College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

The College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo prepares their students to become “innovative professional(s) ready to solve the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways.”  

Students of the college not only learn from expect faculty and alumni, they have access to world class vineyards, living laboratories, ranch lands, orchards, and forests that provide powerful “learn by doing” opportunities, and result in graduates that are highly sought after by prestigious employers upon graduation.  

Departments & Degrees | Agricultural Operations | Products by the College | Contact Information

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Departments and Degrees

There are nine primary departments in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences that house the 15 undergraduate and six graduate degree programs.  

Undergraduate and Graduate degrees are awarded in the following fields:

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Agricultural Operations

The Agricultural Operations facilities are an expansive ranching and farming operation housed within the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at Cal Poly. 

The academic programs within the college have access to approximately 10,000 acres of land which are used for farming and ranching operations, and support the Equine Center; Beef Cattle Evaluation Center; Rodeo Unit; Dairy Science; Swine Center; Poultry Center; Sheep Center; Beef Center; and Horticulture and Crop Science units. 

The land is not only used to enhance the college’s “learn by doing” philosophy; it also provides students a place to research new practices, demonstrate new principals to industry partners, and provides the ideal setting for students to apply practically what is learned in the classroom.

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Products of Cal Poly College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences

With almost 10,000 acres of farmland, the students of Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences are able to produce an incredible variety of foods, flowers, and plants that are sold throughout the year.  Those products include:

Cal Poly Wine

Cal Poly’s ideal location between the Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande, and Edna Valley American Viticultural Areas provides students with ample opportunities to learn from experts about the process of winemaking “from vineyard to bottle”.

Cal Poly Organic Farm Fruits and Vegetables

Cal Poly’s organic farm sits on 11 acres within the Cal Poly campus, and has certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers.  Seasonal fruits and vegetables are sold year-round at the on-campus farm stand and during the downtown SLO Farmers Market.

Cal Poly Chocolates

Cal Poly Chocolates was started in 2000 as a student enterprise project, and is still run by students under the guidance of their Operations Manager, Molly Lear.  The chocolates are created using only organic and Fair Trade certified chocolate, and are sold on campus, in markets around the central coast, and by special order.

Cal Poly Jam and BBQ Sauce

In addition to the Cal Poly Chocolates, the Food Science and Nutrition Department also developed Cal Poly Jam and Cal Poly BBQ Sauce.  Similar to the chocolate, these products are sold on campus, in markets around the central coast, and by special order.

Cal Poly Cheese

Cal Poly Cheese began as another Student Enterprise project, and the seven varieties of gourmet cheese continue to be produced out of the creamery on the Cal Poly campus.  The cheeses are only available for sale at the Campus Market, or through the Cal Poly Cheese website. 

Cal Poly Eggs

The poultry center at Cal Poly houses 14,000 chickens that produce approximately 3.3 million eggs per year, which are then sold in grocery stores on the central coast and in the Campus Market.  

Cal Poly Meats

Students of the beef, swine, and poultry production and evaluation classes get hands on experience in the evaluation and sale of meat products directly to the public.  Students first learn to evaluate and grade beef, pork, and chicken according to USDA standards, and then get experience cutting, producing, and packaging the various meats for sale.  Products of Cal Poly Meats include the fresh beef, pork, and chicken, but also specialty meats and packages like bacon, sausage, jerky, hot dogs, ribs, brisket, tri-tip, and fajitas.

Swanton Pacific Ranch Natural Beef

The Swanton Pacific Ranch provides Cal Poly students direct experience in ranch management and the cattle business as they raise herds of grass-fed and grain-fed Black Angus-based cattle, which is then sold every spring and fall. 

Poly Plant Shop

The Poly Plant shop is open year round, and provides the community with a commercial nursery and florist on the Cal Poly Campus.  

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Contact Information

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