16 TOWER | FALL 2024 “In the last five years, there’s been explosive growth and interest in regenerative organic farming,” Tkach says. “Most people don’t realize that Rodale was a founder of this entire movement, which is now a $100 billion industry worldwide. Fifty-eight of the world’s top 100 food companies have a regenerative agriculture strategy.” Kutztown University graduates will be prepared to work within that industry. Possible jobs include agriculture and food scientists, farm or greenhouse manager, sustainability consultant and more. A dynamic curriculum The regenerative organic agriculture curriculum is structured differently than other science classes, says Dr. Jacob Sewall, associate professor and environmental science program coordinator. In addition to taking required environmental science core courses, students enroll in one-credit classes covering topics such as fundamentals of regenerative agriculture, concepts of food justice, soil science, agricultural entomology and more. All students enrolled in the one-credit classes participate together in a collaborative regenerative field lab. It follows a model that provides an authentic, research-based experience. “There’s a recognition that if we’re training scientists, they should know how to do science as a discovery and creativity process, because that’s what real science is,” Sewall says. At the heart of the lab is an 18-acre sustainable agriculture research field. Students are conducting research spanning several years to assess the best methods for regenerating soil at the site. One experiment involves treating soil samples with compost, biochar, and a combination of both to see which option is most effective at enhancing In the last five years, there’s been explosive growth and interest in regenerative organic farming … Rodale was a founder of this entire movement, which is now a $100 billion industry worldwide. – JEFF TKACH ’01 FEATURE Jeff Tkach '01, CEO of Rodale Institute
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