AGRIscapes Gets New Employee to Handle Community Outreach

The College of Agriculture has hired a new employee to develop community outreach efforts and increase public awareness of AGRIscapes’ program and services.

Craig Walters started Monday, May 18, as AGRIscapes’ first outreach coordinator. A Cal Poly alumnus (’78, plant and soil science), Walters has lengthy experience in video production and directing, including 33 years running his own production and communications company.

In addition, he has worked on community projects, building partnerships and relationships, particularly in his roles as a La Verne city councilman and chairman of the Old Town La Verne Business District. Among the events and activities he organized was the annual Wine Walk, which draws more than 1,000 people. He also founded La Verne’s Heritage Park, which preserves the city’s citrus history.

Walters will develop an annual outreach, communications and education strategy for AGRIscapes with input from the facilities’ operations and advisory committees. This will include creating innovative educational activities to engage communities both on and off campus.

He also will serve as a liaison between the public and AGRIscapes, cultivating and maintaining partnerships with industry and agricultural commodity organizations and friends. He also will work the advisory committee to create a master land-use plan for AGRIscapes to maximize opportunities for teaching, education and outreach.

AGRIscapes was built as a facility to promote agricultural and environmental literacy through research education and demonstrations of alternative methods to grow food, conserve water, reduce energy needs and recycle agricultural and urban waste

It includes a building complex with meeting rooms, outdoor nursery, the Farm Store, theme gardens and agricultural research projects. AGRIscapes opened in fall 2001.