Agricultural Sciences

College of Ag Sciences and Ukraine partner in advancing agricultural development

The college has had a strong and productive working relationship with agriculture and universities in Ukraine for 30 years.

Melanie Miller-Foster and Daniel Foster, faculty members in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, center, visited with collaborators at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences (NULES) in Kyiv in May 2019. The pair also taught a workshop on effective teaching strategies. They are shown with Vadym Tkachuk, vice-rector, NULES, left, and Oleksandr Labenko, head of the international relations office and associate professor, NULES, and former Woskob International Research in Agriculture Scholar. Credit: Woskob International Research in AgricultureAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For 30 years, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has had a strong and productive working relationship with agriculture and universities in Ukraine, said Dean Rick Roush.

As the invasion of Ukraine by Russia continues, said Roush, “words fail to describe our reaction to the events of the last few weeks. We know the Ukrainian people are peaceful and focused on their families and developing their natural resources in a sustainable way for benefits beyond Ukraine. We are doing our best to maintain contact with our friends in Ukraine and to remind them that they are in our thoughts.”

The college’s long-standing relationship with partners in Ukraine began in 1992 when real estate developers Helen and Alex Woskob, of State College, established the Center of Ukrainian Agriculture at Penn State. The center fostered collaboration between Penn State and the Ukrainian Agricultural Academy, now the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences, in Kyiv.

Roush explained that the Woskobs’ philanthropic support, through the Woskob New Century Fund now headed by George and Nina Woskob — plus an additional $1 million in federal grants — has supported the exchange of faculty and students, seminars and academic meetings, cultural exchange activities, and collaborative education, research and extension activities.

“Across the University, we seek international collaborations to advance our understanding of other cultures, our research in science and other disciplines with collaborators who bring additional insights, and for the education of our students,” said Roush.

Pennsylvania and Ukraine have much in common, he pointed out, including similarities in climate and agricultural development. He noted that Pennsylvania has one of the largest populations of Ukrainian Americans in the United States.

“In the agricultural sciences, we’re particularly interested in countries like Ukraine, from which we can learn to improve our practices and to make sure our students gain a better understanding about competition and markets,” Roush said. “Agriculture and rural development are important research areas and are critical to healthy, open and democratic societies.”

Focus areas of the college’s work with Ukraine include bioenergy, forestry, horticulture, agribusiness and food science. The Woskob International Research in Agriculture program also brings young faculty scholars from Ukraine to Penn State annually. More than 45 faculty members have participated in this program.

Additionally, 25 Penn State students have traveled to Ukraine for study tours, and four Ukrainian students visited Penn State for short-term study. There have been many faculty, student and administrative conferences. Several members of the Ukrainian Board of Trade also visited Pennsylvania and the college.

The Woskob fund has supported large conferences, including the “International Summit on Biofuels Research and Business Opportunities in Ukraine” and “Diverse Landscapes of Ukraine: A Celebration of 25 Years of Independence.”

College faculty members and Penn State Extension educators have presented workshops in Ukraine, including one on food safety attended by 70 faculty, students and industry personnel. Other educational opportunities focused on the hard cider industry, soil science, reform initiatives and food security.

Also, 10 dairy producers and processors from Ukraine visited the college. Following travel restrictions due to COVID-19, the college’s faculty continued to support Ukrainian colleagues and students through online workshops and courses.

More recently, the college has launched the Consortium for Ukraine’s Rural and Agricultural Development, along with Ohio State University, Louisiana State University and the University of Missouri, to aid in the land reform effort underway in Ukraine.

The consortium is committed to helping Ukraine realize its agricultural potential through innovative technologies, sustainable practices and land reform benefits, explained Suzanna Windon, director of the program and an assistant professor in the college.

Windon, a native of Ukraine, has 16 years of experience in research and teaching at Ukrainian institutions. She said that agriculture is an important industry in Ukraine; agricultural land occupies more than 70% of the country (42 million hectares). The registered land plots are 32.3 million hectares, of which 19.9 million hectares are leased.

However, Ukrainian farmers, especially those in rural areas, have faced challenges, including a moratorium on agricultural land sale, access to finance and markets, limited training in sustainable farming practices, lack of equipment, and agricultural infrastructure inadequacies.

“Ukraine is critical to meeting the world’s food supplies for the future,” said Windon, who added that Ukraine is called the “breadbasket of Europe,” a nod to its fertile soil and abundant grain fields. “The Ukrainian people are fighting for their independence and for democracy, which are shared values that are critical for peace and to move Ukraine forward.”

The impactful partnership between the college and Ukraine continues, with discussions underway about developing resources to aid Ukrainian scholars and partners, according to Deanna Behring, assistant dean for international programs for the college. The entire University community is concerned for their well-being.

Last Updated March 18, 2022

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