Increasing the sustainability, profitability, and competitiveness of agricultural and horticultural enterprises.
Includes:
- 0.1 Animal Systems - Animal and forage mgmt.; Ag and natural resource stewardship; Total quality assurance (live animal and animal products, food safety, animal wellbeing)
- 0.2 Food Systems - Food systems (processing, distribution, aggregation), farm and facility food safety, small farms and alternative enterprises
- 0.3 Plant Systems - Commercial agronomic, ornamental, and fruit and vegetable crops
- 0.4 Integrated Pest Management - Crop protection that focuses on long-term prevention of damage that can be caused by pests and diseases (e.g., biological control, habitat manipulations, modified cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties)
- 1. Farm economics, entrepreneurship, and management - Assisting farms of all sizes with financing, marketing, management, economic outlook, land acquisition, government programs and policies
- 2. Citizen awareness of food systems and the environment - Increase public awareness of the value of agricultural lands to the economy and the environment
