5 Years of Teaching 5 Years of Teaching Precision Agriculture at a Precision Agriculture at a

California Community California Community CollegeCollege

West Hills Community CollegeWest Hills Community CollegeFarm of the FutureFarm of the Future

OverviewOverview

West Hills CollegeWest Hills College CoalingaCoalinga Program TimelineProgram Timeline Course DescriptionsCourse Descriptions Future of ProgramFuture of Program DifficultiesDifficulties

Where is Coalinga?Where is Coalinga?

Westside FarmingWestside Farming

Large Fields (>160 Large Fields (>160 acre)acre)

Large Farms (>5,000 Large Farms (>5,000 acre)acre)

Expensive Water Expensive Water (>$150/acre-foot)(>$150/acre-foot)

Major CropsMajor Crops Cotton Almonds Pistachio Tomato Melons Winter Wheat Garlic

Before 2000Before 2000

Animal ScienceAnimal Science Rodeo ProgramRodeo Program

20002000

Hired Dr. Larry RathbunHired Dr. Larry Rathbun 5 Full-Time Instructors5 Full-Time Instructors 47-Member Advisory Committee47-Member Advisory Committee

723 Years Combined Agricultural Experience

Focus on TechnologyFocus on Technology Suggested Precision Agriculture Suggested Precision Agriculture

CurriculumCurriculum

GrantsGrants

Total = $608,294Total = $608,294 Irrigation Technology – DWR - $99,000 Precision Ag Outreach – CCCCO - $313,901 Irrigation Technology – CCCCO - $99,663 GPS Equipment – CCCCO - $29,255 Firebaugh Technology Alliance – Com. Dev.

Corp. - $50,000 Special Populations Recruitment – CCCCO -

$16,475

Equipment and FacilitiesEquipment and Facilities

GPS field mapping and hand held GPS field mapping and hand held computerscomputers

GPS guidance systems and base stationsGPS guidance systems and base stations 20 station GIS laboratory20 station GIS laboratory Industry standard GPS/GIS softwareIndustry standard GPS/GIS software Soil and water monitoring telemetrySoil and water monitoring telemetry Veris soil mapping technologyVeris soil mapping technology Variable rate controllersVariable rate controllers 600 acre college farm600 acre college farm

20012001

Hired Adjunct Faculty – Kurt QuadeHired Adjunct Faculty – Kurt Quade Taught as 2 Year – 4 Semester Taught as 2 Year – 4 Semester

CurriculumCurriculum Part of Traditional Crop Science Associate Part of Traditional Crop Science Associate

ProgramProgram

20022002

Hired MeHired Me Short CoursesShort Courses

3-Day Introduction to Precision Agriculture 1-Day HGIS/Aerial Imagery

Good Response – 300 ParticipantsGood Response – 300 Participants

20032003

DisharmonyDisharmony ConsultingConsulting No Agriculture ClassesNo Agriculture Classes

2004-20052004-2005

Hired Me – Ag Hired Me – Ag Science & Science & TechnologyTechnology

1 Full-Time 1 Full-Time Agriculture InstructorAgriculture Instructor

Precision Agriculture Precision Agriculture only programonly program

2004 Curriculum2004 Curriculum

10 months = 10 months = certificate certificate

24 months = 24 months = Associate of Science Associate of Science DegreeDegree

Prepare for university Prepare for university transfertransfer

Fall SemesterFall Semester

Precision AgriculturePrecision Agriculture

Plant Science Plant Science

Computers in AGComputers in AG

MathematicsMathematics

Work ExperienceWork Experience

15 units15 units

Spring SemesterSpring Semester

GPS Crop MonitoringGPS Crop Monitoring

SoilsSoils

California WaterCalifornia Water

Intro to GISIntro to GIS

Work ExperienceWork Experience

15 units15 units

Program CurriculumProgram Curriculum

Precision AgriculturePrecision Agriculture IntroductionIntroduction

GPS GIS Imagery/Remote

Sensing SSToolbox HGIS Variable Rate

Technology Guidance Direct Sensing

ProjectsProjects

TerminologyTerminology Hands-OnHands-On Hit-the-Ground-Hit-the-Ground-

RunningRunning Real-World ProjectsReal-World Projects Working with IndustryWorking with Industry

Plant SciencePlant Science

IntroductionIntroduction BotanyBotany CSU/UC TransferableCSU/UC Transferable Farm GardenFarm Garden Hands-OnHands-On

Understand PlantsUnderstand Plants Agriculture Agriculture

ExperienceExperience Tractor ExperienceTractor Experience

Computers in AgricultureComputers in Agriculture

WindowsWindows Microsoft OfficeMicrosoft Office

Word Excel PowerPoint

Computer ExperienceComputer Experience Windows Very Windows Very

ImportantImportant Excel Very ImportantExcel Very Important

MathematicsMathematics

Basic MathematicsBasic Mathematics Need to do Simple Need to do Simple CalculationsCalculations

AcreageAcreage GeometryGeometry Important for SoilsImportant for Soils

Work ExperienceWork Experience

Credit for Work Credit for Work ExperienceExperience

Work On-FarmWork On-Farm Preferably Precision Preferably Precision

Agriculture Agriculture

Hands-OnHands-On Work on their OwnWork on their Own

GPS Crop MonitoringGPS Crop Monitoring

Advanced ConceptsAdvanced Concepts ConsultingConsulting Learning New Learning New

SoftwareSoftware Learning New Learning New

HardwareHardware

Learn on OwnLearn on Own Real-World SituationsReal-World Situations No Help in the Real-No Help in the Real-

WorldWorld

SoilsSoils

CSU/UC TransferableCSU/UC Transferable Basic SoilsBasic Soils

Soils Very Important Soils Very Important in CA Agin CA Ag

Hands-On LabsHands-On Labs

California WaterCalifornia Water

California Water California Water IssuesIssues

Water LawWater Law IrrigationIrrigation

Surface Sprinklers Micro Irrigation

Water Very Important Water Very Important in CA Agin CA Ag

Hands-On LabsHands-On Labs

Introduction to GISIntroduction to GIS

Taught in Geography Taught in Geography DeptDept

ArcViewArcView

GIS Very ImportantGIS Very Important

2005-2006 Changes2005-2006 Changes

Sales IncorporatedSales Incorporated Recruiting Recruiting Recruiting Recruiting

Recruiting!Recruiting!

DifficultiesDifficulties

Transfer vs. CertificateTransfer vs. Certificate RecruitmentRecruitment

More Jobs than Students Staying CurrentStaying Current

$ and Time PrerequisitesPrerequisites

Welding/Wiring Computer Agriculture

Too Much Info to Learn in 1 YearToo Much Info to Learn in 1 Year