Rebuilding Nevada’s economy will take ingenuity, innovation and
partnerships between higher education and local entrepreneurs.
One area where the Nevada System of Higher Education is taking a
leadership role is in the development and marketing of specialty
crops. These high-value crops can be more water efficient than
traditional crops such as alfalfa and corn, and can help
diversify farm income. Despite the benefits and increased
popularity of these crops, however, there has been little to no
training available in specialty crop production for Nevada’s
small farmers. To that end, Western Nevada College established
the Specialty Crop Institute (SCI), an education program
designed to expand and foster the success of sustainable small
farms. WNC created this self-funded program in November 2008
with a single $14,000 grant. Additional grants totaling over
$200,000 have kept the program in operation over the past three
years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development
program took the lead in establis