Overview

Our mission is to ensure access to healthy food and to promote the vitality of agriculture today and for future generations. We do this through integrative research, education, communication, and early action on big, emerging issues.

The Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis brings together the expertise of more than 70 UC Davis faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, graduate student researchers, and undergraduate student assistants to address big and emerging issues related to food and farming sustainability.

We partner with farmers, ranchers, agribusiness, non-profits, policy makers, and local communities to ensure that our research and teaching respond to the needs of the people of California and the world.

Our vision is to to create a more sustainable food system through work as a:

Convener:

We engage diverse perspectives in dialogue around challenging agricultural issues, recognizing that true solutions emerge from uncommon collaborations.

Clearinghouse:

 We synthesize, translate, and communicate scientific information to help increase its usefulness and accessibility.

Think Tank:

 We bring together thought leaders to conduct interdisciplinary research.

Incubator:

 We nurture the next generation of agricultural leaders through experiential education, internship opportunities, and mentoring.

Action Tank:

 We work to translate research into tools for change.

 

 Our Thematic Areas

Food & Society:

We work to ensure that California residents have access to healthy food, California farmers can succeed in business, workers throughout the food system are treated equitably, and communities throughout California thrive.

Agriculture, Resources, & the Environment:

We work with farmers and rancher to create science-based solutions to today's biggest sustainability challenges. Through partnerships with farmers, interdisciplinary research, and innovative communication, we promote the vitality of agriculture today and for future generations.

Education & Leadership:

We are training the next generation of agriculture leaders through classroom learning and hands-on experience. We teach children and adults throughout California's diverse communities about food, nutrition, and the environment. Through our national network, we work to improve access to healthy food for all children in the United State and reduce inequity in the U.S. food system.

 

Our Programs

We operate three programs that span across our vision and thematic areas: