Areas of Exploration

Agricultural and environmental research is foundational in the land-grant university mission – education for everyone, research for scientifically based decisions and extension outreach to help ensure scientifically based agriculture in practiced in America.

Agricultural and environmental research has three parts:

  • basic, which provides the discoveries for solution to the unknown problems of tomorrow;
  • applied, which uses the solutions of past basic research to address the problems of today; and 
  • directed, which delivers immediate actions to improve our agricultural systems.

We need all three for a healthy agriculture industry and to sustain the environment. At the University of Georgia, we excel at all three, and deliver a $144.4 million boost to Georgia’s economy.


CAES research at UGA delivers a $144.4 million boost to Georgia's economy.
Discover Our Impact

Research News

Illustration by Kaiya Plagenhoef/UGA CAES News
Ultrasounds could help process edible flowers as food ingredients
Many of the flowers lining store shelves for Valentine’s Day have been gifted at romantic dinners. But what happens to the flowers that went unsold? A new study from the University of Georgia explores how flowers can be repurposed as food ingredients, offering a more sustainable way to use blooms that might otherwise be discarded. “We are looking at what happens the day after Valentine’s Day to those flowers,” said UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences researcher Anand Mohan.
Juliet Chu with blueberry CAES News
UGA boosts Georgia’s economy by $8.4 billion
The University of Georgia contributed $8.4 billion to the state’s economy in fiscal year 2024, an increase of $300 million from the previous year and a record for the state’s flagship university. The increased economic impact was powered by growth in the number of degrees conferred at the graduate and undergraduate levels, an increase in externally funded research and the positive effects of UGA’s public service and outreach efforts across the state.
Bhabesh Dutta examines an onion plant in a greenhouse. CAES News
UGA tops $600M in R&D expenditures for first time in history
For the first time in its history, the University of Georgia topped $600 million in research and development expenditures in fiscal year 2024. Its $628.1 million in expenditures represents a 10% increase year over year and yet another record high in R&D activity, marking the sixth consecutive year of growth for the university. “The University of Georgia is embracing its role as one of America’s top public research universities, and I am grateful to everyone who is helping us advance this vital mission,” said President Jere W. Morehead.