TUCSON UA Extension 

CENTRL Regional Connection 

FEBRUARY 20-21, 2026
Friday & Saturday

Learn about programs offered through
University of Arizona & Pima County Extension

The University of Arizona is a founding partner in creating the Arizona Center for Rural Leadership in the 1980s! Can you believe we haven't had a CENTRL Regional Connections in Tucson for at least 15 years? Come see all the modern ways UA Extension is connecting people with food and agriculture! 

Friday 2/20
5 pm - 6:30 pm Dinner and Overview Tucson Garden Kitchen.  Hear about Pima County Extension's  work from Urban to Rural and Beyond. 

(Optional) UA Baseball Game vs. UConn  @ Hi Corbett Field 

Saturday 2/21
Tentative 9 am - 10 am:  University of Arizona Food Products & Safety Lab (FPSL) Tour FPSL is the cornerstone of UA animal sciences teaching, research, and Extension missions. They serve the needs of Arizona’s livestock industries now and well into the future.

10:30 am  - 11:30 am:  CEAC Tour -Discover how the University of Arizona is growing the future of food. The Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (CEAC) combines science, engineering, and innovation to grow plants in carefully controlled environments like greenhouses and vertical farms.

12 pm - 2 pm:  Lunch and Tour Tucson Village Farm (TVF), a program of  UA Pima County Cooperative Extension .  Experience a vibrant seed-to-table urban farm where young people discover how food grows, how to cook it, and how healthy choices shape their lives.  TVF blends farming, cooking, outdoor adventure, and community engagement to cultivate leadership skills, confidence, and a lifelong connection to healthy living.

Tentative 2 pm -4 pm:   (Optional) Volunteer Service work at Tucson Village Farm 

Lodging options are plentiful in Tucson.  You will be responsible for booking your own accommodations if attending both days. While we're still ironing out details and tours for the morning on Saturday; our meal and first and last stops are confirmed! Sign up soon as space is limited. 

Complimentary Registration Required before Thursday, 2/12/26.