The Land-Grant Vision:
College of Agriculture Strategic Plan 2004-2006
Revised, March 25, 2004

Who We Are
The College of Agriculture was founded as and remains a land-grant institution, offering access to knowledge and learning to enhance the lives of Kentuckians. The College is fundamentally interdisciplinary; we apply the biological, physical, and social sciences to challenges in agricultural, food, and environmental systems. Our work encompasses farms and forests, food and fiber, families and communities.

The College holds a unique position as the home of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Our teaching, research, and extension programs are part of a national system that maintains a statewide presence and links local, state, and global issues.

Our Vision 
The College will be recognized for excellence in fostering:

• learning that changes lives,

• discoveries that change the world, and

• opportunities that shape the future.

Land-Grant Values
The College affirms the University of Kentucky’s values. As a College, we are guided by the values underlying the land-grant philosophy:

• learning – enhancing access to educational opportunities for all;

• discovery – expanding knowledge through research; and

• engagement – collaborating with diverse institutions, communities and people to improve lives.

The hallmark of our work is the integration of these three values – learning, discovery, and engagement – into programs that make a difference.  

Our Mission
The mission of our College is:

• to promote sustainable farming and food systems, from production through consumption;  

• to enhance the health and well-being of people and the environment in which they live; and 

• to expand economic opportunity by sharing the knowledge and tools for wise, innovative uses of natural resources and development of human potential.  

As full partners in the University of Kentucky and in every Kentucky county we:

• facilitate lifelong learning, informed by scholarship and research,  

• expand knowledge through creative research and discovery, and  

• serve Kentuckians by sharing and applying knowledge.  

The College shall sustain the land-grant heritage of achievement in this challenging new century.

View the complete Strategic Plan (pdf) document for 2004-2006.