Protected agricultural research for the northeast -- cooperator and USDA ARS will collaborate in research, development, and dissemination of innovative management tools and practices for protected…

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Central Program Planning Coordination and Support awarded the University of New Hampshire a $859,623 Cooperative Agreement on June 1, 2026, under the Agricultural Research Basic and Applied Research program (CFDA 10.001) to conduct protected agriculture research for the Northeast in collaboration with USDA ARS.

The award funds collaborative research, development, and dissemination of innovative management tools and practices for protected agriculture, with emphasis on high tunnels. The project will collect large datasets to evaluate alternative crop management, cultivar selection, technological advancements, soil health, amendment management, and production decisions to increase yields, quality, and profitability in protected agricultural systems. Research will assess vegetable and ornamental cultivars in Northeastern high tunnel conditions to optimize production and identify integrated approaches to pest, weed, soil health, and disease management. The project will identify viable alternatives to growing substrates used in transplant production and conduct economic and behavioral assessment of production practices in protected agricultural systems to understand local demand and expand markets. Research findings will be translated into decision-support resources and extension recommendations to help growers evaluate management decisions and increase adoption of innovative production strategies.

Place of performance is Lee, New Hampshire. The period of performance runs through May 31, 2027.

Protected agricultural research for the northeast -- cooperator and USDA ARS will collaborate in research, development, and dissemination of innovative management tools and practices for protected agriculture, focusing on high tunnels, enabling northeastern growers to make informed decisions to improve productivity, labor efficiency, and crop quality. Research will collect large datasets to evaluate alternative crop management, cultivar selection, technological advancements, soil health, amendment management, and production decisions to increase protected agriculture yields, quality, and profitability. Research will assess vegetable and ornamental cultivars in northeastern high tunnel conditions to optimize production. This project will identify integrated approaches to pest, weed, soil health, and disease management in protected agricultural systems. The project will identify viable alternatives to growing substrates used in transplant production. A critical aspect of the project focuses on economic and behavioral assessment of production practices in protected agricultural systems and understanding local demand for protected agriculture crops to expand markets. Research findings will be translated into practical guidance that supports production decisions. Decision-support resources and extension recommendations will help growers evaluate management decisions. By identifying optimal production practices, their cost-effectiveness, and the returns on production practice adoption, the project will provide clear guidance to farmers and increase adoption of innovative production strategies. Adoption depends on how practices perform biologically, economically, and operationally within real-world farming systems.