Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

Forty years of building connections and empowering communities! We're celebrating Jeanne Baranek's remarkable career at UMass, including her vital work training future leaders and collaborating with local partners through CAFE's Nutrition Education Program.

Lynne McLandsborough, CAFE interim 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

Jon Clements attended an International Society for Horticultural Science Symposium on Precision Orchard and Vineyard Management, December 4-8, 2023 at the Tatura Smart Farm, in Victoria, Australia.

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.  

The Clean Energy Extension (CEE) at UMass Amherst recently concluded the Western Massachusetts Solar Forum, a series of virtual public discussions and information-sharing sessions regarding the opportunities and challenges associated with solar PV development and installation in Western Massachusetts. The Forum was convened and hosted by CEE, Massachusetts Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), Representative Mindy Domb (D-Amherst), and 16 members of the western Massachusetts state legislative delegation. 

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.