California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is fortunate enough to have a large variety of agriculture units conveniently located right on campus. These agriculture units allow students to have a hands-on experience in everything from animals such as pigs and cows, to meat processing and food safety. The units employ students as early as their freshman year, and allow them to gain hands-on experience while still in college.

I decided to dive a little deeper into the dairy unit, one of the largest agriculture units and the closest to the heart of campus. The dairy produces milk, cheese, and ice cream that are sold on campus. It is heavily staffed by students who do a variety of jobs. Some of these jobs include feeding and milking. Students also have the opportunity to take part in an enterprise that allows them to be there and assist with a live birth of a calf! Students within the dairy science major are devoted to keeping the dairy running as efficiently as possible.

When Cal Poly junior Chandler Hall was asked to tell a little about the dairy unit she said: “We all rely on each other to get everything done in a timely manner. That has taught me a lot about how the dairy industry works as a community.” Hall is a milker at the dairy and loves her job. She has gained years of experience while attending school. The unit has provided her with skills that put her above other job applicants for post-grad jobs.

Only 4,172 undergraduate students are enrolled in agriculture programs at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The university is the fifth largest for agriculture in the nation. It brings up the shocking fact that less than 2 percent of our nation is involved in agriculture. The entire population of the United States relies on agriculture whether they realize it or not. The pressure is on this limited number of students to not on keep the agriculture industry alive, but to provide for the rest of the United States as well.

The university is extremely successful in putting into practice its “Learn By Doing” motto. The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences teaches classes across 9,650 acres on the California central coast. These 4,172 students are in labs starting on their first day at Cal Poly. These labs teach them hands-on skills that they go on to use in future career paths. Most people think of agriculture as crop farming or growing vegetables. However, the land owned by Cal Poly also teaches labs about everything from water and irrigation to global land management. Of this land, 6,000 acres are located directly around Cal Poly’s campus. This land is available for students to access at any time. It also houses multiple state-of-the-art facilities. All students in the agriculture programs have access to these labs and experiences. 

Even with the small amount of students, the university is known state-wide as one of the top, if not the top, agriculture school. The average salary for these students is around $46K right out of college. Even though to program is one of the smallest on campus, it shows just how close knit the agriculture industry is. Professors, interns, and students work side-by-side everyday to keep the agriculture industry afloat. The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences works every day to develop those 4,172 students into employees who will demonstrate leadership and success in their careers post-graduation. 

In fall quarter of 2019, I enrolled in BRAE 141 (Agricultural Machinery Safety). This class entailed learning about mechanics, engine anatomy and how to drive a tractor. I hadn’t driven a tractor in a long time and starting out, I honestly had no idea how they worked. This class taught me not only how to drive tractors, but it also dove into what the various parts of the tractor were doing while it was being used.

The lecture for this class encompassed a lot of heavy information. I had no prior knowledge about engines in cars, let alone tractors. It was much more complex than I thought. By the end of class I had a much deeper respect for farmers and mechanics. The machines we used were not only expensive to fix, but they were also complex. The lecture also taught me about using proper safety precautions when around the heavy machinery.

The lab was definitely my favorite part of the class. In lab I was taught about all the different parts and tools farmer use daily to take care of their land. We used a variety of implements including rippers, plows and boxes. There was also a large selection of tractor types that we got to drive. Our professor was even able to get a tractor worth over $400,000. It was huge and pretty much drove itself via GPS. This lab was completely hands-on. It was scary at first, but I can now say it was one of the best experiences of my college career.

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