SAG | Sustainable Agriculuture Program

"When I transferred to the University of Maine I originally intended only to get my B.S. in Botany and was unsure of where to go from there. My plan (or lack of one) changed when I took Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture. That one course eventually led me to a minor in the program and, far more importantly, left me with a purpose after graduation. I think that sustainable agriculture is more than an alternative to conventional agriculture; its the only option we have. I hope that the University of Maine continues to offer this unique program and that it can inspire others as it did me."

—Eben Bell, SAG Minor, '05

Dr. Marianne Sarrantonio
Program Coordinator
Sustainable Agriculture
University of Maine
5722 Deering Hall
Orono, ME 04469 5722
(207) 581-2913

About the SAG Program

The University of Maine offers academic, research, and extension programs in Sustainable Agriculture (SAG) in order to address the principles and practices of environmentally sound, profitable farming.

The academic program emphasizes: how to increase farm profits by decreasing the costs of crop and livestock production; how to build soil tilth and fertility through rotations, multiple cropping, and nutrient cycling; how to protect water quality by decreasing the need to use synthetic agrichemicals; how to manage crop pests and livestock diseases with integrated, ecologically sound strategies; and how to create a strong, diversified agriculture that is stable through market and weather fluctuations.