The College of Agricultural Science’s online Organic Farming Systems Certificate Program is touted as one of the most comprehensive of its kind, with the goal to serve the dynamic needs of a rapidly growing organic food and farming community. Available as an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate or stand-alone program, it was developed by the Department of Horticulture in collaboration with Oregon Tilth and other leaders in organic agriculture to meet the continuing education needs of working adults in the field as well as undergraduate students who have been asking for more opportunities for formal education in organic production. Community college graduates can also complete the certificate in place of (or as part of) completing a four-year degree.
“There are simply not enough people with knowledge and skills in organic soil, pest and crop management to fill these high-demand jobs,” said Alexandra Stone, an Extension Vegetable Crop Specialist, organic farmer, and one of the key contributors to the organic certificate curriculum. “Organic food and farming businesses have had to train their employees on the job, but they would prefer to hire people who already have knowledge and skills. The organic industry has been asking for accessible university-level training in the science, practice and regulations of organic food and farming. This certificate aims to fill that training gap.”
Oregon State’s certificate program is an applied program focused on cropping systems and aimed at giving students the practical knowledge and skills they need to work in organic food and farming. Eight of the program’s nine courses are focused entirely on organic, and six of the courses were newly developed for the program. Students can also approach the program in an a la carte fashion, taking single courses—for example, crop consultants may elect to take only the soil and pest management courses rather than the entire certificate. As the program is entirely online, the full program and individual courses are accessible to anyone worldwide.
According to BlueWeave Consulting, a strategic consulting and market research firm, demand for U.S. organic food continues to rise. Valued at $52.3 billion in 2020, the firm estimates that the organic food market will grow at a CAGR of 8.7%, earning revenue around $95.1 billion by the end of 2027.
“We are stepping up to meet the training needs of this fast-growing industry. More and more consumers are demanding organic products, and farmers, handlers, input suppliers, processors, and certifiers are working hard to meet that demand” added Stone. “The rapid growth of this industry means that there is a rapidly growing demand for people with organic. We anticipate demand for the program to continue to rise along with consumer demand for organic foods.”
For more information about the Organic Farming Systems Certificate program or to apply online, visit:
https://ecampus.oregonstate.edu/online-degrees/undergraduate/certificates/organic-farming-systems/