Agricultural Science & Agribusiness, B.S.

Mission & Outcomes

The UMPI Agricultural Science program serves students and working professionals by educating them in current agricultural practices as well as to support development and adoption of research-based approaches to improve agricultural practices, in collaboration with regional agribusinesses and institutions.

1. Apply knowledge of physical, chemical, biological, genetic, environmental, and other sciences in order to understand the role of these processes in agricultural systems.
2. Identify the anatomy and physiology of plants and their constituent tissues, and apply this knowledge to agricultural plants in terms of growth, reproduction, pest defense, and senescence.
3. Apply knowledge of the planting, cultivation, harvest, and storage needs of various field, cover, rotation and other crops that characterize the regional and national agricultural economy.
4. Implement sustainable livestock production principles, particularly housing, feeding, breeding, and veterinary care as well as care of companion and laboratory animals.
5. Develop a farm management plan to address annual operating needs and costs, capital, financing, marketing, taxation, legal issues, human resources, state and federal policy, and safety in a farm business setting.
6. Identify sales and marketing patterns and strategies for commodities, wholesale markets, retail markets, processing, and small-scale opportunities for a range of commodity and vegetable crops.
7. Use farm and agribusiness decision-making processes that incorporate multiple inputs to maximize profitability, including past sales and new market potential, production costs, and precision agriculture approaches.
8. Develop and employ a pest management plan for multiple crops that would protect against viral, bacterial, invertebrate, vertebrate, plant, and other pests while incorporating best management practices to maintain beneficial environmental components that maximize crop production and input use efficiency.
9. Demonstrate how the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil horizons influence soil health and healthy plant growth.
10. Evaluate land use, microbiological, biochemical and other processes in agricultural land contribute to maximize soil fertility and plant growth.
11. Incorporate multiples types of geospatial and economic data into a GIS database that can be used to collate geoaphysical, land use, soil science, economic or other agriculturally relevant data.
12. Implement precision agricultural practices by understanding how data are collected and analyzed to form recommendations regarding inputs and other practices, and be aware of the technology capable of implementing these practices.
13. Safely, lawfully, and responsibly operate agricultural technologies, including tractors, implements and spraying equipment, tractor GPS systems, greenhouse management systems, irrigation, and their associated software.
14. Demonstrate multiple program proficiencies in practice and apply this to an in-depth experience, analysis, or research project.