Center for Sustainability

Center for Sustainability

Agriculture for Tomorrow


A College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) Program

Cal Poly landscape

Stewards of Tomorrow

Preparing leaders in sustainability through education, research, outreach, and operations.

To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.

  —Mahatma Gandhi

Activities

To view our upcoming events, please visit the current Monthly Announcements Page

For our most recent happenings, please go to our News Page

Current and Ongoing Programs


Climate Smart Agriculture

Demonstrations and resources for farmers, conservation professionals and the public. As part of our climate smart agriculture activities, we are involved in:

CDFA Healthy Soils Program at J. Lohr and Tablas Creek Vineyards through 2020,
  at the Cal Poly Lemon Orchard and BeeSweet Citrus through spring 2023, and
  on the rangelands of Swanton Pacific Ranch through spring 2024.

Carbon Farm Planning workshops with Carbon Cycle Institute and the COMET Farm Team.

 

Sustainable Ag Minor

A minor in Sustainable Agriculture is open to all Cal Poly students. In it, students approach modern agricultural problems from a holistic perspective, emphasizing agricultural planning integrated with ecological principles. Through experience in sustainable agricultural practices, students learn about a farm in the context of an agro-ecosystem: a system whose processes and relationships can be manipulated to allow production with fewer adverse environmental impacts and external inputs. Students develop knowledge and skills involving holistic management, crop production, and adaptive decision-making in a hands-on environment. The minor is currently advised by Dr. Ashraf Tubeileh in the Plant Sciences Department, and co-advised by Dr. Claire Balint at the Center for Sustainability. 
To view minor requirements within the Cal Poly 2022-2026 Course Catalog*, please CLICK HERE

* Requirements for the Sustainable Ag Minor are currently being updated for the Quarter-2-Semester conversion in 2026. If you are a Cal Poly student interested in pursuing a minor in sustainable agriculture, please send an email to Dr. Tubeileh or Dr. Balint to schedule an appointment.  
 

The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) 

Seed grants and support for student projects with a focus on environmental/ economic/ social sustainability. For more information and application process CLICK HERE. 
 

Sustainable Ag Lecture Series (SALS) 

Pre-pandemic, we hosted guest speakers on timely topics once per quarter. This was a great way to learn about new things happening in food and agriculture and to network with others having similar interests. Since 2021, we have hosted speakers both virtually and in person on an ad hoc basis. If you are interested in partnering with CFS to host a guest speaker or event, please email: cfs@calpoly.edu 
 

Announcements

Our monthly ‘updates’, delivered to your inbox, are a great way to keep abreast of activities happening on campus and around the Central Coast in the realm of sustainable food and ag systems. These updated lists of activities also include links to find more information on special events and opportunities around San Luis Obispo County, the state of California, and online.
Subscribe by emailing us at cfs@calpoly.edu

 

Past Programs

The Center for Sustainability has played an important role in bringing many innovative concepts, models and programs to Cal Poly and the San Luis Obispo region over two decades of service. We are very grateful to all of the many people we have worked with in these collaborations – and who are still working hard to create a more environmentally-friendly and socially responsible food system. We would particularly like to thank the many funders who have helped to support programs such as these:

Cal Poly Organic Farm & CSA Program

Cal Poly Compost Project

Cal Poly Land Project

Cal Poly Permaculture Design Series

Cal Poly Sustainability Learning Objectives (and assessments)

Campus Sustainability Charrettes

Central Coast Foodshed Guide

Eco-Farm Alumni Gatherings

Farmer Experiential Education and Development (FEED) Program

Market Gardening Series

Resilient Food Systems Conference

Soil Health Dimensions

Sustainable Agriculture Pest Management Conference (PMC)

Sustainable Stewards Internship Program

SLOcavore artisan food series

SLO City Farm projects (and regional Buy Fresh Buy Local initiatives)

SLO County Farmer’s Guild

SLO Slow Food and Slow Money collaborations

Urban Farming living wall project

Taste of the Future Dinners
 

Thank you !

Related Content

Upcoming

More events

Resources

Students at Swanton Pacific Ranch

Explore topics and initiatives in sustainable agriculture

Go to Resources

Giving

Learn by Doing on the campus farm

Make a Gift

Sign Up

Monthly Updates

Go to Announcements