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Bergen Community College (BCC) was awarded a five-year, $4.5 million federal grant to build and sustain the next generation of food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences (FANH) workforce.

The Paramus-based community college is among the 33 recipients of funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s NextGen program. The $262.5 million initiative aims to assist colleges with diverse student populations with creating pathways to employment in FANH fields.

According to a 2023 Feeding the Economy report, 20% of all U.S. economic activity, or $8.6 trillion, comes from the food and agriculture sector, and 15% of all American jobs are within affiliated industries, including at farms, research labs, manufacturing facilities, engineering firms and logistics companies. Nonetheless, hiring and retaining sector employees remains a key concern for stakeholders, which prompted the USDA to launch NexGen as a way to foster the future generation of agricultural professionals.

At the program’s kick-off event June 21 in Washington, D.C., U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said, “We need to ensure our youth have the education and training they need to accelerate the development of an agricultural system that is climate-smart, sustainable, profitable and equitable. This historic investment from the Biden-Harris Administration in our nation’s Minority-serving Institutions brings us closer to building a workforce that represents the richness and diversity of all the communities we serve.”

BCC – the only higher education institution in New Jersey to receive the grant – plans to use the funding to enhance its academic offerings, adding learning opportunities on sustainable food production and safety practices, waste management and agribusiness. With a significant number of programs already in FANH fields, such as culinary arts, environmental science and horticulture, the college will offer paid experiential learning opportunities, scholarships and enhanced coursework in fields related to the grant.

BCC will also create a farm-to-table pipeline of food grown at the college for distribution at its Bergen Cares Center, an on-campus food pantry and social services resource.

The project will be directed by PJ Ricatto, a longtime Bergen professor and former dean of math, science and technology, with assistance from professors John Cichowski and Ronda Drakeford.

“This remains an incredibly exciting opportunity for students interested in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences fields,” Ricatto said. “I look forward to initiating the many programs, activities and resources we have planned as part of this grant.”

BCC President Eric Friedman added, “Bergen Community College represents a leader in preparing students for in-demand fields in our region. I am thrilled that the federal government has recognized Bergen’s contributions to the local economy and endorsed our plans for developing a sustainably conscious workforce.”