A New Hub for Plant and Food Innovation
Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is advancing hands-on, industry-relevant education with its new six-acre Plant Sciences Complex, a hub designed to integrate teaching, research and applied production systems.
Opening in fall 2026, the George Wurzel Plant Sciences Building will anchor the complex with state-of-the-art laboratories and modern teaching and research spaces that support innovation across plant science disciplines.
Made possible through a lead gift from the JG Boswell Company in honor of Cal Poly alumnus George Wurzel, and other gifts from industry and alumni, the building brings together interdisciplinary programs in flexible lab spaces designed for collaboration among students, faculty and industry partners. There are still naming opportunities available.
Next in line the Driscoll’s Farm Store will open and create a direct connection between student-grown products and the broader community.
The farm store, supported by a $5 million investment from Driscoll’s, will centralize Cal Poly–grown food for campus and community while giving students hands-on experience in retail operations, merchandising and marketing. A new produce packing and cooling facility will support fresh food access for campus, local schools and food banks. Together, the complex unites multiple disciplines to address key challenges in food production, sustainability and agricultural innovation.
The complex will be completed with a new greenhouse complex and a produce cooling and packing facility, strengthening Cal Poly’s capacity for controlled-environment agriculture, postharvest handling and workforce preparation across the full plant production value chain.