We thought the sustainability-minded among you would be interested in this upcoming symposium on urban agriculture at UDC. From Leslie Malone, communications manager for UDC CAUSES:
Did you know that UDC is a land-grant institution? Land-grants are tasked by USDA to research solutions for agricultural concerns. Being an urban land-grant institution makes the University of the District of Columbia different from the other colleges and universities local to the Washington, D.C. metro area. As a land-grant, UDC must provide education both on campuses and in communities. Yet our community is urban, unlike those served by traditional land-grant colleges.
UDC’s land-grant programs are part of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES). CAUSES offers research-based programs for both the university and the community. CAUSES is also making strides to address the lack of access to healthy and affordable food; especially in the more underserved areas of the District, known as food deserts. Some of our most popular offerings include farming and gardening education programs focused on techniques that can be replicated in small, urban spaces; many of which are taught at the Muirkirk Research Farm in Beltsville, Maryland.
The upcoming Urban Agriculture Symposium hosted by CAUSES on Friday, October 24th will feature experts from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, New York’s Cornell University and Elon College in North Carolina. The following day, CAUSES will offer a limited farm tour and workshop at Muirkirk Farm, located at 15501 Old Baltimore Pike in Beltsville. Both events are free with registration.
Day 1, Friday, October 24th (9:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.) consists of the conference and breakout sessions. Featured keynotes include: Steve Moore, a lecturer of environmental studies and agroecology at Elon University, North Carolina; Dr. Dionne Fortsen Toombs, director of nutrition, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA; and Philson Warner, an applied scientist at Cornell University Cooperative Extension in New York, and also the founding director of the New York City Hydroponics, Aquaculture, Aquaponics Learning Labs which are located at the Food and Finance High School in New York. Location: 4200 Connecticut Ave. NW, Building 32, Suite 200
Day 2, Saturday, October 25th (10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) will feature tours of of the urban agriculture initiatives at Washington Parks & People and the UDC Muirkirk Research Farm. Participants must provide their own transportation.
Contact causes@udc.edu for more information or call (202) 274-7124.