Meeting & Agendas

Savannah Rugg – Dept Chair – Agriculture Science Sue Beckwith – Exec Dir of TCLF (Texas Local Food) Matthew Olson – ACC Ag Science Dept Farm Manager Becky Hume – VRDNT Farm Chiana Palmer – FPAC-NRCS, TX - USDA

• Not here to set up the next meeting. An email will go out for the consensus of what would work best in the spring for everyone.

• Meeting adjourn at 5:26pm (Savannah and Becky went to tour the farm)

• Update of the fall 2023 farm crew – provided the breakdown of each employee, their hours spent on the farm and their areas of expertise • Farm expansion - Expanded vegetable & flower planting • Farm stand success • Sue inquired - if Ag is making farm stand/interns a part of the curriculum to share and explain the “cost sheet”? • Volunteer Friday’s – every Friday 9am – 12noon; working on getting a waiver created for non-ACC people. Want to open it up for the community. • Farm and other ACC dept collaborations – culinary school; farm fundraiser dinner to start in spring 24 collaboration with culinary school; 737 will be providing lunch to the farm crew • 2nd semester of the farm and ACC visual communication department collaborating to provide successful marketing outcomes • Farm outreach – facilitated an Urban Roots farm visit; participated in the 50th anniversary birthday; etc. • Farm tours – open to farm tours for ACC, community, high schools, and other interested parties • Future direction of the farm – chickens will be coming to the farm. Shout out to Rob, who will be providing chickens; Prof Eichman has been working with the interns to get the chicken coop up and going; pregnant sheep to produce at some point; beekeeping classes; mycology classes; and the establishment of incubator farm space • Sue inquired – if there is water in the back field for the expansion o Yes, there is but will work with Clean Scapes to provide additional watering that is needed.

• Waiting on fall 23 numbers from the data department • As of fall 22 – 59 declared ag science majors o Associate of Science – Agriculture Science o Associate of Applied Science – Sustainable Ag & Farm to Table Entrepreneurship • There are 5 full-time staff (2- full time faculty; 1-adjunct; farm manager; senior lab assistant; program assistant. • Sue inquired – what is the break down in the degrees earned. o Savanah 40/19 – (19 still feels that they need the bachelor’s degree. o The students are very diverse in where they are in the program, age, gender, background, etc. • Farm to table AAS award (now live in the ACC catalog) trying to promote this with ACC students in the sustainable realm and trying to see if more business courses are needed at this time or just focus on the culinary courses for now? Student will have to decide which side of the business they are most interested in. • This is a true collaboration with culinary • ACC Elgin kitchen – will begin offering culinary workshops and classes • 2 – additional graduates bringing the total to 19 since 2021!!! o 10 students are transferring o 9 students are AAS degreed • Trying to find the full-time employment upon completion of graduating. Trying to find how to find a pathway into full-time work. • Becky expressed how farmers are needing help and the ending of the program needs places to place students upon completion. • Becky wants to have more conversations about how to move forward with hiring students completing the program. • Many discussions were had about how to find the median for students completing the program and getting them hired by farmers.

• Changes to the degree – trying to be sure all prerequisites are taken before they transfer. • In the past it had not been required, but it is needed in the transfer; its needed in the core curriculum. • Discussions were had about the requirements needed to transfer, and how this will make the Ag Science degree more doable. • Focus on business, marketing, agribusiness, math, workforce catalog (that’s larger than the WECM) and change out some classes. There are only three teaching these classes right now. • Sue inquired about the math courses needed to have a higher degree in order to teach a basic math course.

• No edits requests were made – only questions and statements were made relevant to the AAS degree option. • Discussions about the level of math course, and ideas about various options that could make it more doable. Only suggestions, ideas, and thoughts were discussed regarding math levels.

• Briefly introduced and had conversations about the proposal a new certificate. More discussions to come when a greater number of advisory committee members are available to collaborate and provide feedback. Will send out the proposed curriculum for input and suggestions.

• Presented the curriculum proposition and will send this out to get the approval to move forward. Wanted to get the input from the committee to see what their idea is on what would work best. Will send out the proposed curriculum for input and suggestions.

• Will further discuss updates in the near future.

• Would like to see more collaborations with graduating Ag students, through hiring and aligning with them interns. Continued discussions to come in the near future.