Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island PREPARED BY THE URI BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT CENTER SPRING 2021

Photo by AYLA FOX

Dear Colleagues: We are excited to release this report which highlights some of the key areas of expertise of the University of Rhode Island’s (URI) faculty, staff and students related to food and agriculture. This is just a snapshot of the wide array of activities across research, education, and outreach activities happening at URI. We have learned through our work hosting the annual Rhode Island Food System Summit, that local, state, regional and national leaders are looking for new ways to partner with URI. As the “front door” for industry to connect with the vast resources that exist at the university, the URI Business Engagement Center is ready to help you achieve that, whether it’s taking your research and development efforts to the next level or scaling your workforce. Through the Rhode Island Food Center at URI, our program in partnership with the College of the Environment and Life Sciences (URI), we have the expertise and skills to help your organization thrive. We hope that you’ll look through this report and discover new avenues for collaboration.

We look forward to hearing from you and please reach out to us if you are looking to collaborate with URI. Sincerely,

Katharine Hazard Flynn Executive Director

Photo by NORA LEWIS

3

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by NORA LEWIS

ABOUT US URI Business Engagement Center The Business Engagement Center (BEC) was established in the fall of 2013 at the University of Rhode Island to provide Rhode Island businesses, as well as those outside of the state, with a one-stop shopping approach to accessing the University’s vast resources – resources which can play a role in helping businesses succeed and grow.

Companies – from entrepreneurial startups to major corporations – face many challenges in today’s global and quickly evolving economic landscape. The University can play a vital role in providing businesses with undergraduate and graduate students with talent for internships and permanent careers, sponsored research opportunities, technology or IP transfer assistance, licensing information, customized workforce training and skill development and other important services. The Business Engagement Center serves as the “front door” toward navigating the talent and knowledge that URI offers. We can also help industry sort through a variety of resources relating to event sponsorship, career services, facility and equipment use, charitable giving and problem solving in almost any form.

Rhode Island Food Center at URI The Rhode Island Food Center at URI is a resource center where members of the Rhode Island food system can seek answers, find partners, create innovations, and educate consumers. The Center is a program of the URI Business Engagement Center in coordination with URI’s College of the Environment and Life Sciences (CELS).

With a new dedicated facility located on the URI Kingston campus, the Food Center serves as a place where farmers, growers, producers, distributors, servers, retailers, supporters, and other pioneers can easily access URI’s agricultural resources, wider food expertise, researchers, students, and business support programs. The Center also provides URI students with unique opportunities to connect with industry and get practical experience in the food sector. Every year, the Food Center hosts the Rhode Island Food System Summit, an event designed to bring together stakeholders to discuss issues impacting our state and nation’s food system.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

4

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES The College of Health Sciences seeks to be a leader in education, research, and outreach in the promotion of optimal health and wellness across the life span. We are committed to high quality teaching that emphasizes evidence-based practices, engages students in multidisciplinary learning, and produces graduates who can effectively translate and apply knowledge in their professions. Our research seeks to develop innovative solutions to complex problems that improve the health and well-being of others.

Recognizing that the best solutions occur when issues are approached from multiple perspectives, we value our diverse faculty and community, state, and national partnerships in both teaching and research. Through service and outreach, we strive to better the health, well-being and quality of life among members of the University community, the State of Rhode Island and beyond.

Photo by NORA LEWIS

ACADEMICS 7

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by JOE GIBLIN

B.S. DIETETICS

M.S. NUTRITION Photo by JOE GIBLIN

SPECIALIZED DEGREE PROGRAMS B.S. Nutrition The B.S. in Nutrition program at URI is for students who want to study nutrition but do not plan on becoming Registered Dietitians. Nutrition is an applied science that draws on aspects of chemistry, biochemistry, and physiology. Nutritionists also draw on the social sciences to study the social, economic, cultural, and psychological impacts of food and eating. This degree program prepares students for careers in government programs, public health, research, food manufacturing, and a variety of other areas. It can also be a foundation for those seeking to become medical professionals.

There are three tracks within the B.S. in Nutrition program: Nutrition Science, Health Promotion, and Foods. The Nutrition Science option is designed for students who want to study the science of nutrition to prepare for graduate school or admission to professional health programs. The Health Promotion track provides students with the education and skills needed to work with the public in nutrition education programs. The Foods option is designed for students who want to work in food service management, food safety, or food sustainability.

URI also offers an Accelerated B.S. to M.S. program in Nutrition which allows students to complete both a bachelor’s and master’s in Nutrition in five years. Kathleen Melanson is the director of the accelerated program.

Juniors in the Nutrition Department are eligible to apply during the fall semester. Students in this program finish their B.S. degree by the end of fall semester of their senior year and then use the remaining three semesters to complete their M.S. degree. There is also an option for anyone to Minor in Nutrition.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

8

B.S. Dietetics The B.S. in Dietetics program at URI prepares students to become Registered Dietitians. Dietitians help people meet their nutritional needs through diet counseling and nutrition support, with the overall goals of improving health and preventing disease throughout the lifespan. Dietetics integrates knowledge of food, nutrition, management, sciences, and social sciences to improve the dietary intake and health of individuals and communities.

Sarah Larson is the Director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and teaches a variety of undergraduate nutrition courses.

Her research interests include implementing and evaluating new strategies in the classroom to enhance student learning, including collaborative testing in large general education courses.

Becoming a Registered Dietitian requires a B.S. in Dietetics that includes the Didactic Program in Dietetics, a dietetic internship program, and passing of a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. URI students who become Registered Dietitians are eligible for licensing in Rhode Island.

M.S. Dietetics The URI M.S. in Dietetics is a 100% online degree program. It does not require a thesis and is typically completed in fourteen months. The program involves eleven courses over seven, seven-week-long sessions.

The URI M.S. in Dietetics program is directed by Jennifer Arts-Salvatore. Dr. Arts-Salvatore assisted in the creation of and continues to assist in the development of the online program. Her main research area is diet and heart disease risk factors in college students, however, currently she is evaluating dietetic interns’ research skills in the master’s program. Dr. Arts-Salvatore published two academic papers about said evaluations in 2020.

