CSU, Chico News

California State University, Chico College of Agriculture recently received organic certification for its dairy facility at the Agricultural Teaching and Research Center in Chico, California. The unit will be a seasonal, pasture-based operation milking 50 jersey cows, with plans to grow to 100 cows in the next three years, creating a unique educational center.

In keeping with the basic philosophy that students learn by doing, the unit will be managed by a team of students who will be responsible for all aspects of organic dairy production, including cow health, milk quality, records management, pasture management, budgeting and marketing.

"Our students are the primary product on the University Farm," said Charlie Crabb, dean of Agriculture, "Creating new and innovative learning environments for our students is our commitment to our service area. The new Organic Dairy will provide students with a hands-on learning experience they could not get anywhere else."

"Organic agriculture has gone mainstream in many respects, and our students need to have that training to be competitive in the industry, " explained Cindy Daley, professor of animal science and director of the project. "Our unit fits the organic model quite well, and it has become obvious that we can help the organic industry through applied research and demonstration activities that will also benefit our students. Our activities will augment the work being done at the state and federal levels and will help provide the science-based information necessary to help those producers interested in organic production systems."

The project was conceived and developed in cooperation with Barbara Reed, Glenn County dairy extension specialist, and funded primarily through the Agriculture Research Initiative, a statewide initiative for the purposes of applied agricultural research. An industry panel of organic dairy producers has been assembled to direct the applied research program to ensure that the program stays on task with addressing industry needs.

The heifers are expected to calve in March 2007, at which time they will be fully certified and producing organic milk.

"This new dairy facility is another example of the campus commitment to sustainability and will be a cornerstone to further developments within the College of Agriculture in regard to organic agriculture," said Daley.

For more information, contact Daley at 530-518-4187 or e-mail cdaley@csuchico.edu.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 7th, 2006 at 8:30 am and is filed under 2006 Fall.