Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

UMass faculty and staff explore advanced imaging, engineering, and orchard management techniques while deepening a partnership that spans more than a century.

UMass Extension, the College of Natural Sciences and Stockbridge School of Agriculture will once again present the Crop & Animal Research Farm Tour on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.  Attendees will tour the research farm and learn about ongoing science investigations, including updates on carrot trials, weed emergence control strategies, cover crops and living mulches, bees and more. Free and open to the public, the event will run from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Mass Crop and Animal Research and Education Farm in South Deerfield and will include lunch for attendees.

Lynne McLandsborough, who will also serve as assistant vice chancellor for research and engagement, will oversee a wide variety of programs, from the Extension’s educational outreach efforts to the UMass Cranberry Station research center

Lynne McLandsborough, CAFE director, Professor of Food Science has won the 2024 Mahoney Life Sciences Prize for her research that offers a solution to a sticky sanitation and food safety dilemma hounding the peanut butter and chocolate industries.

Watch: Lynne McLandsborough’s groundbreaking food safety research highlighted on Boston 25

Partnerships between mobile farmer’s markets, the UMass Extension Nutrition Education’s SNAP- Ed Program and community organizations have made it possible for SNAP participants to access fresh healthy produce at their home, school, educational center, and councils on aging. For many SNAP participants this was the first opportunity to use their fruit and vegetable benefit provided through the Healthy Incentive program (HIP). Depending on the household size, this benefit offers $40-80 per month to purchase fruits and vegetables.  

It is a mild January morning that finds UMPD Detective Jessie Liptak at the Hadley Farm caring for the Mounted Unit’s three horses: Miranda, a 28-year old mare who, despite having a bit more silver in her muzzle, still inspects visitors thoroughly for treats, Miller, an imposing Belgian draft horse, and Outlaw, a sweet, nine-year-old gray who first came to the farm as a horse companion before finding his calling in police work.