By Theresa Miller / Photos by Jessa Barnard

SAN FRANCISCO – Twenty students are exploring the policy impact on the diverse agricultural industry in California March 16-22 as a part of their coursework at the University of Illinois.

The course, ACE 199:  Food, Farm and Environmental Policy, explores policy implications and the impact of policies on production and food production practices.  For the last 10 years of the course’s history, students have taken a national look at policy and spent a week in Washington D.C. exploring the policy development process.  This year, Professor Paul Ellinger, head of the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACE) chose to focus the course on the diverse agricultural region of California.

“The opportunity to take a policy course such as ACE 199 and apply it to a different sector of agribusiness was an exciting challenge for the students,” said Ellinger.  “We will be able to see agriculture through an entirely different lens than we have here in the Midwest.”

During the week, students will visit with agricultural industries such as Valent and Wilbur-Ellis, financing companies such as TPG Capital, and visit farms and orchards dependent on local food systems and labor laws.  In addition the students will explore food safety, organic production and water management issues.   They will attend the California Ag Day Rally and visit state legislators as well.

The course is an integral part of the experiential learning activities of the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics and College of ACES.  The department is home to more than 650 undergraduates who focus on areas such as environmental, international and public policy, applied business strategies, finance in agribusiness, consumer economics and financial planning.