At our core, the Institute of Applied Agriculture’s (IAA) mission is to make post-secondary agricultural education accessible to all Marylanders; several strides have been made toward making this possible. In the Spring of 2018, the IAA began a partnership with the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) by offering hybrid courses (which meet both online and in-person) in Southern Maryland. The partnership makes credit-bearing UMD courses more accessible to Southern Maryland residents by providing a simple application process, scholarships, and a blended distance learning format that accommodates students with work and family obligations.
Last spring semester has proven to be a success, and the IAA is excited to announce that they will be continuing the partnership with SMADC! In Spring 2019, the IAA and SMADC will offer INAG 103: Agricultural Marketing. "The University of Maryland’s Institute of Applied Agriculture is thrilled to again be partnering with SMADC to bring this course to Southern Maryland residents. To advance agriculture in the state, it’s imperative to continue to make education accessible to the citizens,” said Glori Hyman, Director of the Institute of Applied Agriculture.
IAA courses offer relatable, real-world content. The IAA instructors have industry experience, which allows them to help students connect with local resources and grow their networks.
The Agricultural Marketing course will examine principles of market demand that are used to develop a consumer-oriented market strategy for their agricultural business. Topics will include market structures, target marketing, market segmentation, niche marketing and direct marketing. Market concepts unique to agricultural products are also covered. Additionally, one field trip day will be arranged for Southern Maryland students to visit the Dupont Circle Farmers Market in Washington, D.C.
IAA Sustainable Agriculture Adviser and Lecturer Meredith Epstein said, “It [the Agricultural Marketing course] centers on the creation of a marketing plan for an agricultural business, which students usually choose to do for their own businesses. The course helps students understand the greater economic powers at play in the industry, identify a customer base, determine pricing strategies, develop a brand identity, and more.”
Participating students must attend four required in-person class meetings in Southern Maryland on the following dates:
- Wednesday, January 30th, 2019 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. – SMADC Office at 15045 Burnt Store Road, Hughesville, MD 20637
- Wednesday, March 13th, 2019 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. – SMADC Office
- Sunday, April 14th, 2019 from 10:00-12:00 p.m – Dupont Circle Farmers Market at 1500 20th Street NW, Washington DC, 20036
- Wednesday, May 15th, 2019 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. – SMADC Office
To enroll in the Ag Class Partnership and register for the course, complete the University of Maryland IAA registration process and mail in your application as soon as possible. Scholarships are available on a first come, first served basis through SMADC.
“We are happy to be able to offer this partnership again with the college, to bring this blended distance learning course to Southern Maryland. We believe the course is a great opportunity for farmers, college-age students, and working adults who would like to participate and who don’t want to travel too far from home.” said Shelby Watson-Hampton, Director of SMADC.
For more information please visit: http://smadc.com/ageducation.html