There are two tracks offered: Sodexo Dietetic Internship Track and Sodexo Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Track. The Sodexo Dietetic Internship Track provides academic training for students currently completing a Sodexo Dietetic Internship program.

Courses complement internship rotations to provide comprehensive study in each area of dietetics. The Sodexo Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Track is a generalist MS degree program covering all areas of dietetics and is best geared towards RDNs within their first five years of practice. Individualized learning plans

9

URI Business Engagement Center

are created so that the learning experience is tailored to each RDNs future career goals.

Ph.D. Health Sciences The Ph.D. in Health Sciences program at URI has four different tracks: Communicative Disorders, Human Development and Family Studies, Kinesiology, and Nutrition and Food Sciences. The Ph.D. program provides students with hands-on basic, applied and translational courses together with research laboratory or field experiences needed to solve health-related problems.

Alison Tovar is the Director of the PhD in Health Sciences program. Dr. Tovar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences. Her research focuses on preventing childhood obesity early in life.

The Ph.D. in Nutrition and Food Sciences specialization prepares students to become independent researchers, scholars, teachers and professional leaders who are able to advance nutrition science, spanning the overlapping disciplines of human nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, human physiology, and public health nutrition. Students will gain and apply interdisciplinary knowledge to the diverse field of nutrition. Nutrition scientists with a Ph.D. can be involved in research, education, industry, community and public health, and clinical practice. Major areas of faculty research in the Nutrition track include understanding risk factors for chronic disease throughout the life cycle, specifically focusing on the behavioral science of eating and environmental determinants of food choice.

Photo by JOE GIBLIN

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING M.S. Nutrition and Dietetic Internship Program The URI M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship program is a two-year program designed for students who want to become a Registered Dietitian, along with receiving their master’s degree. It includes an accredited Dietetic Internship program with a specialization in community and population health.

The M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship program is directed by Geoffrey W. Greene, who is also the Department Chair for Nutrition and Food Sciences. Dr. Greene is currently working with young adult populations to increase fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, and sustainable eating behaviors, as well as with college students to increase critical thinking skills. He is also working with school-aged children to improve dietary and exercise behaviors in both community and school-based interventions.

The program includes one year focusing on didactic coursework, including completion of three concentration competencies associated with coursework, and another year focusing on experiential learning with supportive didactic coursework. Experiential learning covers a period of 36 weeks with over 1,200 hours of supervised practice in health care and community facilities. URI offers areas of specialization that include: public health nutrition and health disparities, nutrient metabolism, nutritional epidemiology, international nutrition, maternal and child health, nutrition and aging, and obesity and weight control.

On completion of the program, students will have demonstrated satisfactory performance of all 2017 Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) competencies and three concentration competencies, as well as skills in reviewing scientific literature, analyzing research designs, developing appropriate research questions, identifying problems relating to dietary quality in vulnerable groups using a national database, data extraction, analysis and reporting based on this database, identifying community nutrition problems and developing a community nutrition intervention grant proposal to address these problems.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

10

RESEARCH 11

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by MIKE SALERNO

RESEARCH LABORATORIES Big Data and Eating Decisions Lab The Big Data and Eating Decisions lab in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences investigates the behavioral science of eating and the environmental determinants of food choice and obesity in order to favorably influence population health. Drawing largely on sources of secondary data from large population studies, the goal of their research is to develop interventions and recommendations that promote healthy eating behavior, weight control, and cardiovascular health at the population level. Their recent research has focused on determinants of dietary quality and food purchase quality, dietary variety, health claims, and the role of weight discrimination in preventing and promoting obesity. Their lab also investigates the influence of food policy on consumer decision making and public health.

The lab’s principal investigator is Maya Vadiveloo, Ph.D. RD. She is an assistant professor, registered dietitian, epidemiologist, and behavioral scientist whose research focuses on using behavioral theory to favorably influence food choices, dietary quality, weight control, and eventually cardiovascular health. Vadiveloo’s research in the Big Data and Eating Decisions lab employs a variety of research methods, including epidemiological analyses, laboratory and online studies, and qualitative methods.

In 2019, the Byte Lab published seven research papers on topics such as: Determinants of Diet Quality and Food Purchase Quality, Maternal and Child Diet Quality and Health, Eating Behavior/Food Policy, and Diet and Cancer.

Professor Vadiveloo was involved in all of these publications.

The University of Rhode Island offers a few courses in association with the lab at the undergraduate level.

Funding for the Byte Lab has been provided by the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, the Rhode Island Foundation Medical Research Funds, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Photo by NORA LEWIS

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

12

Eating Behavior Lab The Eating Behavior Lab is led by Dr. Geoffrey W. Greene. The lab focuses on dietary assessment, behavior change for chronic disease risk reduction and prevention of unwanted weight gain, dietary applications of the Transtheoretical (Stages of Change) Model, and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.

Dr. Greene’s research spans the lifespan from childhood obesity prevention to improving dietary intake in older adults with an emphasis on interventions based on the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. He is currently working with young adult populations to increase fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, and sustainable eating behaviors, as well as with college students to increase critical thinking skills. He is also working with school-aged children to improve dietary and exercise behaviors in both community and school-based interventions.

Dr. Greene is a professor teaching graduate nutrition courses and serves as Director of the URI Dietetic Internship. He is a member of the USDA sponsored Multistate Research Group, The Healthy Campus Research Consortium (NC 1193), and has been PI or Co-I on three large USDA funded grants focusing on dietary change for obesity prevention in young adults. He has collaborated in interventions for low-income school children in inner cities in Rhode Island, supported by the Northeast Regional Nutrition Education Center of Excellence, Children Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR), and SNAP Ed.

13

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by JOE GIBLIN

Energy Balance Lab The Energy Balance Lab is directed by Dr. Kathleen J. Melanson. The lab focuses on various factors that may influence energy balance in humans, and how it relates to diet, physical activity, health, body weight management, chronic disease prevention, and well being.

Dr. Melanson is a professor at the undergraduate and graduate level. She is also the Graduate Program Director.

Her areas of interest are energy and macronutrient metabolism, metabolic regulation and energy balance, appetite physiology, eating behaviors, body weight regulation and management, nutrition and physical activity and chronic disease prevention. Currently her research is focused on healthy body weight management, chronic disease risk reduction, energy and macronutrient balances, appetite, dietary quality, and the interface between nutrition and physical activity. She has collaborated within URI, nationally, and internationally, and has led nutritional aspects of many weight management studies. In 2019, Dr. Melanson published two academic papers primarily studying weight loss intervention methods.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

14

Healthy Feeding, Healthy Eating Lab The Healthy Feeding, Healthy Eating Lab is directed by Dr. Alison Tovar in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences. In the U.S. and globally, we are facing a chronic disease crisis, which is contributing to the leading causes of death and disability, as well as exponential health care costs. According to the World Health Organization, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and tobacco use are among the primary contributors to this crisis. While understanding that the prevention of chronic disease is complex, this research group works to better understand the influence of childhood feeding practices, eating behaviors and diet quality of underserved populations. The goal of this work is to design and implement more effective behavioral interventions to improve overall quality of life and aid in the prevention of those chronic diseases early in life.

Dr. Tovar is an associate professor and her main research focus is preventing childhood obesity. She published three academic papers in 2020 and eleven in 2019 on a variety of topics including maternal food intake and nutrition in preschool children.

There are three ongoing projects at this lab: “A Home-based Video and Motivational Interviewing Intervention to Improve Preschoolers Diet Quality and Parental Food Parenting Practices,” which has the goal of developing and pilot-testing the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of a novel home-based intervention to improve the diet quality and family food environment of preschool age, low-income, and ethnically diverse children; “Developing Simulations and Training to Enhance Motivational Interviewing Skills in Behavioral and Primary Health Care among Nurses,” which strives to educate senior nursing students on critical topics related to the prevention of childhood obesity and combine this education with Motivational Interviewing and SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment) simulations; and “Addressing Early Childhood Obesity in Low-Income Families,” with the goal of better understanding the relation of feeding styles and practices to infant growth and obesity and to translate this understanding to content that can be added to an existing nutrition program to prevent obesity among Latino families.

15

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by JOE GIBLIN

Lipid Lab The research in the Lipid Lab focuses on how lifestyle changes impact heart disease risk factors such as obesity and dyslipidemia in young adults and older adults. The lab is led by Ingrid E. Lofgren. The Lipid Lab does research with persons across the lifecycle and with persons who are healthy and those with neurodegenerative conditions. It uses established and emerging methods to assess risk and to develop interventions that can reduce the identified risk. The lab also participates in research that looks to new models to improve science communication.

Dr. Lofgren is an associate professor who teaches at the undergraduate and graduate level and a registered dietitian. Her research areas include lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, dietary and nutritional assessment, and chronic disease risk reduction. With Dr. Lofgren’s research, she hopes to decrease the number of persons with risk factors for heart disease and eventually reduce the public burden of heart disease through dietary changes.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

16

Nutrition & Physical Activity Promotion in Underserved Communities Research Group Working in partnership with URI’s Community Nutrition Education Programs, SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education), the Nutrition and Physical Activity Promotion in Underserved Communities Research Group mainly focuses on nutrition and physical activity in underserved schoolchildren and how the environment, policies, and psychosocial factors shape these behaviors. Dr. Sarah Amin is the head of the research group. Their research lies at the intersection of health promotion and community-based research. They employ mixed methods to study the nutrition and physical activity behaviors of underserved and racially/ethnically diverse audiences.

Dr. Amin is an assistant professor and the Director of Community Nutrition Education. Dr. Amin is passionate about working in partnership with the community to develop and test innovative methods to promote positive health outcomes across underserved audiences. She mainly has interest in nutrition and physical activity in schoolchildren and how the environment, policies, and psychosocial factors shape these behaviors. Her early research addressed the application of dietary assessment methods, including digital imaging to evaluate school nutrition policy and behavioral interventions, and more recently, on food literacy as a framework for nutrition education in schools. She also has emerging interests in the out-of-school environment and summer learning loss and was recently awarded a USDA CYFAR grant for Project StRIde: Science and Technology Reinforced

by Innovative Dietary Education, to address dietary behaviors and STEM academic achievement of at-risk youth attending summer camps. In 2019, Dr. Amin published two academic papers on physical education in schools and youth food literacy tools.

17

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by JOE GIBLIN

The Oaks Lab The Oaks Lab studies the impact of nutrition before, during, and after pregnancy. Their aim is to understand how to use nutrition to reduce health disparities within the U.S. and globally. The lab’s research focuses on birth outcomes, child and adolescent health, maternal health outcomes, micronutrients, cortisol, and obesity during pregnancy. Their research methods include cohort studies and randomized controlled trials, with a focus on incorporating biomarkers of health and nutritional status.

Brietta Oaks, Ph.D. is the director of the Oaks Lab. Her main research focus is reducing health disparities through improving prenatal nutrition. Her research group conducts studies in which they collect biomarkers of micronutrient status and cortisol for lab analysis. Dr. Oaks published seven academic articles in 2020 and ten in 2019 regarding the various projects the Oaks Lab is involved in.

There are four ongoing projects at the Oaks Lab: The International Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements Project (iLiNS), Adolescent Nutrition Project (ANP), Hemoglobin During Pregnancy, and Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia-II (BRINDA-II). The iLiNS Project is a set of nutritional supplementation trials conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. The Oaks Lab is involved in the trials in Ghana and Malawi which enrolled women during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood. The ANP analyzes the effect of nutrition supplementation during adolescence. The Oaks Lab is working to analyze the results alongside lead investigators at the University of Toronto. The Hemoglobin During Pregnancy Project studies maternal anemia and the negative health impacts associated with high hemoglobin levels. The Oaks Lab collaborated with Emory University, UC Davis, and the University of Heidelberg in Germany to conduct a systematic review and metaanalysis on this issue for the World Health Organization. The BRINDA-II Project investigates the coexistence of obesity and micronutrient deficiencies among women of reproductive age and preschool children.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

18

OUTREACH 19

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by JOE GIBLIN

OUTREACH PROGRAMS Rhode Island Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education

The Rhode Island Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) provides free nutrition education to limited-resource individuals and families throughout the state. Families with children, and youth ages 5-18, are the primary audience. The program is directed by Sarah Amin, Ph.D. Participants receive nutrition-related knowledge and skills to help better manage resources, secure adequate nutrition, and enjoy better health. Trained EFNEP educators teach basic nutrition, food safety, shopping on a budget, and food preparation skills. Children in school settings receive activity-based learned experiences to positively impact both their own and their family’s food choices.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) is the nutrition education component of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program), which is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net. Rhode Island SNAP-Ed offers a variety of program activities to help food stamp eligible individuals and families be active and choose nutrient-dense foods on a budget.

The program at URI is directed by Sarah Amin, Ph.D.

The mission statement of EFNEP is to empower limited-resource families with children, school-aged youth, and pregnant teens to make nutrition and physical activity-related behavior changes as a way to facilitate a healthy lifestyle and reduce chronic disease risk. The four core areas of nutrition education that EFNEP focuses on are: diet and physical activity, food resource management, food safety, and food security.

EFNEP has three main curricula: one for adults and two for youth. The adult curriculum is centered around eating smart and being active. Lessons for adults include kitchen knife skills; “get moving”; plan, shop, save; build strong bones; go lean with protein; and other nutritional skills. “Healthy Bodies, Healthy Me,” one of the youth oriented programs, is aimed at children in kindergarten through second grade. It is based on the USDA MyPlate and includes lessons that focus on books written by registered dietitians specifically for young children. “Choose Health: Food, Fun and Fitness,” a program for third through fifth graders, is a hands-on, interactive curriculum that gets students out of their seats and engaged in the nutrition they are learning. The curriculum focuses on replacing sweetened drinks, eating more fruits and vegetables, understanding nutrition facts labels, eating healthier foods with low fat and sugar content, as well as the importance of eating breakfast.

The key messages of the program are: eat fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat sources of calcium daily for good health, be physically active daily, balance calories in with calories out for healthy weight, and healthy food can fit all budgets.

SNAP-Ed provides nutrition education to youth, families, adults and seniors in many settings throughout the state. Such settings for youth and families include schools, early childcare centers, community recreation, and summer meal sites. Adult and senior programming is offered at job training sites, public housing, faithbased centers, community centers, congregate meal sites, food pantries, SNAP offices, Tribal organizations, farmers’ markets, food stores, and health care clinics.

In addition to working directly with the eligible population, SNAP-Ed also collaborates with the community partner to offer policy, system and environmental (PSE) initiatives. PSE initiatives aim to make the healthy choice, the easier choice for the eligible population. This may include assisting with policy creation or modification; inserting educational components into daily practice; displaying signage, posters, or bulletin boards; and offering professional development training to those professionals who work with the population. Such professional development training is for teachers, nurses, school food service staff, summer meal program professionals, early childhood educators, Women, Infant and Children (WIC) nutritionists, food pantry volunteers, community health workers, and other community partners.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

20

Photo from RHODE ISLAND FOOD FITNESS AND FUN

21

URI Business Engagement Center

Rhode Island Food Fitness and Fun Rhode Island Food Fitness and Fun (formerly South County Food Fitness and Fun) is a 14-week family-based intervention for overweight and obese pre-adolescent children in Rhode Island who are at risk for health-related problems in adolescence and adulthood. The program was created in 2009 with support from South County Hospital to respond to an identified need for such programs for local children. RIFFF was designed by URI faculty and students, and is a unique collaboration between physicians, pediatric dietitians, community-based child activity specialists, and the university.

RIFFF supports children ages 6-10 who are diagnosed as being overweight or obese and are considered by their physicians to be at risk for health-related problems in adolescence and adulthood. The program is provided to families who do not have access to adequate dietary and exercise services due to economic challenges. Children participate in this program along with a parent or guardian. The program started in Wakefield, Rhode Island and we has recently expanded into Westerly. Through these efforts, they have been able to serve more children and families in Rhode Island who require services to support healthy weight loss.

Once a week, teams of one child and one parent/guardian attend a 75-minute session. Each session includes one hour with children and caregivers meeting separately and 15 minutes together for joint physical activity. The initial hour provides 30 minutes devoted to physical activity education and 30 minutes devoted to nutrition education for caregivers, and 30 minutes of directed physical activity and 30 minutes of interactive, hands-in nutrition activities for children. Children and caregivers then come together for the last 15 minutes, where the child leads the caregiver in a physical activity that he/she has learned. Nutrition segments are led by a pediatric dietician and physical activity segments are led by a child activity specialist. A psychologist participates in two sessions with caregivers to help with overcoming barriers and addressing emotional issues associated with healthy eating and physical activity.

Children are referred to the program through their physician who determines eligibility based on a sustained body weight over a minimum of two years, or rapid weight gain with a high risk of obesity. Physician referral is also based on the child’s physical ability to participate in the program, with a focus on serving families who do not have access to adequate dietary and exercise treatment due to economic, insurance or social challenges.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

22

Photo by NORA LEWIS

COLLEGE OF THE ENVIRONMENT & LIFE SCIENCES The College of the Environment and Life Sciences, through its exceptional education, research, and outreach, works to improve the quality of life for all Rhode Island residents and the global community. They serve as a catalyst for stellar interdisciplinary collaboration through the strength of ten academic departments. They lead in the areas of environmental and life sciences, environmental economics and management, policy, and design, and we dedicate ourselves to helping community members maximize their opportunities for success. Driven by a responsibility to provide access to higher education for our students and the public, they uphold the URI Land Grant and Sea Grant heritage while growing and innovating for the 21st century.

ACADEMICS 25

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by NORA LEWIS

Photo by NORA LEWIS

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS Department of Environmental & Natural Resource Economics Environmental Economics provides students with the analytical tools needed to understand why many of the Earth’s natural resources are under threat, and what can be done to address these threats. As part of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences (CELS), the Department of Environmental & Natural Resource Economics (ENRE) is ideally positioned to provide students with a variety of courses in both the natural sciences and economics. Through the integrative curriculum, students can prepare for careers protecting and responsibly utilizing our tropical rainforests, drinking water, clean air, biodiversity, sustainable fisheries, endangered species, and other natural assets.

