WVU Organic Research Project

Contact: William Bryan , (304) 284-8821

WVU offers spring course on organic crop production

West Virginia University offers a special topic course on organic crop production in the spring semester PLSC 453. Instructor William Bryan hopes to give students a working knowledge of the scientific foundation, history, intent, and reality of organic agriculture. He aims to help train critical and informed consumers, researchers, gardeners, and commercial producers.

Organic methods are designed to promote biodiversity, and sustainability, and integrate different types of production practices. They rely on natural means of plant nutrition and pest management instead of the chemical inputs that have become mainstays of conventional agriculture.

Organic agriculture could have social benefits, too. Organic practices have promoted small family farms, improved conditions for farm laborers, and built closer relationships between farmers and consumers.

The course will be offered on Tuesday nights from 7:00 until 10:00 p.m., a perfect opportunity for nontraditional students who may have daytime responsibilities. Prerequisites for this course are Plant Science 206 and Agronomy 202 and 203, or experience with plants and permission of the instructor. For more information please contact Bryan at (304) 293-6256.

College of Agriculture,
Forestry and
Consumer
Sciences

Updated
03/31/01

Site design
Michael Bomford & Thomas P. Batchelor