SUNY Cobleskill Introduces Cannabis Science Minor in Fall 2022 Semester

COBLESKILL, N.Y. – SUNY Cobleskill is launching a new program in Cannabis Science, available to current students as a seven-credit specialization minor. The pathway in Cannabis Science will provide students with an in-depth exploration of the cannabis industry from seed to final product. The curriculum covers the complex process of cannabis production, management and cultivation,  breeding, laws and regulations, harvesting, extraction and more.

Fulfillment requirements consist of seven total credits: Cannabis Management (online class, 2 credits), Cannabis Harvest & Analysis (hands-on, 2 credits), and Cannabis Cultivation (hands-on, 3 credits). Upon successful completion of this minor, students will be able to demonstrate a broad understanding of the cannabis industry; explain a variety of production and processing techniques and evaluate market trends.

Cultivation and research are now integrated into hands-on field studies in the Plant Science program,  introducing hemp production techniques, varietal trials in the field and greenhouse, and the agronomics of production. The curriculum is also adding extraction and plant and extract analysis to lab and field/greenhouse work. The program partners with businesses who look to use cannabis for food, fiber, and fuel. Both hemp and marijuana belong to the same species: Cannabis sativa.

SUNY Cobleskill began conducting industrial hemp research during the 2018 growing season, investigating the incidence and impact that diseases within New York may have on the crop, which had not been grown in the area for more than 100 years. In 2021, the College was awarded $50,000 for program innovations to develop two acres of industrial hemp for cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinoids such as CBG, terpenes, and flavonoids, including two varieties bred by students.

Governor Hochul signed legislation earlier this year creating a new Conditional Adult-use Cannabis Cultivator license, establishing a pathway for eligible hemp growers to apply for a license to grow cannabis for the forthcoming adult-use cannabis market in New York State.