Northeast Iowa Community College and Community College Alliance to Lead National Ag Education Consortium

CALMAR, Iowa–Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), a founding member of the Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement (C2A3), is excited to announce a ground-breaking initiative with U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). This $9 million, four-year program is part of a cooperative agreement between C2A3 and USDA-NRCS to create a national agriculture center for two-year colleges and connect more students to agriculture career pathways. C2A3 is a collaboration of nine schools across eight states that began eight years ago as a 501c3 organization. In addition to NICC in Calmar, Iowa, member schools are Central Lakes College, Staples, Minn.; Clark State College, Springfield, Ohio; Illinois Central College, East Peoria, Ill.; Ivy Tech Community College, Lafayette, Ind.; Lake Area Technical College, Watertown, S.D.; Northcentral Technical College, Wausau, Wis.; Northeast Community College, Norfolk, Neb.; and Richland Community College, Decatur, Ill. "C2A3 began as a Midwest consortium," said Executive Director Tracy Kruse. "But with this partnership, we will be able to expand to include colleges from across the nation. Our goal is to have at least 50 community and technical college members by the end of the four-year award period." C2A3 will become a national hub for two-year ag education, developing expertise and regionally specific programming and curriculum that can be replicated across the country. Through this alliance, member colleges can access these resources and gain assistance in building partnerships with their local and state USDA-NRCS offices. Astrid Martinez, Director of the Conservation Planning and Technical Assistance division with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, has been very active in getting this agreement established. "C2A3 schools will increase students' interest in agriculture, natural resources and conservation, with a focus on preparing students for USDA jobs. National skill standards will be developed in natural resource conservation, precision agriculture, and agronomy," said Martinez. "This is an important step in developing the next generation of agricultural leaders." The national ag education consortium will also encourage applied research and outreach activities on college farms and urban agriculture facilities. Several C2A3 schools, including NICC, already have continuous projects in place that are related to soil quality, water quality, urban agriculture, livestock and grazing. Proposed projects include artificial intelligence and precision livestock; crop drainage and irrigation management; soil quality, field/pasture renovation and cover crops; water quality, pond and wetland management; silvopasture management; and urban agriculture. Northeast Iowa Community College, in partnership with the Northeast Iowa Dairy & Agriculture Foundation, implemented no-till and cover crop management practices on the 170-acre cropland at the Calmar campus in 2014. Ten years of data clearly illustrate the positive effects on soil health and water quality. "Student participation in applied research is the cornerstone of cultivating the next generation of agricultural innovators and problem solvers," Kruse explained. "By using real-life examples of conservation in classroom and laboratory experiences, students can bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application." The expanded C2A3 consortium will also create internship opportunities and student leadership experiences that include real-life skills and networking with USDA employees. In addition, it will cover travel expenses for faculty and students to attend an annual conference and gain practical experiences and knowledge to put to future use. "The rapid growth of technology in agriculture requires colleges to be nimble and respond quickly to changes within the industry," Kruse said. "This alliance will support the colleges and provide them the tools to rapidly respond to the workforce needs within agriculture." This agreement will fund the hiring of four employees to implement this work, including the hiring of a national director, an instructional designer, an outreach coordinator and an executive assistant. These positions will work remotely and will be accessible to all member institutions and USDA-NRCS as the partnership is built. The Alliance is expected to start this work immediately. For more information on C2A3, visit www.agalliance.net. Northeast Iowa Community College offers 15 different agriculture and animal sciences programs at its Calmar, Iowa, campus or online that prepare students for rewarding careers in agriculture. NICC programs, both on-campus and online, prepare students to start a great career, transfer to a four-year college or lead the family farm into the next generation. For more information visit nicc.edu/agscience. Stay informed, stay inspired! Newsletter sign up is free and join hundreds of free subscribers who rely on DecorahNews.com for trusted information and fresh perspectives.