Students at Tarleton State University will soon be able to take sustainable food-related courses thanks to a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant program.
The program granted Tarleton’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences $294,084 to “increase campus and community awareness of food and nutrition sustainability through several education, research and outreach programs,” according to Dr. Don Cawthon, professor at the school.
Funding will help raise awareness of the health benefits of fresh food, help reduce food waste, teach students the benefits of gardening and fresh food and give students the opportunity to pursue food-related careers.
Tarleton, one of 10 non-land grant colleges and universities awarded funding, will also create classes based on food sustainability, medical nutrition, organic agriculture and vegetable gardening.
The university will partner with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and A&M AgriLife Extension agencies in Erath County to execute the research and outreach components of the USDA-grant funded programs, according to a university news release.
Other universities selected include: Texas Tech University, California State University, Fort Hays State University, Wayne State University, Missouri State University, University of Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State University and University of Wisconsin.
USDA granted a total of $4 million to universities to further agricultural research and teaching.