A successful agriculture program in Southern California introduces farming as a viable career choice to suburban students.
Jason Margolis reports on the latest venture to engage the next generation in farming: The Buena Park High School's agriculture program. The high school program has partnered with Future Farmers of America to "Get more minority high school students, often immigrants, interested in running the farm. That includes kids who have no family background in agriculture and live in urban areas like Buena Park, California."
The program is an opportunity for the urban high school students, most of whom have no prior experience in farming, yet recognize that in "most American farms: White farmers own the land, while Latinos do the hard, manual labor. According to the US Census, Hispanics are the ‘principal operators’ of less than three percent of the nation’s farms."
The agricultural program encourages the "students to take pride in the people harvesting the crops, but also know there are other jobs on the farm too." According to high school teacher Jessica Fernandes, the program also provides agricultural college scholarship opportunities not available to students who have not completed farming classes.
FULL STORY: Solving America’s Farming Crisis Involves Our Urban High Schools
New Jersey Agrivoltaic Project Combines Solar Energy With Farming
A Rutgers University-New Brunswick demonstration farm will evaluate solar array designs to understand how they can best support grazing and agriculture on the same site.
When Pennsylvania's 'Right to Farm' Means Living With the Pigs Next Door
New residents to formerly agricultural area are trying to shut down a hog-feeding operation, but so far without much success.
The Real Cost of Clean Water in One Kansas Town
Pretty Prairie has water with very high levels of nitrates, and lots of farmers that need to use nitrates if they want to keep the local economy going.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service