Department Facilities

Crops Unit

The Crops Unit has 70 acres of productive citrus, avocados, grapes, deciduous orchard, and berries, including an 8 acre certified organic production field. Additional nonbearing acreage for instructional use exists and new plantings are underway. Part of the land is certified organic. Students are encouraged to gain experience and earn income by participation in the enterprise project program or by working for the campus farm. There is also a new building containing two modern teaching labs with prep rooms.

Cal Poly Organic Farm

The Cal Poly Organic Farm consists of 8 acres of land used for vegetable and fruit production. Largely student managed, the Organic Farm is home to a variety of programs. Students enroll to study at the Farm through PLCS 203. Continue reading.

Environmental Horticulture Unit

The Environmental Horticulture Unit includes a student-operated commercial greenhouse range and nursery in which students carry on a project program involving wholesale and retail sales and the student-operated Poly Plant Shop. Also included are 35,000 square feet of greenhouses, a 5,000 square-foot retractable roof greenhouse, 7,500 square feet of shade houses; and a 4-acre arboretum, the Leaning Pine Arboretum.

Poly Plant Shop

Poly Plant Shop is Cal Poly's on-campus source for cut flowers, landscape and interior plants. The Plant Shop offers students the opportunity to work in a retail environment to get hands-on experience in all aspects of garden center management and operation. True to the spirit of Cal Poly, it is a "Learn By Doing" full service plant shop. Learn more.

Laboratories

The department has modern, well-equipped laboratories in the Agricultural Sciences Building and at the Units, including labs for biotechnology, landscape industries with CAD, pest management and post harvest technology. The Leaning Pine Arboretum is also utilized as an outdoor laboratory.