The Crop Science program at Merced College is designed to meet the need for trained personnel in a broad range of occupational opportunities involved with or related to producing crops. Programs can be arranged in any of the following ways:

The Merced College Crop Science Program maintains 240 acres of cropland which serve as a laboratory for students. Equipment and methods used in the program are of the latest type and follow current trends and practices in crop-oriented production areas. Students take an active part in the farming operations by planning individual as well as group projects. The student not only gains the theoretical knowledge associated with production, but also experiences Ahands-on@ practical application. Student projects entail production on parcels of land, involving the growing, harvesting, processing, marketing, and management of the crops grown.

Students of the Merced College Agriculture Division are raising a wide variety of crops including alfalfa, wheat, barley, cotton, oats, almonds, and pasture. The operation also includes the raising of seed stock crops such as carrots, onions, bell peppers, squash, cucumber, watermelons, and cantaloupes, exposing the student to a diverse cross section of Crop Science.

Crop Science Faculty