Merced College gets funding to extend ag program

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Merced College has received major funding from the Department of Labor to help expand its ag program.

Merced is one of only 18 community colleges throughout the United States to receive the $1.5 million grant.

The money will be used to help build the ag tech program.

It's a workforce initiative that helps students get their associate science degree and eventually, a bachelor's degree.

Funding will also be used to help purchase more equipment.

"The equipment that will be part of the facility -- it's relevant," says Cody Jacobsen, Director of Ag Innovation. "It will immediately prepare the students. They'll have the upper hand compared to other students because of the experiences that they'll be able to have here."

In March, Merced College also plans to break ground on a roughly 18,000 square-foot Ag Innovation Center.

It will include a meat and vegetable processing facility along with a commercial kitchen and a retail farm market.