The umes evans allen program is focused on four strategic areas: 1) agriculture and food, with a focus on food security, 2) natural resources and environmental resilience, 3) human health and…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) $4,848,036 under the Evans Allen Program (CFDA 10.205, Payments to 1890 Land-Grant Colleges and Tuskegee University) on October 1, 2025, for agricultural research spanning the period October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027.

The award funds research across four strategic areas: agricultural production and plant and animal health, including pest management, aquaculture, specialty crop production, plant breeding, drought effects on soil microbiota, animal health, post-harvest handling, value-addition to agricultural products and byproducts, precision agriculture, artificial intelligence, and smart farming systems; food, nutrition, health, and wellness, with focus on food safety, public health, nutrition outcomes, foodborne pathogen dynamics, pesticide application safety, and early childhood nutrition in rural childcare settings; natural resources and environmental resilience; and products to market. The research addresses the needs of Maryland residents, with some issues carrying regional or national significance, and supports UMES' objective to educate the next generation of teachers, educators, researchers, and scientists in food, agricultural, and related sciences.

Work is performed at UMES in Princess Anne, Maryland. As a formula grant to a 1890 Land-Grant Institution, the award operates under a Plan of Work framework; institutions must maintain compliance with reporting requirements including a Five-Year Plan of Work Update and Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results to receive continued quarterly fund releases.

The umes evans allen program is focused on four strategic areas: 1) agriculture and food, with a focus on food security, 2) natural resources and environmental resilience, 3) human health and development, and 4) products to market. Furthermore, umes strives to educate the next generation of teachers, educators, researchers, and scientists in the food, agricultural and related sciences. While umes' research programs primarily address the needs of all marylanders, some of the issues addressed have a regional or national significance. Within the four strategic areas, umes has identified four critical issues as operational drivers to deliver outcomes focused on supporting rural prosperity and placing the american farmer first and at the center of all efforts. These issues are directly linked to the strategic priorities identified by aginnovation and address USDA-nifa priorities. They will be the focus of umes' 2026-2030 plan of work and will be used to direct resources under the evans allen program to accomplish the set goals. The four critical issues are as follows: a) agricultural production, plant and animal health: agriculture plays a critical role in maryland's economy and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Research under this issue will include work on pest management, aquaculture, specialty crop production, plant breeding, understanding the effect of drought on soil microbiota, animal health, post-harvest issues, value-addition to agricultural products and byproducts, precision agriculture, artificial intelligence, and smart farming systems. B) food, nutrition, health and wellness: the health, social and economic wellbeing, and resilience of communities are important issues for maryland. Research efforts will be focused on how to improve food safety, public health, and nutrition outcomes for populations in maryland. Projects will also address foodborne pathogen dynamics, pesticide application safety, and early childhood nutrition in rural childcare settings. These studies will provide strategies to reduce disease risk, improve food handling and hygiene practices, and support healthier behaviors among local populations. Umes researchers will also examine antimicrobial resistance in food systems, providing insight into microbial risks and informing risk management across food production and distribution channels. C) natural resources and ecosystem health: maryland's natural resources underpin a range of economic activities such as forestry-based industries, agritourism, fisheries, and provide the basis for supporting quality living for citizens. Research to underpin the management, use and protection of these resources is a priority. Research will be focused on promoting ecosystem stewardship through projects on air and water interactions, nutrient cycling, and ecological longevity. Projects will cover topics such as modeling air dynamics on regional water systems and evaluating the influence of weather variability on nutrient transport in agricultural landscapes. Other research will focus on emerging issues likely to impinge on agriculture and farmer prosperity. Research will also focus on mosquito vector ecology in order to understand disease risks under adverse weather conditions. D) 4-h youth, family, and economic development: this will include economic and policy-related research to support agribusiness development, entrepreneurship and prosperity of local communities.