Science of Agriculture

RECIPES is an NSF-funded multi-institutional research network developing knowledge and solutions to transform the food system through waste reduction. With over 100 researchers across 14 U.S. universities and partners throughout the food system, the network uses a convergent research process focused on three core areas: circular economy, multiscale modeling, and human-centered design.

The Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) was established in 1883 by the Alabama Legislature to advance the state’s agricultural and forestry industries through scientific research. Today, AAES is supported by the USDA NIFA Hatch program and the State of Alabama. AAES researchers lead innovative fundamental and applied research that strengthens agriculture and forestry while improving the quality of life for communities across Alabama and beyond.

Engineers at Binghamton University, State University of New York, have created a system that builds “digital twin” versions of real farms, letting users move through fully interactive virtual environments and view live plants in real time — technology that could help make farming more accessible for older adults and people with disabilities.

Cloud Agronomics is a Brown-born startup using hyperspectral imaging and AI to detect crop diseases before they’re visible to the human eye. By flying specialized sensors over fields, they capture detailed data that reveals early signs of stress and disease. This early warning system helps farmers act sooner, protect yields, and reduce losses that threaten food security.

Florida International University’s Agroecology Program examines agricultural systems with the goal of meeting growing food demand while safeguarding natural ecosystems. It studies how plants function in both natural and managed environments, promotes agricultural innovation through industry collaboration, and highlights the human dimension of agroecology by connecting stakeholders across the food supply chain. Through initiatives such as regenerative practices for soil and plant health, the Supply Chains Study, and programs supporting underserved students and farmers, the program contributes to strengthening resilient and sustainable food systems. 

Georgetown’s Earth Commons Institute is a hub for environmental and sustainability innovation, research and education to service toward the most pressing issues of our earth. Assembling a team of interdisciplinary experts, researchers, leaders and students, the Earth Commons is transforming the university into a living laboratory to develop scalable solutions for a greener, more sustainable world.

Harvard Business School’s Food & Agriculture initiative explores how businesses can reduce agriculture’s environmental impacts while building more resilient food systems. The initiative showcases innovations in production, supply chains, and products that can cut emissions and help farmers and producers adapt.

Marquette researchers are studying honeybees to understand how gut bacteria influence learning and social behavior. Their work shows that changes to the bee microbiome, including common antibiotics, can unexpectedly affect how well bees learn. Because bees share many of the same gut bacteria as humans, these findings may eventually help us better understand the brain–gut connection in people, too.

North Carolina State University, in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), operates 18 research stations across the state where scientists and students test their findings in real-world scenarios under natural conditions.

The NYU Urban Farm Lab is an outdoor classroom, research lab, and community farm. It is a collaboration of faculty, staff, and students from the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at NYU Steinhardt, along with members of the broader NYU community and local partners. On the farm, students learn how to grow, care for, and harvest seasonal edible crops in an urban environment. The larger NYU community participates on the farm during farm volunteer days, class visits, and farm events.

Northeastern’s Plant Biology and Biotechnology faculty focus on researching plant structure, physiology, and development; applying molecular techniques to better understand their biology and to improve growth and resilience in extreme environments. This work will help address food security, strengthen sustainable agriculture, improve biofuel production, and enhance environmental conservation through genetic engineering and breeding innovations.

Northern Illinois University’s Center for Community Sustainability connects researchers, policymakers, and industry partners to advance innovation in food systems, water resources, and environmental change. Its research is as diverse and innovative as its faculty, spanning projects from urban-regional modeling to robotic technologies that support crop production. Through cross-sector collaboration, the Center translates research into practical, real-world solutions.

Tilva™ is a new AI-powered assistant Penn State Extension is piloting to make trusted, science-based agricultural and natural resource information easier to access anytime. Built with the College of Agricultural Sciences and the PlantVillage team, it helps farmers, homeowners, educators, and community partners get clear answers using educator-approved Extension content, along with localized weather and soil data.  

Rochester Institute of Technology’s FFAR Degradable Mulching Films project brings together researchers, growers, and industry partners to develop alternatives to conventional polyethylene mulch for agriculture, focusing on films that improve crop yield while reducing plastic waste and environmental impact in the field.

Rutgers University’s New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) develops and delivers practical solutions that strengthen New Jersey’s agriculture, environment, public health, and communities. It operates research, extension, and county-based programs statewide to connect residents directly with Rutgers' expertise and make New Jersey a better place to live and work.

Stanford University’s Center on Food Security and the Environment (FSE), a joint effort of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, addresses critical challenges related to hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation. FSE focuses on designing new approaches to improving food security by building an evolving research portfolio supported by experts across scientific, economic, and policy disciplines.

FoodLab at Stony Brook University is an interdisciplinary research initiative focused on food systems, bringing together faculty and students to study the connections among agriculture, nutrition, and health. Their work advances evidence-based approaches to food production, access, and policy, making it a useful resource in the broader landscape of agricultural research.

Syracuse University researchers are examining how agriculture influences regional climate extremes, including how major crops like corn and soy can affect temperature and humidity in surrounding areas. The work informs the two-way relationship between farming and climate, with implications for crop resilience and future agricultural adaptation.

Ohio State University Extension’s Agriculture and Natural Resources program connects farmers and communities with timely, research-based information across a wide range of agricultural topics through statewide educator teams and specialized program areas. The initiative serves as a practical hub for research, outreach, and technical resources that support on-the-ground agricultural decision-making.

UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) delivers science-based solutions to improve lives and livelihoods across California. By extending UC’s research statewide, UC ANR partners with communities in all 58 counties to address challenges in agriculture, natural resources, wildfire resilience, environmental stewardship, food systems, and youth development. For over a century, it has connected research to real-world needs through local expertise, practical tools, and on-the-ground outreach. 

UC Berkeley’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics is a research program focused on agriculture, food production, natural resources, energy, and policy analysis. Its work applies economics and quantitative methods to major challenges in food systems.

UC Davis researchers developed gene-edited wheat that encourages soil microbes to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form the plant can use, potentially reducing the need for synthetic fertilizer. The research points to a promising path for lowering pollution and it builds on gene-editing advances made possible in part by longstanding federal support for basic research from NIH, NSF, and DOE.

UC Merced’s Agricultural Experiment Station supports research on agriculture, water, soil, and climate resilience tailored to the needs of the San Joaquin Valley and surrounding regions.

UC Riverside’s College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences brings together research across the life, physical, mathematical, and agricultural sciences to address challenges in food production, natural resources, and health.

UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Agroecology advances research on farming, organic agriculture, and food systems through participatory science, extension, and hands-on education. Its work uses campus farm and garden sites as laboratories to develop and share practical approaches for resilient agriculture and strong regional food systems.

The University at Buffalo brings together research across agriculture, food systems, and environmental health. Their projects focus on crop productivity, food access, and the impacts of chemicals and pollution on agricultural systems.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks’ (UAF) Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension connects research and public education to support food security, farming, natural resource stewardship, and healthy communities across Alaska. As part of UAF’s land-grant mission, it translates university expertise into practical programs that help Alaskans grow food, manage resources, and strengthen local resilience.

The UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences) works to enhance and sustain the quality of human life through its research, teaching and Extension efforts in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences for Florida. Florida’s agriculture industry supports $387.4 billion in sales revenue and nearly 2.5 million jobs through the state.”

The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health is located within the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa. The Center was founded in 1990 and is a nationally recognized resource with an established record of developing and implementing programs of research, intervention, translation, education, and outreach to prevent occupational injury and illness among agricultural workers and their families.The Center addresses the health and safety needs of agricultural workers in the Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin. These states constitute America’s most agriculturally intensive region.

At the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research, researchers across seven labs explore a range of ecosystem focus areas, from genetics to large-scale meta-population dynamics and synchrony. In addition to terrestrial, aquatic, and geospatial research, the university also manages a 3,200-acre biological field station.

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment conducts research that improves lives across Kentucky and beyond. Through work spanning agriculture, food systems, natural resources, rural communities and environmental sustainability, our researchers develop solutions that strengthen economies, conserve resources, increase productivity and address real-world challenges. Supported by more than 20,000 acres of research farms and forests, Martin-Gatton CAFE research drives innovation and opportunity throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.

The Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station supports over 120 faculty members conducting agricultural, environmental, and biosecurity research across campus academic units and four regional Research and Education Centers throughout the state.

The University of Michigan Sustainable Food Systems Initiative brings together students, faculty, and community partners to advance food systems that are healthy, equitable, economically viable, and ecologically sound. It responds to a global food system marked by both hunger and obesity, environmental degradation, and threats to farmer and worker well-being by helping build a stronger intellectual foundation for community‑revitalizing and environmentally protective food systems.

The Agricultural Research Division (ARD) is the primary research agency of the University of Nebraska's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, dedicated to conducting fundamental and problem-solving research that addresses agricultural, environmental, and community challenges across Nebraska and the world.

The University of Notre Dame's Environmental Change Initiative works with farmers to improve both water and soil quality through innovative conservation, simultaneously sustaining agriculture and freshwater ecosystems.

The Environmental Studies Program advances solutions to pressing environmental challenges by uniting experts in the natural and social sciences, environmental humanities, design, and education in collaboration with community partners worldwide. Graduate and undergraduate students gain hands-on experience and conduct policy-relevant, evidence-based research on social and environmental resiliency, preparing for emerging professional pathways toward a more just and eco-friendly world.

The Center for Stewardship Agriculture and Food Security at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center advances equitable and resilient animal agriculture by prioritizing animal welfare, environmental impacts, food security, human health connections, and regenerative farming practices.

The DRIP (Dirt, Rivers, Ice, Particles) Lab at the University of Rochester’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences brings together an interdisciplinary team to investigate how sediment dynamics shape Earth’s surface, integrating geomorphology with fluid dynamics, soft matter, and statistical physics through theory, numerical models, lab experiments, and fieldwork.

The Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center conducts research and promotes best safety and health practices for Northwest producers, workers, and communities in farming, fishing, and forestry.

The Agricultural Research Stations of the University of Wisconsin-Madison provide facilities, support, and administrative leadership across twelve regional stations to foster faculty-led research, education, and community outreach in agriculture, food systems, and environmental sciences.

Public investments help University of Illinois researchers improve food security, protect wildlife, ensure a clean water supply, and bolster the health of natural and managed systems. Recent projects pioneer innovative solutions, harvest strategies, and food waste as fuel.

The VCU Urban Gardens Program advances urban agriculture on campus through community food production, faculty partnerships, and student-oriented volunteer activities centered on urban agroecology. Currently, the program includes two urban community gardens within the Richmond city limits and is breaking ground on a small farm in Charles City County at VCU's Rice Rivers Center.

WSU's College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences drives critical regional and global research by utilizing its specialized farms and four dedicated Research and Extension Centers to develop resilient crops, combat plant diseases like fire blight, and support local growers.