The standard for a listing here is simple: does the program hand a working grower something usable for free? Guides, trial results, budgets, alerts, calculators. These are the programs that do, grouped by what they work on, and their new work shows up first on their own pages.
Part of The Agriculture Resource Library. Search all resources at once, or suggest one we missed.
56 entries
University program
NYCornell's CEA program for hydroponic greenhouse and vertical production.
The free hydroponic lettuce and spinach handbooks, with the spreadsheets that go with them.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
NYThe Cornell-led Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering consortium.
Free lighting and controls webinars, plus a national catalog of CEA short courses.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
KYThe University of Kentucky's greenhouse and controlled-environment extension program.
Free grower resources organized by energy, growth, and water management.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
MIMSU's greenhouse and floriculture extension team, home of the definitive photoperiod and lighting research.
Free lighting, temperature, and scheduling research that most commercial greenhouse practice runs on.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
OHOhio State's Controlled Environment Agriculture Center: research, a research consortium, hydroponics workshops, and disease management resources.
Free nutrient-solution design help and CEA engineering modules, plus the Strawberry School.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
PAPenn State Extension's greenhouse and floriculture hub, home of the 85-year flower trials.
Free production and greenhouse IPM articles, plus diagnostic lab access.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
INPurdue's CEA research lab and extension program.
Free bulletins and webinars on greenhouse and indoor production, organic hydroponics included.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
NJRutgers' greenhouse engineering program and Center for Controlled-Environment Agriculture.
Free engineering fact sheets: environmental control, monitoring systems, greenhouse planning.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
CTUConn Extension's greenhouse integrated pest management program.
Free seasonal pest messages by email, biocontrol fact sheets, and the New England greenhouse guide.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
FLFlorida's small farms program: hot-climate protected culture and hydroponics resources from the state that grows through summer.
Greenhouse answers tuned for heat, not just northern winters.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
AZArizona's Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, greenhouse and vertical-farm research since the nineties.
Free guides on hydroponic tomatoes and strawberries, greenhouse design, and cooling in hot climates.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
UTBruce Bugbee's lab: the plain-spoken science of light, photosynthesis, and controlled environments, generously published.
The lighting science behind every LED claim, from the source everyone cites.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 13, 2026
University program
ALThe Auburn and Alabama A&M extension crop library.
Free vegetable and fruit guides, organic production included.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
NYCornell's Geneva research station for fruit, vegetables, grapes, and hops.
Research findings and extension programs straight from the station.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
NYCornell's hub for commercial tree fruit, grape, and berry production.
Free per-crop pest and production guidelines, plus the NEWA decision tools.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
NYThe Cornell and Penn State joint extension program serving 31,000 vineyard acres.
Free crop updates with growing-degree data and disease guides, podcast included.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
MIMSU Extension's vegetable team for the Great Lakes region.
Free in-season pest and production updates for northern vegetable growers.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
MNThe University of Minnesota's 150-year cold-hardy fruit breeding program, Honeycrisp's birthplace.
Free variety catalogs and growing information for every U of M apple, grape, and berry.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
NCNC State's horticulture department, research and extension both.
The extension horticulture portal of research-based fact sheets.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
NCNC State's crop disease portal, vegetable pathology lab included.
Free real-time downy mildew and late blight alerts, plus fungicide guides.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
OHOSU Extension's fruit, vegetable, and specialty-crop news outlet.
Free pest updates, fact sheets, and webinars, archived back years.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
PAPenn State's tree fruit research station at Biglerville, running since 1918.
Free weekly pest trap counts, the apple thinning model, and production budgets.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
INPurdue Extension's newsletter for commercial vegetable growers.
Free current and archived issues plus a disease photo library.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
NJRutgers Extension's seasonal advisory for New Jersey commercial growers.
Free weekly insect, disease, and weed updates by email through the season.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
CAUC Davis's center for California fruit and nut production knowledge.
Free crop pages, chill calculators, and orchard cost studies.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
CAThe world reference for handling crops after harvest.
Free produce fact sheets: storage temperatures, humidity, and ethylene sensitivity for every crop you grow.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
GAThe University of Georgia's team serving the state's vegetable producers.
Free variety trial results, production budgets, and a grower podcast.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
MAThe UMass extension team for tree fruit, berries, and grapes.