The undergraduate programs offered by this department include a major in Green Markets and Sustainability, and a major in Environmental Economics and Management. The Green Markets and Sustainability major teaches students about why the earth’s natural resources are under threat and how they can create a sustainable society that protects the environment. The B.S. in Environmental Economics and Management prepares students for a career in government agencies involved in environmental policy and management. There is also a five-year accelerated bachelor’s-master’s program in ENRE and a dual degree program in Business and Environmental Economics. The minors offered by the department include Global Water Studies and a general minor in ENRE, as well as a certificate in Energy Economics and Policy,.

There are both master’s and Ph.D. programs in ENRE. There is a special focus on fisheries management, marine pollution, water quality, renewable energy, and other resource use issues in the coastal zone.

ENRE’s new Policy Simulation Laboratory (SimLab) was created to apply interactive tools based on modern computer technologies to help understand the consequences of policy actions. The SimLab is a set of networked rooms designed to work together as a flexible, integrated facility to study decision making and to help communities make wise choices.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

26

Photo by MIKE SALERNO

Department of Fisheries, Animal & Veterinary Sciences Animal, veterinary, and aquaculture and fisheries sciences play a vital role in today’s food systems and animal management industries. Not only do these fields of study inform our choices in general animal care, but they enable the safe and sustainable production of animal-derived products and services.

They do, in summary, play an essential role in the sustainability and health of our planet.

professional, or technical careers focused on the use and conservation of aquatic animals by humans. The B.S. in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program prepares students to contribute to the sustainable development, production, harvesting, management, and utilization of terrestrial and aquatic microorganisms, plants and animals by society worldwide.

As part of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences (CELS), the Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences (FAVS) is home to a diverse set of students hailing from across the country and different parts of the world. Through their application of core science fundamentals, students are prepared for successful and fulfilling careers in food production, animal health, nutrition, and management. URI offers excellent research facilities, including multiple on campus farms, coastal laboratories, and a 54-ft fishing vessel. The department also prides itself in being one of the oldest fisheries and aquaculture programs in the northeast.

The M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Biological and Environmental Sciences (BES) are interdisciplinary, interdepartmental graduate degrees that involve faculty from multiple departments in CELS, including Biological Sciences; Cell and Molecular Biology; Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science; Geosciences; Natural Resources Science; Nutrition and Food Sciences; and Plant Sciences; as well as faculty from the Graduate School of Oceanography. There are five areas of specialization within this department: Cell and Molecular Biology, Ecology and Ecosystem Sciences, Environmental and Earth Sciences, Evolutionary and Marine Biology, and Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems.

There are three undergraduate majors offered in this department: Animal Science and Technology, Aquaculture and Fisheries Technology, and Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. The B.S. in Animal Science and Technology at URI is designed to prepare students for professional or technical careers in applied animal science.The B.S. in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science program is designed to prepare students for academic,

27

URI Business Engagement Center

The Pre-Veterinary program is a Bachelor of Science program in the Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences designed to prepare students for admission to schools of veterinary medicine. The program offers special opportunities and facilities including the Peckham Animal Center, internships and special projects involving faculty research.

Department of Natural Resources Science The Department of Natural Resources Science (NRS) excels in interdisciplinary and innovative scientific inquiry. They pride themselves in educating tomorrow’s environmental leaders, and in contributing to a green economy and a sustainable environment. Their mission is to promote the highest quality of science and education while generating knowledge and integrative solutions for the 21st century. In pursuit of this mission, the department uses a truly multidisciplinary approach to educate its students and to solve complex environmental problems. Additionally, the department strives to achieve national and international excellence and recognition within its two primary focus areas: Wildlife and Conservation Biology and Environmental Science and Management.

Departmental resources include spatial analysis and graphics capabilities in the Environmental Data Center and the Laboratory for Terrestrial Remote Sensing; 21st Century chemical analysis laboratories; state-wide teaching and research sites including several state and federal wildlife management areas; and the Kingston Wildlife Research Station (the longest running bird banding monitoring station in the United States).

The department is also home to URI’s Cooperative Extension programs in Natural Resources and Environmental Management which include the Water Quality Program and the Renewable Resources Program that provide Rhode Island citizens with the scientific information to better assess and manage their land and water resources. In addition, NRS hosts multiple personnel from the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Program.

graduate students: Biological and Environmental Science, and Environmental Science and Management.

The research program of NRS addresses research areas in: Aquatic Ecology, Avian Ecology, Biodegradation and Bioremediation, Forest Ecosystem Ecology, Landscape Ecology, Spatial Data Analysis, Pedology, Soil Ecology, Terrestrial Remote Sensing, Watershed Science, Wetland Science and Management, and Wildlife and Conservation Biology.

In addition to the core research support provided by the Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station, the department also enjoys excellent research relationships with many federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, Rhode Island Sea Grant, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

NRS Extension programs offer practical training, computerized mapping and innovative technologies to tailor scientific advances to the specific needs of Rhode Islanders. The programs include: Geospatial Extension Program, Forestry and Wildlife Habitat, th eNew England Onsite Wastewater Training Program, the Rhode Island Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials, URI Home*A*Syst, and URI Watershed Watch.

The undergraduate programs within the NRS Department include majors in Environmental Science and Management, and Wildlife and Conservation Biology. There are also five undergraduate minors: GIS and Remote Sensing, International Development, Soil Environmental Sciences, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, and Restoration Science and Management.

The M.S. and Ph.D. in Natural Resources Science are interdisciplinary, interdepartmental graduate degrees that involve faculty from a diverse set of departments in URI’s College of the Environment and Life Sciences (CELS), including Biological Sciences; Cell and Molecular Biology; Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science; Geosciences; Natural Resources Science; Nutrition and Food Sciences; and Plant Sciences; as well as faculty from the Graduate School of Oceanography. There are two focus areas for the

Photo by SEAN MCVEIGH MEDIA

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

28

Photo by TODD MCLEISH

Department of Plant Sciences & Entomology The Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology is an integral part of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences’ (CELS) mission to foster sustainability in Rhode Island’s human-impacted landscapes, including urban landscapes, recreational lands, natural lands, and farms. The chair of the department is Dr. Nathaniel Mitkowski.

Dr. Mitkowski focuses on researching turfgrass diseases and nematode diseases of vegetables.

The mission of the Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology is to provide teaching, research and extension support relating to sustainable management of the plant and insect components of the landscape. Rhode Island agriculture/horticulture is primarily urban and peri-urban; ornamental plants, turf, agritourism and conservation lands are as important as food crops. The programs in ornamental horticulture, turfgrass management, food crop production, and control of invasive species and insect-vectored diseases address all of these components. The department strives to provide superior teaching to prepare undergraduates for jobs in Rhode Island’s agricultural ‘green’ economy and enhance our research and extension programs to help industry stakeholders and the public increase the environmental and economic sustainability of Rhode Island agriculture.

The undergraduate programs offered by this department include a major in Plant Sciences and an interdisciplinary major in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. The B.S. in Plant Sciences program at URI prepares students for careers in both the public and private sectors related to sustainable culture and the use of plants to enhance the human environment.

The M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Biological and Environmental Sciences (BES) are interdisciplinary, interdepartmental graduate degrees that involve faculty from multiple departments in CELS, including Biological Sciences; Cell and Molecular Biology; Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science; Geosciences; Natural Resources Science; and Plant Sciences; as well as faculty from the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences and the Graduate School of Oceanography.

There are three main areas of research within the department: Sustainable Landscapes, Invasive Species, and Disease Vectors. The department also provides outreach to the state of Rhode Island. These programs include: Sustainable Agriculture, Biocontrol, Turfgrass Outreach, Extension Tick Programs, Pesticide Safety Education Program, Ornamental Horticulture, and Insect Outreach Programs.

29

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by NORA LEWIS

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

30

SPECIALIZED DEGREE PROGRAMS B.S. Animal Science & Technology B.S. Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems The B.S. in Animal Science and Technology program at URI is designed to prepare students for professional or technical careers in applied animal science, including pre-veterinary medicine, animal sciences, and laboratory animal sciences. Within the major, there are three focus options: pre-veterinary/pre-graduate school, animal science, and animal management. In addition to preparation for veterinary school, the major is designed to prepare students for employment in animal science, animal biotechnology, companion animal care, livestock and exotic animal management professions.

Animal and veterinary sciences play a vital role in the management and care of livestock and companion animals, as well as those animals maintained at zoos and aquariums and laboratory animal facilities.

These fields of study inform our choices of general animal care based on best practices of caring for and managing animals in the areas of welfare, health, behavior, housing, nutrition, and reproduction. During their studies, students will design and evaluate strategies to address real world programs in these animal science fields.

The major is centered at the URI Peckham Farm facility and there are a wide range of opportunities for students to get hands-on experience with the animals.

The diversity of species available at the farm helps students become broadly trained, knowledgeable, and experienced in raising several species.

Katherine H. Petersson is the Department Chair of Animal Science and Technology. Her main research interests are blood-brain barrier function and permeability in premature or fetal animals, as well as heart rates and exercise effects on horses.

The B.S. in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (SAFS) is an interdisciplinary program at URI. Students completing this interdisciplinary program will graduate with the skills and knowledge needed to contribute to the sustainable development, production, harvesting, management, and utilization of terrestrial and aquatic microorganisms, plants and animals by society worldwide. The major will allow participants to explore the food chain, from farm to plate, to waste and back, emphasizing sustainability, impacts on human health, and resilience from economic, environmental, and societal viewpoints.

Core values of this interdisciplinary program that distinguish it from more traditional agriculture programs include an emphasis on the intrinsic value of heterogeneous scales of production (from small farms that sell directly to consumers to large scale producers), preserving local food cultures and biodiversity while understanding the way other cultures produce and use food (from local to global), using an ecosystem-based approach to agriculture (also integrating the contributions of aquaculture and fisheries), and the greening of urban landscapes.

There are three specialization areas within the SAFS program: Sustainable Agriculture, Nutrition and Food, and Food and Society. Students in the Sustainable Agriculture option will specialize in the harvesting and production of either terrestrial or aquatic plants and animals for human uses. They will understand the integrated components of fisheries and agriculture/ aquaculture systems, and the impacts of agriculture and food harvesting on the environment. Students in the Nutrition and Food option will learn the basic principles of food science and nutrition.Students in the Food and Society option will specialize in the social, political, economic, and marketing aspects of food production.

A capstone experience is required of students in this major. They must perform an internship or special project to address the complex challenges in the agriculture and food systems through experiential learning in interdisciplinary teams.

31

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by NORA LEWIS

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

32

RESEARCH 33

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by NORA LEWIS

Photo by MIKE SALERNO

RESEARCH LABORATORIES The Plant Biotechnology Lab The Plant Biotechnology Laboratory (PBL) maintains active programs in outreach, education, research, and industry interactions. The laboratory space is fully equipped for plant transformation and transgenic biology with multiple species, molecular biology work and plant transgenic technology applications, and is available to provide all the necessary laboratory facilities required for the program. Greenhouse space for transgenic plant growout and analysis is also available at URI. The PBL maintains several active research collaborations with other universities, government and industry collaborators, including Yale University, the University of Missouri, NC State University, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT, Cali Colombia), Ernst Conservation Seeds Inc., Plant Advancements LLC., Ophios LLC and others.

The lab is primarily run by the Kausch Laboratory Group, directed by Dr. Albert Kausch, and focuses on agricultural biotechnology. The five projects currently being worked on are: Cereal Transformation Working Group, Biofuels as a Renewable Energy Source, Hybrid Rice to Increase Global Food Production, Genetic Engineering of Corn for Nutritional Enhancement for African Germplasm, and Development of Green Garlic as a New Vegetable.

