At the Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension, we work to enrich the lives of Alaskans. It's that simple. Through programs that bring UAF research and expertise to Alaska citizens, we help families grow food, farmers produce more crops and everyday citizens live healthier lives. Learn more about the work we do.
Learn about how our institute is organized and what we do.
Learn more about our success stories across the state.
Read our annual report to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Learn about our areas of focus
Beneficial insects can help control garden pests
June 17, 2025
Not all insects are garden pests. In a free statewide webinar, learn which insects are natural enemies of pest bugs and therefore good friends for gardeners to cultivate. Joey Slowik, integrated pest management technician at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service in Palmer, will discuss potential insect friends, what they want and some ways to encourage them in your garden.
Workshops to cover vegetable storage, greenhouse energy, accessibility
June 16, 2025
UAF Cooperative Extension Service agent and energy specialist Art Nash will guide a series of free workshops this month in Parks Highway communities on ways to keep produce fresh longer, commercial and residential energy options for greenhouses, and accessibility for farmers and gardeners with disabilities.
Grain at the Fairbanks Experiment Farm shrank over the past century
June 13, 2025
Grain grown on the University of Alaska Fairbanks' experiment farm was much taller in 1916 than 2024. Jakir Hasan has a simple explanation. "People were a bit shorter," he joked. Hasan, a research assistant professor of plant genetics at UAF's Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension, said the shift to shorter grain actually resulted from breeding efforts that began in the mid-20th century.
Events
All events statewide
Anchorage district events
Bethel district events
Delta Junction district events
Dillingham district events
Juneau district events
Kenai / Soldotna district events
Kodiak district events
Mat-Su / Copper River district events
Northwest / Nome district events
Sitka district events
Tanana / Fairbanks district events
The Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension is home to UAF's land-grant mission including the UAF Agriculture and Forestry Station as well as Cooperative Extension. The Morrill Act of 1862 established land-grant colleges and the federal Hatch Act of 1887 authorized agricultural experiment stations in the U.S. and its territories to provide science-based research information to farmers. There are agricultural experiment stations in each of the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and all but one are part of the land-grant college system. UAF's Extension is part of the largest informal education system in the world, connecting Extension programs at land-grant colleges and universities in every U.S. territory and state. Today, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is the USDA division that manages federal funding of the nation’s experiment stations and the extension service.