A new partnership between the California State University, Chico agricultural program and a nearby creamery will help the university sell branded products through its farm store once construction on the university farm is complete.

Kevin Patton is the interim associate dean for the Chico State College of Agriculture, and the farm administrator on campus. He said construction of the new farm store and meeting center will be complete in mid-2025, the partnership between the college and Sierra Nevada Cheese in Willows, Calif., could provide consumers with organic cheese and ice cream products sourced from the university’s organic dairy farm.

The new facility broke ground in the fall, thanks to state grant funding to the CSU system's four ag universities – Chico State, Fresno State, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Each of the colleges received $18.75 million. Chico is using that funding to build a 7,500 square foot conference center on the school farm that will include classroom space, a farm store, and a catering kitchen.

“The part I’m excited about is the farm store,” Patton said. “That’s where we’re going to be able to sell products that are grown here at the farm. I envision our stuff from our meats lab, the cheese produced from our dairy, and organic vegetables from our organic vegetable project.”

Related:Oregon State’s new dairy center nears completion

Pork and beef products

Each week the meats lab at the campus farm sells a variety of cuts that are either produced from livestock grown on the university farm or processed at the campus meats lab, Patton said. These primarily include pork and beef products.

The university’s agricultural college offers students the opportunity to learn by doing.

“Every decision that we make needs to involve the students from every aspect, from planning through production and harvest,” he said. “We want our students to leave with those kinds of skills. Making a marketable product and making money on that project is how we keep the farm going. At the same time, the most valuable kind of commodity that we produce is the experience for the students.”

The facility will also serve as a meeting and conference center, including four classrooms. It will augment the current pavilion that is still used for events on the university farm.

The Chico State farm is well known for its U-pick peaches that area residents visit each year.

“We sold 15,000 pounds of peaches in one morning,” he said.

[Tomorrow: A campus organic dairy sets Chico State students on the path to success.)