There are two educational workshops run by the lab: one titled, “Agriculture, Biotechnology and GMOs: Informing the Debate” and another titled, “Pharmaceutical Biotechnology: Bridging the Education Gap in the Post-Genomics Era.” These workshops can be completed online and be self taught, or presented live by Dr. Kausch upon request.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

34

OUTREACH 35

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by NORA LEWIS

OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Photo by NORA LEWIS

Cooperative Extension URI Cooperative Extension provides non-formal education and learning opportunities to both youth and adults throughout Rhode Island and areas of Connecticut and Massachusetts — to farmers and families of rural communities, as well as to people living in suburban and urban areas. Cooperative Extension programming emphasizes taking knowledge gained through research and education and applying it to their everyday lives. All universities engage in research and teaching, but the nation’s more than 100 landgrant colleges and universities have a third, critical mission — extension. URI is one of these land-grant institutions, and through Cooperative Extension in Rhode Island, the university brings vital, practical information to agricultural producers, small business owners, communities, consumers, families, and young people. Cooperative Extension prides itself on its role in translating science for practical application, and is always looking to identify emerging research questions to which they find answers and encourage application of science and technology to improve agricultural, environmental, economic and social conditions.

Programs offered by Cooperative Extension include the URI Master Gardener Program, Watershed Watch, and the 4-H program.The semester long Master Gardener Program trains about 100 people every year on good gardening techniques. Most go one to volunteer with projects around the state. The URI Master Gardener Core Training explores the science behind environmentally-sound gardening. Graduates of the URI Master Gardener Core Training serve as grassroots educators, bringing their newfound knowledge to the community through services projects,

including the Gardening and Environmental Hotline which identifies plants or insects in your garden, and will provide you with horticultural information.

For 28 years, URI Watershed Watch has been coordinating hundreds of volunteers to collect water samples from RI’s rivers, lakes, streams, and coastal ponds. Training, sampling supplies and analysis of these samples is provided by URI. These samples form the basis of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s (RIDEM) required reports to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA).

Cooperative Extension also offers the expertise of agricultural extension agents who work with farmers on a variety of trainings and visits to farms to assist with any services needed. They provide expertise in fruit and vegetable crops and play a key role in supporting our growing agricultural businesses in the state. At the URI Agronomy farm, the Plant Protection Clinic identifies insect problems on plants and in the home, and will diagnose plant diseases.

For youth, URI provides an active 4-H program. The URI 4-H Program engages children and teens in work that develops critical thinking, communication, and life skills. Some club members meet year-round. In 2019, almost 1,800 children participated in events that highlighted animal husbandry, science and technology, leadership and life skills, healthy living, communication and through 4-H fairs

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

36

Photo by AYLA FOX

Aquaculture Extension Aquaculture is a form of agriculture in which marine and freshwater fish, shellfish, algae and aquatic plants are the farmed crop. Since 1995, growth of aquaculture production in Rhode Island has averaged about 18% per year, making it one of the fastest growing industries in the state, and a contributor to Rhode Island’s growing local food economy.

URI has several research and outreach programs to support the growing aquaculture in the state, including the URI Aquaculture Extension Program which provides the most current science-based information in sustainable and profitable production practices to assist growers through research, site visits, periodic publications, workshops and more. The program is formally linked to the Northeastern Aquaculture Extension Network through the Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center, a program of USDA-NIFA. Dr. Michael Rice, professor of Fisheries and Aquaculture, serves as Principal Aquaculture Extension Agent and leads the efforts for URI. Dr. Rice has recently received recognition from the Government of the Philippines, the Society of Aquaculture Engineers of the Philippines, and the Philippine Aquaculture Society in recognition of his lifetime contributions to International Aquaculture Extension.

URI has also played a significant role in assisting oyster farmers like Perry Raso to start and expand his very successful aquaculture operation in Potter’s Pond. URI faculty member Marta Gomez-Chiarri, professor of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences, is currently working with Perry to design and start an oyster hatchery which will benefit all oyster farmers in Rhode Island. Gomez-Chiarri uses multidisciplinary approaches to prevent and manage infectious diseases in cultured and wild shellfish and finfish has provided valuable expertise to this industry.

In addition, URI’s Cooperative Extension and research staff, along with staff from the URI Coastal Resources Center, work with the shellfish aquaculture industry and state government to assist in this valuable product.

In fact, at the state’s request, CRC led the creation of the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan (SMP), a milestone regulatory guidance document that provides the Ocean State with its first comprehensive set of policies and practices for protecting and enhancing local shellfish stocks and burgeoning wild harvest and aquaculture industries. This effort enhances state and industry resources and anchors several critical offshoot projects.

37

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by AYLA FOX

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

38

Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Institute The Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Institute (RIMFI) is a collaborative partnership between the University of Rhode Island (URI) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM) to co-ordinate and focus state resources and expertise in answering questions endemic in marine fisheries. The mission of the RIMFI is to increase the understanding, sustainable management, and conservation of Rhode Island’s marine fisheries resources by providing responsive research and training activities.

Through this cooperative partnership and collaboration on scientific fisheries questions, the RIMFI enhances the state’s ability to positively affect marine fisheries research and management both in the state and the U.S. Atlantic coast. RIMFI projects represent research led by RI DEM and URI, with additional collaboration, cooperation and/or input from the fishing community, non-government organizations, and additional academic institutions.

Thus, the RIMFI forum addresses marine fisheries questions with input from members of the public. This model aims to promote the relationship between academics and government and to broadly and promptly disseminate knowledge and techniques.

Current projects include: Response of Benthic Fauna to a Changing Environment in Narragansett Bay; Early Life History of American Lobsters in Coastal Southern New England Waters; Assessing the Occurrence of Bay Scallops Within the Salt Ponds of Southern Rhode Island Using Image-Based Sampling and Divers; Fishing Status of Vessels Using the AIS: A Big Data and Machine Learning Approach; A Species-Specific Approach to Enhance Ecosystem Models for Planktivorous Fishes; Shellfish Response to a Warming Environment: A Mesocosm Experiment; Assessing Atlantic Horseshoe Crab Population Structure Within Southern New England; Developing a Coupled Social-Ecological Ecosystem Model of Narragansett Bay Fisheries Using Ecopath; Coupling Physical and Ecological Models to Understand How Climate Drives Shellfish Disease Outbreaks in Narragansett Bay; and Documenting the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Atlantic Sturgeon in Rhode Island State Waters.

