The College of Agriculture could just as appropriately be named the College of Food. That is not just because of the famous pork chops at Roundup. More and more, the scope of our research and education efforts is reaching beyond on-farm production to encompass the entire food system in Kentucky and the nation.

The fastest growing major in the College? The highly successful Equine Science and Management degree or the newly reorganized Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences program would be good guesses. But the largest increase has been in Nutrition and Dietetics, which have grown from about 150 to well over 400 students in the last six years. These are excellent students from diverse backgrounds, pursuing careers in a field with tremendous opportunities. Two of our graduates who have built flourishing careers in the food industry are highlighted in Alumni News.

Food safety is among the most prevalent concerns of the American public. Innovative research and educational strategies are a critical need. In the News section, you will find a brief account of a very large research grant underway in our food science group. This is just one of many exciting initiatives, in several departments, expected to create new and better ways to monitor and protect our food supply.

New food processing businesses and value-added food products are a key to the growth and sustainability of the Kentucky agricultural economy. A recent initiative, the Food Systems Innovation Center, provides food entrepreneurs with much-needed business and technology tools, including the MarketMaker program also described in the News section.

Even the opening of the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab is good news for food safety in Kentucky. The work done there is just as much about protecting our food supply as it is about animal health.

The College’s history is appropriately rooted in livestock and crop farming, but in the future we will branch out to cover the entire food system, from farm to table.