Educational

Welcome, new Terps! Congratulations and welcome to campus, first-year IAA Terps! We are excited to have you as a new student in our program. At New Student Orientation , you will meet your advisor, get to know other students, register for classes, and obtain a University photo ID card. All incoming...

Donald Webster is a Commercial Aquaculture Regional Specialist with University of Maryland Extension . He will discuss the history of the oyster industry, including periods of decline and recent efforts to rebuild using hatchery technology. He will also cover basic oyster biology, the operation of...

Are you curious about starting your own farm? Interested in the use of sustainable agricultural practices? With enterprise selection, financing, credit, land access, business management, and more to consider, it can be challenging to make the first move. Ben ( University of Maryland Extension ) and...

Co-Owners and lead Food Alchemists of HEX Ferments , a Baltimore based fermented foods company, will share how they got started, why they work with local organic growers and why it is important to strengthen the local foodshed. They will demonstrate how to make sauerkraut and kombucha while talking...

Kate and Bill will share the work they do at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). They will focus on the USDA’s regulatory pathway for genetically engineered (GE) prganisms and the...

With legalization underway in many states, how does cannabis production fit into the overall scene of sustainable agriculture? Natalie ( Buds Organic ) will discuss cannabis as an up-and-coming legal enterprise, its value in the overall economy, and sustainable or organic production methods. She...

Rob's ( Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Maryland Grazers Network ) talk will cover descriptions of joint efforts between CBF , University of Maryland Extension , Natural Resources Conservation Service , and local livestock farmers to manage agricultural runoff and enhance farm viability. The Grazers...

Nick ( Community Foodworks ) and Mary Alice ( Dreaming Out Loud ) will share the work they do at local non-profit organizations that operate urban farmers markets and increase access to fresh, locally grown food. The evening will take a larger focus on the concepts of food justice and food...

Local beekeeper and IAA alum Robert "Bob" Borkowski will be running a short course on the basics of apiculture (beekeeping), right here at the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA)! As the first installment of our 2017 Sustainable Agriculture Tuesdays series, this workshop is open to the UMD...

All certificate-seeking IAA students are required to attend and participate in New Student Orientation. Participants are required to remain for the entirety of the Orientation. To prepare for your visit ahead of time, download an IAA Orientation Checklist . New students must complete an...