Pictured from left to right: Paul Moe, Director - Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, Pete Risbrudt, Chief Finance Officer - Communicating for Agriculture, Charles H. Casey, Chancellor - University of Minnesota, Crookston hold the signed proclamation after the ceremony.

Paul Moe, Pete Risbrudt, and Chancellor Casey sign the appropriate paperwork to finalize the ceremony.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) in cooperation with Communicating for Agriculture (CA) has formed a partnership with a consortium of Minnesota based Agricultural and Agricultural related businesses to develop and deliver horticulture training online.

The $260,000.00 project, awarded by the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, is based upon an international agriculture exchange apprenticeship training program currently being offered through CA. UMC’s contribution includes online course development and instruction that will operate through its Center for Adult Learning (CAL).  CAL’s mission is to facilitate access for a diverse community of adult learners within Minnesota and beyond by utilizing alternate delivery systems.  UMC’s proven track record in online course delivery and CA’s apprenticeship program combined will expand that access.

UMC and CA will partner to create a domestic online version of a special horticulture program where Minnesota businesses and able to benefit.  A consortium of 5 businesses will be participating in the project.  These businesses, from various parts of the state, will include businesses from both rural and urban setting and will be businesses engaged primarily in horticulture activity.  The size of the contributing businesses will range from around 80 to several hundred individuals.   Some of the firms have business operations in a number of locations.  The companies in the project are: Linder’s Greenhouses & Garden Center, Gerten’s Wholesale Nursery Center, Wagner’s, Bergen’s Greenhouses & Bailey Nurseries.  The instruction for the project will include an apprenticeship, field instruction and e-learning all delivered through the collaboration of CA and UMC.