Students Protest the University of California’s War on Agroecology

(UC STUDENTS’ OPEN LETTER TO THE EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD OF THE AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE (ASI) & SAREP)

As the students of the University of California, we come to you today to share our often silenced voices, our vision, and concerns we have about our common future. Our intention here is not to disrupt but rather to be present with you, share some stories, and to plant a hopeful seed in your hearts and minds as you enjoy this amazing food.

As documented in numerous studies, including a report from Food & Water Watch entitled “Public Research, Private Gain”, our University ­- a public trust and land grant college ­- faces an ever greater threat of privatization which deepens systemic racial and socioeconomic inequity.

The consequences of this are far reaching and cannot be overstated. There exists an Iron Triangle between industry, universities, and the state that has been consistently diverting funding, land, and other resources away from agroecology over the past half century and the threads of this academic repression pose a very direct threat to ASI (Agricultural Sustainability Institute) and SAREP (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program), to faculty in agroecology, to current and future students, and to higher education and civic society. We have big ideas and big dreams, but we won’t be able to realize them unless we face this big nightmare.

TO READ THE FULL LETTER

http://www.independentsciencenews.org/health/students-protest-the-university-of-californias-war-on-agroecology/