Agriculture & Food

Ensuring a vibrant and sustainable agricultural industry and food supply

Winter 2024 Ornamental and Turf Short Course

Registration now open!  Winter 2024 Ornamental and Turf Short Course Wednesdays 5:30-7 pm, from January 10 – March 13, 2024  Register Here More information at s.uconn.edu/ornamental-turf.  Ornamental and Turf Online Short Course Description  UConn Extension offers an online Ornamental & Turf Short Course in the fall and winter, which helps students prepare for the pesticide applicator supervisory exam.  […]

2024 CT Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers’ Conference

UConn Extension Vegetable & Small Fruit Growers’ Conference  January 9, 2024 UConn Student Union, Rooms 330 & 304 For full agenda and more information visit: s.uconn.edu/ctvfcprogram Early Registration $40.00, ends Wednesday December 20, 2023 at noon $60.00 after December 20, 2023 Matriculated Students: $30.00 with valid school ID Online registration will be open until January 3, […]

Build Scientific Understanding of Genetic Engineering with High School Students

UConn Extension has made available a standards-based curriculum aimed at addressing the misunderstandings about genetically modified foods.  This curriculum, aimed toward science and agriscience educators, provides information about the applications of genetic engineering in agriculture and other fields.  Both a formal and non-formal curriculum are available.  The non-formal curriculum is a great tool that could be […]

Interview with Anoushka Concepcion: Barriers to Seaweed Expansion

Anoushka Concepcion was interviewed by Chaya Gaberria on April 26, 2023. Interview edited by Carla Schubiger. “I would encourage everyone, specifically women and POC, to establish support systems early in their careers.” – Anoushka   Please introduce yourself (briefly; name, position, what are you working on)? My name is Anoushka Concepcion, and I am an […]

Solid Ground DIY series- Farming in Small Spaces

Hey Farmers! If you’re thinking about growing in a small footprint, or want to look at different ways folks are growing in their small space in CT, this is the video series for you! We visited with farmers throughout the state that were growing on a quarter acre or less and took a look at […]

8 Essential “Always” of Holiday Food Safety

Article by Indu Upadhyaya, Ph.D., Assistant Extension Educator, Food Safety Holiday gatherings bring families and friends together, to spread more joy and happiness. While the merriment begins around Thanksgiving and continues until the New Years’, the food during holiday buffets, the party trays, the turkey, and other delicacies remain the main attraction of gathering. But be […]

Online Course: Climate Smart Adaptation Strategies for CT Farmers

Climate Smart Adaptation Strategies for CT Farmers Join UConn Extension Solid Ground program in a new course that will help you understand the best practices for your farm in a changing climate.  Course includes expert instructors in various fields implementing climate smart agriculture practices, tools under $2000 that are suggested for use, virtual field trips […]

Meet Mike Gilman

Mike Gilman of Branford recently joined us as an Assistant Extension Educator with Connecticut Sea Grant, where he works with our aquaculture program. Mike received his bachelor of science from Albertus Magnus College and a master of science from Southern Connecticut State University. What is your area of interest? My main areas of interest are […]

Meet Heather Zidack

Heather Zidack (‘11 CAHNR, ’12 Neag) joined the UConn Home and Garden Education Center as an educational program assistant in September. Heather works with faculty and staff at UConn to provide educational resources and answer home and gardening questions for residents statewide. She earned her bachelor of science in ornamental horticulture and her master of […]

Climate Smart Adaptation Strategies for Beginner Famers

Hey Farmers! Looking for a new suite of tools and resources for you to use on your farms to help you make good decisions about the climate needs you are undoubtedly facing. We want to tell you about them! So JOIN US for an introduction to UConn Extension’s newest project to support beginning farmers as they shift […]

Seaweed growers urged to pursue markets in plant-based foods

Story and photos by Judy Benson Carl Jorgensen, consultant to the Plant Based Foods Association and the Plant Based Foods Institute, talks about the potential of kelp in the plant-based food industry during the 8th Annual Connecticut Seaweed Stakeholders Meeting. Plant-based alternatives to meat, milk and other foods derived from animal products are the fastest […]

