A new certificate program at Grand Valley State University offers students and non-degree seeking students the opportunity to learn about and participate in sustainable food production.

The Sustainable Food Systems certificate is an interdisciplinary program that pairs hands-on learning with academic instruction.

“We’re looking at food productions, methods and options not just from one standpoint,” said Kelly Parker, director of Environmental Studies at GVSU.

The 15-credit program offers courses in biology, basic nutrition and other disciplines. It also features project-oriented courses that get students “right out in the fields,” he said.

“It puts everything that somebody might want to do in one place, in one program,” he said. “It makes it identifiable.”

Sustainable food systems involve a combination of local, natural or organic methods of agriculture, minimizing the use of pesticides and herbicides.

“It’s an alternative to industrial, commodity-based food systems,” Parker said.

He explained that the program comes in response to increased interest in various aspects of sustainable foods from GVSU students and in the Grand Rapids area community, including restaurants that sell locally-grown produce, farmers markets and even breweries.

“There’s just a tremendous interest right in this field,” he said, “but not a lot (of opportunities) in this region to dive in and learn about the details.”

Parker highlighted the hands-on learning that the two core courses for the certificate offer.

Introduction to Environmental Studies and Sustainability is “very much project-oriented,” he said, and Sustainable Agriculture Practicum gives students field experience.

The program will take advantage of the GVSU Sustainable Agriculture Project site in Allendale, where students can take hands-on courses toward the certificate or an Environmental Studies minor during the Summer Experience, offered both spring and summer semesters.

“I’m really excited about this,” Parker said. “I’m hoping we can get a good cohort of students and faculty out there.”

Registration for the spring, summer and fall sessions of the certificate program begins March 17.

Parker said the department will be watching carefully during the Summer Experience to gauge the initial success of the certificate program.

“We’re hoping this becomes a great thing,” he said.

For more information about the Sustainable Food Systems Certificate, visit www.gvsu.edu/cms3/assets/9DF1B35C-EB06-C2BB-EDE155CA8B9E657C/sustainable_food_systems_cert-fillable-oct2014.pdf

For more information regarding the Environmental Studies Summer Experience, go to www.gvsu.edu/ens/summer-experience-35.htm