As family and friends gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s a perfect moment to reflect on the many hands that make our holiday meals possible. Across the land-grant university system, researchers, educators, and Extension professionals work year-round to ensure American families have access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food. From seed to your plate (and even the fridge and back to …
Celebrating the Power of Rural
Did you know that nearly 61 million Americans call rural communities home? Since 2011, National Rural Health Day has recognized the “Power of Rural,” highlighting the resilience of rural communities and the partners working to strengthen them. Among the most important of those partners are public and land-grant universities. Through community-based programs, these institutions play a critical role in improving …
A Land-Grant Halloween: No Tricks, Just Treats
It takes more than a little hocus-pocus to make Halloween happen! From the pumpkins on your porch to the chocolate in your candy bowl, land-grant university research supports your favorite Halloween traditions. Agricultural scientists help growers improve pumpkin yields and protect crops from pests, while food researchers study ways to make chocolate more sustainable and flavorful. Through Cooperative Extension, experts share …
Penn State Extension educator on the front lines in the battle versus avian influenza
There isn’t much Gregory Martin hasn’t seen or experienced while working with poultry producers in Pennsylvania. The Penn State Extension poultry educator is based in Lancaster County, which ranks among the top four counties nationally in sales of poultry and eggs. The county is the epicenter of the state’s $7.1 billion poultry industry, which encompasses large, vertically integrated companies and …
Managing nutrients and water quality
Nutrients are essential for crops, but must be managed properly. Nutrients provided by fertilizer, manure, compost, cover crops, and other means are essential for the profitable, sustainable production of crops for food, fiber, and bioenergy. Nutrient management is key to maintaining or increasing plant productivity, ensuring soil health, protecting ground and surface water resources from potential harm, and using farmers’ …
Protecting our water
Water continues to be one of the most critical challenges facing agriculture and communities. Land-grant universities are working to discover new ways to increase water efficiency, reduce water use and protect water quality. Here are a few examples of that work: Researchers in Ohio are working to improve soil health and water quality through best agricultural management practices to prevent non-point-source …
Strong farms strengthen local food systems
New farmers just starting out and established farmers looking to expand markets have something in common: looking to the Land-grant University System to support their growth. Strong local farms strengthen local food systems and food security. Here are a few examples of this work: When participant surveys indicated a need for more in-depth and hands-on farmer education, Idaho Extension educators responded using …
Reaching diverse farms and farmers
Extension educators and researchers across the Land-grant University System reach diverse farmers and farms through programming, information and accessible tools. Their work ensures farming resources are available to all individuals. Here are a few examples of that work: Minnesota Extension launched a pilot project to bring Minnesota-grown goat meat to halal customers. The collaboration has resulted in the first halal certified …
Research, education improve livestock health
Livestock producers are continually searching for the best management strategies to protect animal health, which is essential to productivity and profitability as well as the animal’s well-being. Maintaining healthy animals also protects human health. Here are a few examples of how land-grant universities are contributing: When the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) threatened domestic poultry in Oregon, Extension responded rapidly with …
1890 Extension Transforming Lives
From the 2023 1890 Extension Transforming Lives Report: The dynamic work of Cooperative Extension at the 1890 Land-grant Universities is changing lives and connecting people to vital information. Extension professionals have the unique responsibility of translating federal and state dollars into educational outreach that advances the well-being of their states’ diverse audiences, particularly those with limited social and economic resources. …