Sustainable Agriculture (deactivated 2026)

At its core, Sustainable Agriculture is about working, managing, or owning an agricultural enterprise that is part of an integrated system of people, organizations, plants, animals, soils, and other natural resources that are part of an agricultural ecosystem and provides students with an interdisciplinary and holistic lens for thinking about farming, balancing its environmental, social and economic dimensions, and managing the farm itself and its relationship with the surrounding landscape and neighboring communities. Students interested in this area of study are encouraged to check out the Sustainable Agriculture minor. 

Possible Career Options

Classes and Curriculum

This program is rooted in interdisciplinary coursework, hands-on farming experiences, and developing key employer-requested skills. Students pursuing the major will not only learn about agricultural practice but will graduate with valuable transferable skills in problem-solving, written and verbal communication, management, advocacy, sustainable sourcing and marketing, entrepreneurship, big-picture and detail-oriented systems-thinking, teamwork and leadership; skills that provide an edge in any career. It will teach students to think critically about environmental sustainability, human-environment interactions, and our changing food system, preparing them as responsible citizens who can create cutting-edge jobs in the 21st-century economy.

Getting Involved

There are several student organizations where students can be involved in issues of sustainability, including opportunities on campus to actually contribute to and experience getting your hands in the soil.

Ohio State Student Farm & Student Growing Collaborative

The Ohio State Student Farm is a 4-acre plot at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory. It is a space for Ohio State students of all identities and academic backgrounds to engage in learning, research, and collaborative projects. This space was created by students with the help of faculty of Horticulture and Crop Science and Engineering Education to empower themselves and future students to experience first-hand the present and future of sustainable agriculture and food justice.

The Student Growing Collaborative serves as the student face and organizational foundation of Ohio State's Student Farm, making decisions related to farm management, produce distribution, and events. 

Questions?

Bri Schneider 
Academic Program Coordinator
Department of Horticulture and Crop Science
schneider.802@osu.edu 
Phone: 614- 247-9547