National Recognition for KSU's Organic Agriculture Program
Jun 5th, 12
Kentucky State University’s organic agriculture program is the best among 1890 Land Grant Universities, and superior to most other Land Grant institutions, too, according to a new report from the Organic Farming Research Foundation.
The 2012 Organic Land Grant Assessment, Cultivating Organic Farmers, ranks 70 Land Grant Universities according to their organic research, extension, and teaching programs. KSU ties with ten other universities, including Purdue, Penn State, and the University of Kentucky, and outranks 39 schools, including all other 1890 Institutions.
KSU stands out as the smallest of the top-ranked schools: The 20 institutions with higher scores have an average student population of 37,000, compared with KSU’s enrollment of less than 3,000. Organic Research and Extension projects conducted by members of KSU’s Organic Agriculture Working Group contributed to KSU’s strong performance in the review. Its new undergraduate degree in Agriculture, Food and Environment, slated to include an elective in organic agriculture, and hands-on opportunities for students to try organic farming, will likely boost KSU’s rank further in future assessments.