Vilsack Designs Course for Small Farm Survival

Course Aims to Innovate Small to Mid-size Farm Operations

Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is back at Colorado State University (CSU), this time to establish a unique course designed to preserve small to mid-size farms.  

The course, set to start in fall 2025, will equip students with practical skills and knowledge to support these farms, using CSU Extension resources and various support programs.

Vilsack's connection with CSU is deep, having previously helped envision the CSU Spur campus. His extensive experience as Agriculture Secretary under both the Obama and administrations has shown him the critical challenges faced by smaller farms in the U.S.

“The mental toll on our team of dealing with that many dead chickens are just, I mean, you can’t imagine it,” Vilsack remarked, highlighting the emotional impact of farm losses.

This course will allow up to 30 students to engage directly with farm operators and rural communities, developing new approaches to farming that could lead to sustainable models for agriculture.

The aim is to foster a new generation of agricultural leaders who are innovative and entrepreneurial, capable of thinking differently about the farming industry.

Vilsack's dual role as CSU Board of Governors Land-Grant University Fellow and chief executive officer of the World Food Prize Foundation will further enable him to influence agricultural education and policy. His commitment to agricultural innovation and supporting rural communities is evident as he continues to advocate for smaller farming operations which are crucial for the nation’s food security and rural economies.

This initiative not only promises to enhance agricultural education but also hopes to serve as a replicable model for other institutions, potentially changing the landscape of agricultural support and education across the country.