Fall Soil Testing Yields Spring Benefits

Fall is the perfect time of year to test your soil for gardens, agricultural fields, yards, or athletic fields. The UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory tests for a variety of major and minor plant nutrients, lead and pH. Limestone and fertilizer recommendations are based on University research and field studies. Details on how to take […]

Visit us at the CT Ag Expo on November 8th

2023 CT Ag Expo Wednesday, November 8th 8:00AM to 2:00PM Visit UConn Extension at the CT Ag Expo on Wednesday, November 8th. The Expo is showcasing the latest in agricultural innovation, farm equipment, crop production, farm supplies, and agricultural services. Registration includes: Networking Lunch Connecticut Beer & Wine Samples Taste of Connecticut Pesticide CEU Credits […]

Youth Photography Scavenger Hunt at Meechooôk Farm

UConn Extension collaborated with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN) Departments of Agriculture and Parks and Recreation to facilitate a youth photography scavenger hunt at Meechooôk Farm in July 2023. This activity is part of a larger shared commitment to youth development and improvements in agricultural literacy in the MPTN community. MPTN youth were provided […]

Connecticut Gardeners’ 2024 Calendar

The UConn Master Gardeners have assembled a calendar for Connecticut gardeners! There are tips through every month on how to plan and maintain your garden for fresh blooms and abundant vegetables. This year there is additional information on supporting beneficial insects in the landscape, with tips on using integrated pest management, creating habitat for beneficials, […]

Celebrating National Farmer’s Day

Today is National Farmer’s Day, and here at UConn Extension, we celebrate our farmers every day. Extension professionals work statewide to help farmers improve their operations, diversify crops, and scale up their business models. Jiff Martin is our Food Systems Extension Educator and works with agricultural producers statewide to strengthen agriculture and promote local agriculture […]

Meet Maggie Ng

Maggie Ng recently joined UConn Extension as an outreach assistant for our vegetable crops and hemp programs, based in our Vernon office. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts where her focus was on climate change in agriculture. Maggie conducted a year-long research project for her thesis, interviewing local farmers on […]

Protect Humans and Animals from Mosquitoes

The presence of mosquitoes carrying Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) on the rise in Connecticut, according to surveillance program from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and testing from UConn’s Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. Protect both humans and livestock with these steps: http://s.uconn.edu/eeev

Annual Beef Cattle Auction

The 2023 University of Connecticut (UConn) Beef Cattle Auction is set to occur on Sunday, October 22, 2023, at the Cattle Resource Unit (CRU) on Horsebarn Hill Road in Storrs, CT 06269. This year’s event will offer both in-person attendance and the opportunity for virtual and live bidding through Wolf Auction Group. Sale animals will […]

Report the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF)

If you see something, say something. The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) seriously threatens Connecticut agriculture and other plants we enjoy. Help the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station control the SLF by reporting and eliminating this invasive pest. Learn more at s.uconn.edu/lanternfly

Bonnie Kegler: Empowering Youth with UConn 4-H

Bonnie Kegler (’88 CAHNR, ’90 NEAG) joined UConn Extension and the 4-H program in Windham County as an assistant extension educator in July, after an award-winning teaching career at Killingly High School in the agricultural education program. “I want youth in the UConn 4-H program to have a sense of accomplishment on any level, whether […]

Meet Brenda Sanchez

Brenda Sanchez recently joined our team as an Outreach Nutrition Education Assistant with the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) in our Bethel office in Fairfield County. She joins us from experiences working in the medical field and with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, where she spent 11 years as a peer […]

Solving the Food Label Mystery

Navigating the grocery store aisle is challenging for many consumers—especially those who want to buy the most nutritious food and stay within their budget. Learn more and play Unpeeled: The Case Files of Maya McCluen at http://s.uconn.edu/unpeeled. Additional food label resources, including understanding best by, sell by, and expiration date are in this article and […]

