Feb 25, 2013

Cal Poly to partner with California Strawberry Commission

Cal Poly and the California Strawberry Commission have signed an agreement to create the first of its kind Strawberry Sustainability Research and Education Center. The center will focus on applied research that incorporates both teaching and learning experiences for Cal Poly students, faculty, and California strawberry farmers.

“This partnership will enrich our Learn by Doing approach by providing our students, faculty and staff the opportunity to work alongside experts in the strawberry industry on real-world challenges. This partnership is an important step forward in our desire to strengthen ties with key California industries so that our students can learn, do and succeed,”said Cal Poly president Jeffrey D. Armstrong. “Faculty and undergraduate students from every corner of campus, including hydrologists, entomologists, plant scientists, engineers, packaging scientists and marketers, to name a few, will each have a hand in this important work for one of the nation’s leading industries.”

“Locally-produced foods are important to Californians, and we have created this unique partnership to address challenges facing farmers in the 21st century,”said Mark Murai, president of the California Strawberry Commission. “We are committed to a robust partnership focused on innovation and applied research intended to help keep strawberry farming viable in California.”

David Wehner, dean of Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences, added, “By forming the Strawberry Sustainability Research and Education Center, we will enable some of the nation’s brightest students to work hand-in-hand with talented and dedicated faculty across disciplines – whether it’s in agriculture, engineering or business – to provide practical solutions to the strawberry industry. Applying classroom learning to real-world problems is what Cal Poly is all about.”