Leveraging Pennsylvania's diverse agricultural strengths to serve as a testbed for innovation and economic growth

Farm. Credit: Adobe Stock

Farm. Credit: Adobe Stock

Pennsylvania's agricultural sector is diverse and profitable, with small farms producing a wide range of plant and animal products, including organic food and specialty crops. We recognize and embrace the importance of our role in linking industry, government, and academic research to position Pennsylvania as a leader in agricultural innovation and economic growth.

Opportunity

Pennsylvania boasts a diverse and profitable agricultural economy. Much of the agricultural sector in the state consists of small farms. These farms produce a wide array of products, both plant and animal, including vegetables and fruits, horticulture, hardwoods, Christmas trees, specialty crops, dairy products, chicken, beef, and pork. Pennsylvania's landscape includes urban and rural environments and a large interface between the two, as well as large state- and privately owned forests and critical watersheds. The state also is a leader in organic food production and farm-to-market sales and a significant member of the food processing industry. Thus, Pennsylvania offers the opportunity to be a testbed for a broad range of food and agriculture innovations, intentionally hosting strategic demonstration initiatives. As Pennsylvania's land-grant institution, Penn State is widely recognized as an important asset to the state's food, agriculture, and natural resource industries and to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. With proximity to the federal policy center in Washington, D.C., and the nation's major media market in New York, Penn State CAS has an opportunity to help position Pennsylvania as an agricultural thought leader. The college is well-positioned to bring researchers together with industry leaders, policymakers, and the media to discuss agricultural needs, target investments, and communicate outcomes. Strategically linking industry, government, and academic research to identify priorities is critical to future success.

Framing Question

How might the College of Agricultural Sciences leverage the uniqueness of Pennsylvania's agricultural sector to advance research and innovation that benefits the Commonwealth, the region, the nation, and even the world?

Office for Research and Graduate Education

Address

217 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802-2600

Office for Research and Graduate Education

Address

217 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802-2600