Teaching and research is focused on the sustainability and productivity of the land base, enhancement of crop and livestock production, and maintenance of soil, water and food quality as affected by agriculture and other human activities.
Broad research categories include agrometeorology, landscape dynamics, pesticide science, soil chemistry and minerology, soil ecology, soil fertility and nutrient management, soil physics, and land remediation.
Current research includes studies on remediation of contaminated land, utilization of fertilizers and manures, production of potatoes, nitrate accumulation and fate in soils, fate of pesticides in soil and aquatic environments, production of greenhouse gases by agricultural systems, soil organic matter, fate and bioavailability of heavy metals, and landscape based farming.
The department provides funding for research assistantships and also encourages students with scholarships to apply.