Sustainable Agriculture Research

Programs that conduct research which focuses on developing and improving plant and animal production practices that will meet the basic needs of the current population for food, feed and other fiber products and sustain the economic viability of farming operations while preserving nonrenewable resources and the fertility of farmlands enabling future generations to flourish. Sustainable farming practices include crop rotation; alternative crops and livestock; low input production for local markets; targeted marketing of organically produced meats, vegetables and grains; community-supported agriculture; free range raising of poultry; and nutrient and pest management practices that reduce the use of toxic pesticides and fertilizers and rely instead on resistant cultivars, timing of planting, use of compost and mulch, planting of cover crops, biological pest control and other alternatives.