Farm on NYC college campus offers degree for urban agriculture 

LONG ISLAND CITY, Queens (PIX11) -- LaGuardia Community College on Wednesday celebrated the grand opening of a new urban farm on its campus in Long Island City, Queens.

Finca La Florecita, which means Little Flower Farm, will be a community space on 47th Avenue where college students can grow food and get training for urban agriculture jobs.

Maggie Paradis, a 27-year-old from Long Island City, was a chef. As a new mother, she wanted a more flexible schedule, so she went back to college. She is excited to start a new career path in urban farming.

The college is also making history by offering a new major, creating the first program that exists in New York City offering an associate's degree in urban agriculture. PIX11 News got a tour of a soon-to-be massive greenhouse under construction.

LaGuardia Community College President Kenneth Adams said that according to the USDA, there is a labor shortage of people going into agriculture. Shawn Blackman, a student, said it’s an exciting time to work in agriculture.

Each semester, students will receive $2,000 stipends to work as farm fellows. A big supporter of the program is U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez. The garden also produces fresh fruits and vegetables, which will end up in the college pantry.