The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences will celebrate the approval of a new agroecology master”s program on Thursday, Mar. 30 at 4:30pm in the D.C. Smith Greenhouse conservatory, located at 465 Babcock Drive. The event is free and the entire Madison community is invited to attend.

Brief remarks by CALS Interim Dean Hogg and others will be followed by snacks that-in the spirit of the event-feature sustainably-produced ingredients from local farmers. For more information, contact Professor Michael Bell at (608)-265-9930 or michaelbell@wisc.edu.

Agroecology is the field of study that focuses on the intersection between agriculture and the broader social, biological and physical systems involved. The new program is designed to prepare students to understand, study and facilitate discussions about the complex issues that are quickly becoming part and parcel of modern-day agriculture, including water quality, animal welfare, labor protections for workers, herbicides, organic certification standards and genetically modified crops.

Graduates of this unique program will be prepared to take the lead in complex negotiations necessary to resolve conflicts between farmers, agribusinesses, environmental organizations and other non-governmental organizations, as well as federal, state and local governments.

The program was recently approved by the Board of Regents and is the first new CALS master”s program in 10 years.