Jah Johnson (he/him) is a first-year creative writing major at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). He is an intern for the R’Garden and is passionate about not just writing but also sustainability, farming and helping those struggling with food insecurity. You can reach him at jjohn285@ucr.edu.
At the University of California, Riverside (UCR), more than six out of 10 (or 62.5 percent) students struggle with food insecurity. These students either go hungry or are forced to eat cheap, unhealthy foods in an attempt to keep up with their basic needs. Many of these students may not be aware of the vital resources available to them right here on campus, including the fresh and free produce from the R’Garden.
The R’Garden is an eight-acre farm located behind Lot 30, run by students for students. Officially established in 2012, the R’Garden has provided UCR with a multitude of services for over a decade. One of these important services is supplying students and the Basic Needs R’Pantry, which provides emergency non-perishable food, personal hygiene, household care and childcare items to both undergraduate and graduate students experiencing food insecurity, with fresh, locally grown produce at no cost.
Students can come in at any time between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and
pick up whatever produce is available. Some of the popular produce we provide is our kale, lettuce and oranges!
The R’Garden also operates open-air composting stations to divert organic waste from landfills, which actively works towards UCR’s goals for a more sustainable campus. In addition, the R’Garden provides educational opportunities and experiential training through workshops on sustainable agriculture and food systems. Students are given the opportunity to work as interns at the R’Garden, where they learn first-hand about general agricultural practices like driving tractors, operating irrigation systems and planting and harvesting crops.
These services have proved useful not only to UCR students lacking reliable access to affordable and nutritious food, but the university itself as the campus moves to a more sustainable future. The work being done at the R’Garden is important, but unfortunately, that work may not be able to continue any longer.
Historically, funding for the R’Garden has not been permanent or guaranteed. Instead, funding comes in the form of various grants and donations. This limits the work that can be done on the farm, as those who work here are solely relying on the generosity of others. While the R’Garden appreciates donors’ generosity, our funding is not stable. This uncertainty has led to a lack of full-time staff at the R’Garden, as there aren’t guaranteed funds available to pay their salaries. Lack of funding also affects our ability to buy or repair necessary equipment such as tractor implements, irrigation system supplies and more.
From April 28 to May 2, 2025, students will have the opportunity to vote on whether or not the R’Garden should receive permanent funding starting Fall Quarter of 2025. This funding will come in the form of a $10 quarterly fee (not including summer) for undergraduate students, which accounts for only $30 every academic year.
That $30 from students will allow the R’Garden to continue expanding operations after our allotted budget from Basic Needs concludes by the end of the 2024 fiscal year. We will be able to expand production to grow more produce by utilizing all eight acres of our land, create and host more workshops to help engage students on campus with sustainable food systems.
We also plan to hire more staff to help manage the land and increase productivity. In accordance with the Associated Students for UCR (ASUCR) policy, 25 percent of the $10 quarterly fee collected, or $2.50, will be returned to UCR students in the form of financial aid to alleviate the cost for low income students. Moreover, this fee is estimated to be $54,558 per year.
Undergraduate students will be emailed their ballots at the end of April to their school emails. We need at least 20 percent of the student body to participate in the ballot voting for this referendum to have a shot at passing.
I, and so many other members of the UCR community, truly love the R’Garden and want to continue serving our students by providing organically-grown food, internships, educational opportunities and an overall more sustainable campus. We sincerely hope that we can count on your support.
Op-Eds are not edited by The Highlander, excluding those related to grammatical errors and AP requirements. Op-Eds do not reflect the opinion of the Editorial Board and are not written by Highlander contracted writers.
