produced entirely in your neighborhood satisfy you?
If yes, an Agriculture, Food, and Sustainability major is for you.
What you’ll study 
In addition to core biology and chemistry courses, your studies will also include:
- Business Management
- Economics of Resource Conservation and Sustainability
- Soil Fertility
- Sustainable Agriculture Practicum
- Sustainable Landscape Horticulture
Complete Program Requirements
What you’ll do
Your projects may include:
- Designing a sustainable garden
- Growing produce to supply a local food pantry
- Writing a marketing plan for a community store selling local foods
- Giving a talk on farming at a local grade school
- Pressing and bottling cider
- Spending nights in the barn during lambing season
- Writing an article on local farmers’ markets for the local newspaper
- Working internships on farms throughout the state Maine in partnership with the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)
Who will teach you
Where your major can take you
Agriculture, Food and Sustainability graduates may go on to become:
Community Development Coordinators
Farmers
Farmland Preservation Coordinators
Food Writers and Journalists
Local Government Officers
Small Business Entrepreneurs
Explore a Career in Agriculture, Food and Sustainability
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