39

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by AYLA FOX

Rhode Island Sea Grant Rhode Island Sea Grant is one of 34 programs in the National Sea Grant College Program working to enhance environmental stewardship and long-term economic development and responsible use of coastal and marine resources. It is a state-based program with federal funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is based at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography. Rhode Island Sea Grant works with coastal communities in the Ocean State to ensure access to the best available science and that everyone has a seat at the table to build long-term, sustainable solutions.

Rhode Island Sea Grant supports research, outreach, and education programs designed to foster the resiliency of local and regional communities and marine environments. They also partner with the University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center for our extension program, and with the Roger Williams University (RWU) School of Law on our legal program, located at the Marine Affairs Institute at RWU. The mission of Rhode Island Sea Grant is to improve the understanding and management of Rhode Island’s coastal and marine ecosystems to foster vibrant, healthy coastal communities, economies, and marine environments that are resilient in the face of change. Sea Grant invests in high-priority research, addressing issues such as coastal hazards and development in coastal communities; understanding our interactions with the marine environment; aquaculture; seafood safety; and fisheries management. The results of this research are shared with the public through Sea Grant’s integrated outreach program to bring together the collective expertise of on-the-ground extension agents, educators, and communications specialists.

Current research projects include: Microplastics as Vectors for Organic Pollutants and Marine Disease; Drivers of Domoic Acid in Narragansett Bay; Macroalgae and Kelp Connection to Marine Disease; Side Effects of Breeding Disease-Tolerant Oysters; Positive Feedbacks from Hypoxic Events; Effects of Coastal Stressors on Oyster Recruitment; Shellfish Response to Warming Waters; Seafloor Communities as Indicators of Water Quality; How Nitrogen Fixation May Drive Future Productivity in Narragansett Bay; and Response of Seafloor Organisms to Changing Environment.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

40

FACILITIES 41

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by NORA LEWIS

UNIVERSITY FARMS

Photo by NORA LEWIS

URI FARMS URI Agronomy Farm What happens right on campus at Agronomy Farm—a perfect combination of science, learning, hard work, community, and lots of weeding—makes a difference in many ways, not the least of which is putting good food on the table in many Rhode Island homes.

Faculty and staff at the Agronomy Farm conduct vegetable crop research and demonstrations, including field and high tunnels trials of vegetable varieties, production methods research and demonstrations, and cover crop species evaluations. Research over the past few years has shown that URI can successfully grow saffron at yield rates twice what is seen in traditional growing areas of the world.

Whether it’s a quarter-acre operation or 400-acre operation, URI Agronomy Farm staff also provide the most current science-based information in sustainable and profitable crop production practices to growers through site visits, newsletters, on-farm workshops and more. This includes the applied research which is conducted at the Gardner Crops Research Center and is translated for practical application through Cooperative Extension workshops, events, and other activities. Cooperative Extension Agents include vegetable crop specialists and plant diagnosticians

who provide assistance via text, phone, email, and inperson farm visits.

A recently renovated building at the farm will serve as the location for the Rhode Island Food Center at URI. This space provides a hub for all the activities of the Center, including student and community classes and workshops, research, and other activities.

Undergraduate and graduate students focusing on Sustainable Agriculture spend a significant amount of time at Agronomy Farm. Both undergrad and graduate students are involved in every aspect of vegetable production from planting to harvest. Undergraduate students from the Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology can earn internships or independent study credits through their participation in activities on the farm.

The farm also donates a significant amount of the food grown there to community organizations such as the Rhode Island Food Bank and the Jonnycake Center, as well as to students in need on campus.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

42

Photo by NORA LEWIS

43

URI Business Engagement Center

Photo by KYLE SIDLIK

East Farm At 89 acres, East Farm is the smallest of the farms but also has the largest number of stakeholders, with differing missions. Located about a half-mile from the main campus gates, the first section of East Farm was acquired by the state in 1928, with more acreage added in the years that followed. Currently more than half of East Farm is forested and approximately 28 percent of the land area is devoted to research and agriculture.

Today, various university entities have research activities at the farm, including a variety of fruit crops research on apples, pears, berries and grapes. The URI Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology also conducts bee research and is working on a pollinator habitat project to protect bees and other pollinators. The URI Tick Encounter Resource Center and the Rhode Island Department of Evironmental Management Mosquito Abatement Program offices are also located on the farm and offer important information about ticks and mosquitos, along with information about the diseases they carry.

The farm is the base of operations for many URI outreach programs. This includes the URI Master Gardener Program which has a large demonstration garden to teach Master Gardeners about vegetable gardening and provide food to community members in need. Master Gardeners also work with faculty to harvest apples and pears each summer and fall which are provided to students and local residents who face food insecurity. The URI 4-H Program has also recently moved its operations to East Farm to provide services and resources to local K-12 students.

Peckham Farm The 300-acre Peckham Farm includes pasture areas, woodlands, wetlands and turf fields, but the main focus is on the barns where faculty and students raise sheep, goats, pigs and cows. Donkeys serve as guard animals.

URI’s Peckham Farm is home to several research projects related to animal husbandy and care.

Most of the student experiences at Peckham Farm are in conjunction with coursework, but students also intern and complete special projects there. It’s where most students in URI’s Pre-Veterinary Program spend a good deal of their time learning about animal science and health.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

44

Photo by NORA LEWIS

45

URI Business Engagement Center

CONTACT US Please contact a member of the URI Business Engagement Center/Rhode Island Food Center at URI team to learn more about URI’s capabilities in food and agriculture and how you can work with our researchers, staff, and students.

Katharine Hazard Flynn Executive Director 401.874.7084 khflynn@uri.edu Sharon Pavignano Associate Director 401.874.5124 spavignano@uri.edu Thank you to our student research assistant, Olivia Williams ’22 for her assistance with compiling this report.

Food & Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island

46

73 Upper College Road | Kingston, RI 02881-2023

Cover Photo by NORA LEWIS