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MINISTRY-APPROVED PROGRAM TITLE: FOOD AND FARMING
Guided by a field-to-fork philosophy, this program prepares students to be leaders in the rapidly evolving food sector. Working in a one-of-a-kind environment, including a busy urban farm setting, you will learn to create the wholesome, locally produced, food in demand by today’s consumers, and how you can contribute solutions to communities looking to feed cities in creative and sustainable ways. In addition, you will experience how agri-tourism brings urban residents to farming and will have an enhanced awareness of local food production.
Please note: This program may be highly competitive and have a specific selection process and application deadline. Please refer to Admission Processes for details regarding highly competitive programs.
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To help students succeed in programs with learning requirements, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified minimum technology recommendations. While these are not program requirements, these suggestions will help ensure students have the right tools to support a quality remote learning experience.
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905.721.3000
With more than 50 per cent of your time spent in the labs and fields of the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (Weston Centre), you will gain a unique hands-on opportunity to become familiar with the concepts that are critical to the food and agricultural industry, all within the context of a field-to-fork philosophy. You will learn in our fields, greenhouses, hoop house and state-of-the-art food chemistry and processing labs, while planning for, planting, tending to and harvesting more than 50 different varieties of produce, berry bushes, herbs and more.
Through the development of your own value-added food products, you will have a greater knowledge and understanding of the opportunities that come with food production. Whether you are interested in a career with a food company, managing a food operation, developing your own food product or owning a greenhouse or production farm, you will gain critical skills in modern farming concepts, food processing and food preservation to position you as an industry leader.
The Food and Farming program will offer you a hands-on opportunity to become familiar with the concepts of food production.
You will focus on:
The program is offered at the college's Whitby campus, home of the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food. This incredible learning environment includes orchards, agricultural fields, greenhouses, food labs and more. Students also utilize the specialized laboratories at the college’s Oshawa campus and participate in field trips through the year.
Students also have an opportunity to contribute to projects connected to the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture. This unique centre is advancing knowledge, opportunities and activities that will lead to greater urban farming activities in communities across Ontario and beyond.
Please note: students will be required to purchase green tag safety boots in order to participate in many laboratory settings.
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.
Courses and course descriptions are subject to change. Please note that as a result of COVID-19 the 2023-2024 program of study may be modified to accommodate program delivery changes.
Your learning experience will be complemented by a field placement opportunity in food and farming. Students work on farms, in greenhouses, at food production operations, apiaries and with small food entrepreneurs.
Bringing together all the learning in the program, students complete a final semester capstone project that requires the development of a value-added food product. In addition, students have opportunities to showcase their product publicly.
Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions. Sample diploma-to-degree opportunities include:
Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.
To help students have the best learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.
Processor: i3 RAM: 4GB Storage: 256GB SSD Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1 Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version) Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter Camera: Webcam/built-in camera Internet connection
Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.
Each summer, a number of students are selected for paid work opportunities in the fields and grounds of the Weston Centre. This allows them to build on the learning from their first year and take part in legacy projects.
Durham College's recently announced partnership with The Barrett Family Foundation will support the creation of a centre of excellence and new urban farm in Durham Region. The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture will become an internationally recognized hub of excellence in urban agriculture practices, research, education and training, creating a range of new opportunities for students.
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