The Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (CAFE); the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS); and the SoCal OASIS invite you to UC Riverside’s first Agriculture Roundtable, uniting community college and industry partners to discuss future education and workforce development to sustain the agriculture sector in Inland Southern California.
The program features academic presentations from CNAS; the Department of Society, Environment, and Health Equity (SEHE); and Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE), highlighting majors aligned with agriculture, sustainability and technology.
Attendees will learn about various student opportunities for agriculture education in the region. Panelists will discuss how to strengthen networks across institutions.
An industry panel, co-organized with the Western Growers Association, will provide insights into the needs, challenges and opportunities for the next generation of agricultural employees.
DETAILS:
Where: UC Riverside Palm Desert Campus Auditorium (75080 Frank Sinatra Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92211)
When: Friday, January 23, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Register for the roundtable here.
For more information, contact Elia Scudiero, Director of CAFE: the Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment at [email protected].
AGENDA:
8:00 a.m. Registration Opens
8:30-8:45 a.m. Welcome Message
8:45-9:45 a.m. UCR’s Agriculture-Related Curricula
- An overview of current programs and a discussion of future education opportunities.
9:45-10:30 a.m. Initiatives at Inland Southern California Community Colleges
- Educators from regional colleges will discuss current and future Ag tech workforce development including curriculum implementation, certificates, and degree programs.
10:30-11:00 a.m. Networking Break
11:00-11:30 a.m. High-School Level Education
- Leaders from agriculture companies across the region will explore strategies and tactics for building the future Ag workforce and retain talent in the region
11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. Agriculture Industry Panel
12:20-1:00 p.m. Networking Lunch