Cannabis Production Is Big Part of This Horticulture Education Program
While New York officially legalized cannabis for recreational use this past March, Finger Lakes Community College has been ahead of the curve, offering students three courses centered on the plant.
According to an article from the Daily Messenger, part of the college’s signature horticulture program, the three courses, initially offered in 2019, focus on the history and use of the actual cannabis plant, the current regulatory and legal climate, and the process of cultivating cannabis.
According to Berna Ticonchuk, Technical Specialist for the college’s Environmental Conservation and Horticulture Department, who also serves as program coordinator for the department, development for the three courses began after the college received requests from students.
“It really started with student demand. Students were asking about growing and the development of cannabis,” Ticonchuk says, adding that the provost “recommended we look into the development” of cannabis courses. Eventually the decision was made to incorporate the cannabis courses into the horticulture program.
“After it was all systems go, then we developed the classes of the course,” Ticonchuk adds, noting that student interest has remained high.
“Almost 50% of our students in the horticulture program registered for cannabis in some way,” she says, adding, “it definitely beefs up our student population,” with 21 students enrolled in the cannabis track program in 2020 out of 32 total students enrolled in the horticulture program.
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