Travel Grants are Available!

We have funds available to help you travel to conferences and events that will assist you in your academic interests or career paths. Download the application and return to the EFFS adviser. The next deadline is February 15, 2013!
(Microsoft Word Form)

Welcome to the Ecological Food & Farming Systems specialization at Michigan State University!

Graduate students at the MOSES conference
EFFS students @ 2012 Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Conference

The Ecological Food and Farming Systems (EFFS) graduate specialization* is designed to foster understanding of biogeochemical, socioeconomic, and policy concepts critical to sustainable agriculture and food systems.

The program provides a foundation of agroecology and community food systems principles that allow for cross-disciplinary consideration of multifaceted agricultural sustainability issues. Shared courses provide the opportunity to meet students from other programs and better understand work and research that includes multiple perspectives.

The EFFS program is administered through the Plant, Soil & Microbial Sciences Department. The EFFS Steering Committee includes faculty from several social and biogeochemical fields related to agriculture who work to expand the learning opportunities and constantly enhance the courses for the specialization.
*Specializations are interdisciplinary academic programs that ANY MSU graduate student (Masters or Doctoral)  can elect to take. Specializations are similar to minors in that they focus on an area of study, but are unique in that the courses span several departments or colleges at MSU. Electing to take a specialization does not affect your primary degree requirements.  If you don't complete the requirements for a specialization by the end of your academic career, then the specialization will not be included on your transcript, but it will not keep you from graduating.