Become a Master Composter

Registration is open for the 2023 UConn Master Composter Program! Classes consist of two Saturday in-person sessions, September 16 and 30, and two Thursday night virtual ones, September 21 and 28. There are also two field trips scheduled for October. Participants will learn about composting and share their knowledge with others in a variety of […]

Job Opening: Evaluation Specialist

We’re hiring an Extension Evaluation Specialist. Join our team and advance the field of program evaluation by designing and testing methods that lead to improved capacity to measure outcomes of UConn Extension programs. The Specialist designs and delivers education programs and non-credit courses for UConn Extension faculty, staff, and administrators to increase their capacity to […]

Stress Management Resources for Farmers

Farming is stressful, and there are resources to help navigate those challenges. Becca Toms from our Solid Ground program talked with two of our farmers – Dishaun Harris: Root Life, New Haven and Yoko Takemura: Assawaga Farm, Putnam – about the different stresses they face farming in Connecticut and some of the practices they have […]

August 18th: 2nd Annual UConn IPM Seminar Series

Join us on Friday, August 18th for the 2nd Annual UConn IPM Seminar Series. This event is free to the public, and will be held in the Wilfred B. Young Building on the Storrs Campus from 10:a.m.-2:30 p.m. Registration is required. Topics: Dr. Nick Goltz- Disease Update and Plant Health Tips Pamm Cooper- Good Bug- […]

Cultivating Education and Food Security with the Master Gardeners

On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from early spring through fall, you can find dedicated groups of Master Gardeners lovingly cultivating an organic Demonstration Vegetable Garden at the Fairfield County Extension Center site in Bethel. By summer, the garden is a beautiful oasis teeming with butterflies, and pollinators as volunteers harvest tomatoes, potatoes, beans, and […]

Getting Locally Grown, Fresh Food onto Student Lunch Trays

Recent policy changes are raising the opportunity for many more Connecticut students to taste fresh, locally grown food in their school cafeterias. UConn Extension is well positioned to make the most of these changes. First, in 2021, the CT Grown for CT Kids Grants program was created by the state to help school districts and […]

Flooding Resources for Agriculture, Residents & Municipalities

Many of our communities are affected by the statewide flooding from the Connecticut River after heavy rains in New York and Vermont. Flooding conditions continued after more rain arrived. UConn Extension has the following resources to support agricultural producers, consumers, residents, and others affected.  Flooding Resources

Disaster Preparedness for Horse Owners

Article by Dr. Jenifer Nadeau, UConn Equine Extension Specialist When it comes to disasters, a lot of us think about wildfires. However, we also picture catastrophic flooding. Flooding is the most common type of natural disaster. About 40% of all natural disasters worldwide involve flooding. According to National Flood Insurance, in a 30-year mortgage, a […]

Flooding Resources

Updated on July 24, 2023 Many of our communities are affected by the statewide flooding from the Connecticut River after heavy rains in New York and Vermont. Flooding conditions continued after more rain arrived. UConn Extension has the following resources to support agricultural producers, consumers, residents, and others affected. You can also sign up for […]

Meat and Poultry HACCP Course

HACCP for Meat and Poultry Processors (Course approved by International HACCP Alliance) This three-day International HACCP Alliance approved Meat and Poultry HACCP course will provide participants with the information they need to prepare a HACCP food safety program and plan for a plant under USDA/FSIS Grant of Inspection. *See additional information below flyer; click flyer […]

Connecticut Shell Recycling Survey

Do you work with a restaurant that sells oysters? Please pass on this survey to them! We are recruiting individuals for a research project to gauge the CT food service sector interest in shell recycling. We have obtained prospective participants’ email addresses through project partners at the Connecticut Restaurant Association. Participation involves a survey that will take […]

Siete Consejos para Estirar Tu Presupuesto en Alimentos

Dianisi Torres, M.A., CHW   Nutrition Outreach Educator, UConn Extension Read the article in English here. ¿Alguna vez se ha detenido en la línea del supermercado, mira su carrito de compras y se pregunta, cómo tan pocos artículos de alimentos cuestan tanto dinero? Es algo que pasa con frecuencia a pesar de que somos afortunados de […]