Making the right decision at the right time can make all the difference in farm productivity and profitability. By combining advanced analytics with practical agricultural expertise, land-grant university researchers are helping producers address challenges ranging from labor shortages and weather variability to resource efficiency and food production. This work ensures agricultural innovation responds to producers’ needs while strengthening the food …
Advancing the Apple: AI, Robotics, and Precision Agriculture
How America’s Favorite Fruit Is Getting a High-Tech Upgrade Each autumn, apples take center stage in farmers markets, grocery stores, and family kitchens across the country. As producers work to meet consumer demand, they are also navigating labor shortages, rising production costs, and environmental pressures. Land-grant universities, equipped with a new generation of technology, are helping apple producers improve efficiency, …
The Science Behind the Spud
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. …
Growing Together: Conversation with Cathy Burns, CEO, International Fresh Produce Association
Cathy Burns is CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain, and the only to seamlessly integrate world-facing advocacy and industry-facing support. The association’s purpose is to create a vibrant future for all with the members’ prosperity in mind. With 30 years of leadership …
Improving Agricultural Productivity Through Soil Research
Healthy soils are the foundation of productive agriculture, supporting crop yields; efficient nutrient use; and long-term farm profitability. However, U.S. working lands lose an estimated 1.7 billion tons of soil each year, costing farmers more than $12 billion annually. Through research and Extension, land-grant universities are helping producers better understand soil health, improve fertilizer management, and adopt science-based practices that …
Fueling Economic Development for Thriving Communities: Growing Businesses, Creating Jobs, and Expanding Markets
Across the country, land-grant universities fuel economic development by aligning research, education, and Extension with the real-world needs of farmers, entrepreneurs, and businesses. Their work supports sectors ranging from food production and forestry to agritourism, value-added manufacturing, and emerging agricultural enterprises. From helping food businesses grow and create jobs, to advancing profitable production systems for small farmers, developing new crop …
Fueling Economic Development for Thriving Communities: Extension Strengthening Rural Economies
Land-grant universities stimulate economic growth by aligning research, education, and Extension with the needs of farmers, entrepreneurs, and businesses across the nation. These institutions translate discovery into practical solutions that expand markets, strengthen industries, develop new products, help producers navigate economic shifts, equip businesses with essential expertise, and create jobs. In rural communities, Cooperative Extension helps producers diversify income streams …
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 …