Our Future

College of Agriculture Strategic Plan, 2017-22

Our strategic plan details the vision, mission and values we share as a college, as well as the positive impacts we intend to make for our students, faculty, staff, alumni, industries, communities and more.

Our Vision:

To become a premier college of agriculture known for our development of students, faculty, and staff as national and global leaders in the world’s largest industry. Our inclusive, diverse, and engaged academic community will prepare them to lead the way in high impact education, research, and extension activities in agriculture, food, and natural resources for the purpose of improved quality of life and well-being for individuals and communities.

The College of Agriculture will:

• Prepare and mentor students to meet their full potential through discovery, innovation, and high-impact experiences.
• Foster an atmosphere and community of ambition, innovation, and self-improvement, where faculty, staff, and students are continually challenged to personally grow and create new solutions.
• Encourage, equip, and enable faculty, staff, and students to create innovative and sustainable solutions to agricultural, food, natural resource, and environmental challenges in ways that benefit stakeholders.
• Deliver education, research, and Extension programs that advance science, develop disciplinary leaders, stimulate economic development, and improve quality of life and well-being.

We value:

• Agriculture and the underlying science necessary to sustain a safe and healthy food system while protecting our environment and natural resources.
• Students and their preparation to be responsible future leaders.
• Faculty and staff and their personal and professional development as leaders in their fields.
• Innovative scholarship in teaching, research, and Extension that advances science and improves the quality of life and well-being of people.
• A learning and working environment that is caring, diverse, inclusive and supports the creative potential of students, faculty, and staff.

Our focus areas are:

• Sustainable Agricultural Systems – Innovative and emerging science and technologies to ensure safe and secure food and agricultural products
• Healthy Environment – Natural resource conservation and utilization, environmental stewardship, and anticipation of changing climate needs 
• Competitive Decision Making, Marketing, and Economic Development – Informed producers, processors, entrepreneurs, and policy-makers 
• Resilient Communities and Healthy Individuals – Engaged public empowered by access to information, education, and recreation