January 2007
Free online sustainable agriculture course for ag professionals
Extension professionals attend many courses and field days; the new USDA SARE program's online sustainable agriculture course offers another opportunity to update information and skills
A new online course on the basics of sustainable agriculture and what it means for farmers, ranchers and communities across the United States is now being offered free of by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.
Although designed primarily for Cooperative Extension and Natural Resource Conservation Service personnel, the coursework also is useful for other agricultural, natural resource and community-development professionals, according to David Chaney, education coordinator for the University of California's Davis-based Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. Chaney, who also serves as the western region representative to USDA’s SARE program, helped create the course.
"The best thing about the course is that it is interactive and is in a Web-based format that includes a variety of activities, real-life examples and extensive links to other Web sites that offer information, resources and assistance," he said. "Participants will be able to work even more effectively with clients, and develop research and extension programs that improve farming and ranching systems. A major advantage is that it is self-guided and self-paced so that students can complete it on their own schedule."
The course, titled Sustainable Agriculture: Basic Principles and Concept, can be accessed at the SARE National Continuing Education Program Web site at http://www.sare.org/coreinfo/ceprogram.htm.
Media contact:
Lyra Halprin, (530) 752-8664, lhalprin@ucdavis.edu
