It’s National Potato Day! Whether mashed, baked, roasted, or fried, potatoes and sweet potatoes have long been staples on American tables, supporting farmers and local agricultural economies. Across the land-grant university system, researchers and Extension professionals are helping ensure this important crop continues to thrive. Featured photo courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center. …
The Land-grant Impact is Evergreen
From a tiny seedling in the soil to the spot of honor in your living room, your Christmas tree’s journey was likely shaped by the work of a land-grant university. Through research and Extension, land-grant university (LGU) experts help farmers raise healthy trees. From discovering best planting and management practices, to providing advice about additional income opportunities through agritourism, LGUs …
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 …
Researchers Studying Avian Disease Resistance and Immunity Win National Award for Outstanding Collaboration and Impact
ST LOUIS, Mo., Sept. 16. — At the Joint agInnovation and Extension Awards Ceremony, Dr. Chris Ashwell and Dr. Jason Hubbart received the 2025 Excellence in Multistate Research Award on behalf of a multistate team working to understand the genetic bases of immunity and resistance to avian diseases. Avian diseases such as avian influenza, Marek’s disease, and Newcastle disease cause …
Managing water resources
Managing our water resources is essential. Clean water is essential for drinking, agriculture, energy, recreation, aquatic habitats, and other uses, but America’s water resources face complex issues such as climate change, pollution, and increasing demand. Many farmers, communities, and leaders are concerned about water scarcity and quality. Research guides effective solutions. Researchers at land-grant universities and partners across the U.S. are working …
Sustainable solutions to bee health
Bees provide essential pollination for many of the nut, berry, fruit, vegetable, and seed crops grown in the U.S. To supplement wild bee pollination, farmers often rent managed honey bee colonies. Demand is skyrocketing, but catastrophic die-offs are threatening the supply of healthy honey bee colonies. Parasitic mites, pathogens, pesticide chemicals, nutritional deficits, and environmental conditions have contributed to the …
Managing controlled environments efficiently
In controlled environmental agriculture, plants are grown inside a greenhouse or other type of enclosure where growers can maintain optimal growing conditions, such as light, temperature, humidity, water, and nutrients. In the northeastern climate, controlled environments play a vital role in year-round production, but growers need more information about how to fine-tune their environments to achieve optimal plant growth and …
Land-grant expertise make specialty crops viable
Specialty crops range from fruits and vegetables to cut flowers. These plants are cultivated for food, medicine or pleasure. Specialty crops face the same pressures as traditional row crops. Land-grant university research and outreach address these issues, making specialty crops a viable, profitable market. Successful examples include: Each year Georgia apple growers contend with tremendous pest and disease pressures to …