Free management guides plus the Fruit Notes and Berry Notes newsletters.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
MAUMass's vegetable research and extension team for New England.
The free Vegetable Notes newsletter and an ask-a-specialist service.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
VAVirginia Tech's network of eleven agricultural research and extension centers.
Center-specific grower programs and field days, tree fruit included.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
WAWashington State's tree fruit research and extension program.
The free crop protection guide, decision aid system, and variety and storage guides.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
SCClemson Extension's farm-business development program, running since 2010.
Free cohort training on business planning, financials, and marketing.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
IAIowa State's sustainable agriculture research center, running since 1987.
Free research reports on profitable, resource-conserving farming.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
KYThe University of Kentucky's center for planning, growing, and marketing specialty crops.
Free crop profiles, farmers-market price reports, and enterprise budgets, all current.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
NCNC State's program for organic grain and row-crop production in the Southeast.
Free organic production guides, budgets, and variety trial data.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
OROSU's center for small farms and community food systems.
Free whole-farm management and business-planning guides, plus the dry-farming project.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
PAPenn State Extension's statewide beginning-farmer hub, running since 2009.
Free courses and guides on business planning, production, and land access.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
MAThe Tufts Friedman School's training project for new and immigrant farmers.
Free explore-farming workshops and self-paced courses, high-tunnel production included.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
CAThe University of California's statewide institute for organic and transitioning growers.
Free webinars, a resource library, and demonstration sites across California.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
FLFlorida Extension's program for small-farm operators.
Free publications, a direct-marketing handbook, and regional farmer networks.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
GAThe University of Georgia's sustainable-production hub.
Free cover crop and rotation fact sheets, plus the Journeyman Farmer training program.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
MEUMaine Extension's farm program, midcoast sustainable agriculture included.
Free crop and livestock guides, diagnostics, and the Maine Farm News.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
MNUMN Extension's team for farms from one to forty acres.
Free production and business guides plus a farm information hotline.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
VTVermont's coordinated education and coaching program for beginning farmers.
The free toolshed of business, land access, and marketing guides, plus Vermont Land Link.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
WIWisconsin's sustainable agriculture and food systems research center.
Free research briefs and the Compass farm-viability tools, Veggie Compass included.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
VAVirginia Tech's statewide coalition program for new farmers.
A free whole-farm planning curriculum and a mentoring network.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
WAWashington State's sustainable-agriculture research center and BIOAg program.
A free searchable database of decades of sustainable-ag research.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
ALAuburn's School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, the premier warm-water aquaculture program, with a 1,600-acre pond research station.
Extension programs and research from the school that trained much of the world's aquaculture industry.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
KYKentucky State's School of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, the university's program of distinction, with the state's only dedicated aquatic research complex.
More online aquaculture courses than any US university, plus pond and aquaponics research from 33 working research ponds.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
MSThe USDA regional center whose fact sheets are the standard free reference for warm-water aquaculture.
The SRAC fact sheet library: pond construction, species culture, water quality, one sheet per question.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
MSThe Mississippi State-anchored national center at Stoneville: the research, extension, and diagnostic base of the US catfish industry.
Diagnostic services and the applied research behind commercial pond production.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
ARThe University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's aquaculture and fisheries department, a designated center of excellence supporting the state's fish farms.
Extension services and research for working pond producers, baitfish to catfish.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
The national gateway into the whole Cooperative Extension system from one door.
Route into any state's land-grant resources without knowing the campus.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
TXTexas A&M AgriLife's horticulture information network.
Free fruit, nut, and vegetable fact sheets plus disease and soil diagnostics.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
CAThe University of California's agriculture publishing arm.
Free open-access extension papers and the peer-reviewed California Agriculture journal.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
University program
FLThe University of Florida's extension publication platform.
Thousands of free peer-reviewed publications on production, disease, and postharvest.
Visit ↗Verified Oct 14, 2026
A handful of programs anchor the field, running dedicated greenhouse and indoor-growing research centers whose crop guides, environmental setpoints, and lighting research flow straight into commercial practice. The cards on this shelf name them and say what each one publishes that a grower can use directly.
The front door is Cooperative Extension: every land-grant university runs it, and your county agent can pull in campus specialists for free. Beyond that, many programs on this shelf run grower trials and answer practitioner questions directly. Our state-by-state page lists your Extension service; this shelf lists the research programs behind it.
