National Farmers Market Week celebrates the vital role farmers markets play in our nation’s food system. Across the Land-Grant University System, Cooperative Extension programs are helping these markets serve as engines for economic opportunity, food access, and community well-being. Supporting veterans entering the agriculture industry University of Idaho Extension’s Harvest Heroes program provides military veterans with hands-on farming experience, mentorship, and business training as they explore careers …
Building Resilient Water Systems: Improving Water Management for Agriculture
A safe and reliable water supply is critical for profitable agriculture, healthy people, and thriving communities. Land‑grant universities nationwide are pioneering smarter, more efficient approaches to agricultural water use. From affordable soil‑moisture sensors to advanced crop‑modeling tools, researchers are transforming how water is measured, conserved, and delivered in the field. These efforts help producers continue to thrive in the face of shrinking water supplies, rising …
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’ …
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 …
Agriculture and natural resource management in western United States
Climate information – historical, real-time and predictive – is vital for the sustainable management of agriculture and natural resources. Climate change poses major challenges to agriculture and natural resources in the western United States. Climate data are key to practices, tools, legislation, programs and policies that protect and enhance water, soil and air. With so many different entities collecting climate …