University of the District of Columbia hosts successful 2019 Joint Summer Session

By Ali Mitchell

June 2, 2019

June 2-5, 2019

The University of the District of Columbia welcomed northeast Leaders to campus June 2-5 2019 for two days of collaboration and learning on urban agriculture.

In attendance were the northeast region’s Deans and Directors of Cooperative Extension, the Directors of the State Agricultural Experiment Stations, administrative heads of the Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture, and CARET

  • Attendees tour UDC’s rooftop farm
  • Left to right: Dr. Rick Rhodes (NERA Executive Director), Dr. Scott Angle (NIFA Director), Ms. Ali Mitchell (NEED Executive Director)
  • Conference attendees listen to a speaker presentation
Photos courtesy of the University of the District of Columbia

The conference focused on how extension and agricultural research can address the four core objectives of urban agriculture:

  1. Innovating food production to meet the demand for healthy nutrient rich food;
  2. Improving public health through better food access and food security;
  3. Introducing ecosystems services into the ecologically disrupted urban scape; and
  4. Introducing nature-deprived populations to their food source and nature connection

Held at the University of the District of Columbia’s (UDC) LEED certified student center, the agenda included a tour of the rooftop garden, presentations from USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director Scott Angle, Dr. Sabine O’Hara (Dean CAUSES, UDC), Ben Flanner (Co-Founder and CEO, Brooklyn Grange), Ed Harwood (CSO, Aerofarms), Viraj Puri, (Co-Founder and CEO, Gotham Greens), and a number urban extension experts from across the region.