Desert Farming Initiative at UNR

The Desert Farming Initiative (DFI) is a collaboration between the University of Nevada, Reno College of Business, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and community groups. Located in an urban setting just outside the UNR campus, the DFI is composed of heated greenhouses and hoop houses. The project addresses agricultural entrepreneurship, knowledge and training needs of both students and community farmers.

The DFI works towards three goals:

* Education: Provide resources for hands-on experiences and educational programming in sustainable farming systems for desert climates.

* Research: Develop research opportunities and collaborate with faculty, students and industry to discover new production methods and improve agricultural practices.

* Outreach: Demonstrate to stakeholders working agricultural systems that address the challenges of both economic and environmental sustainability.

The produce grown by the DFI is sold at their farmstand in the summer, to the University of Nevada, Reno Dining Services and to local distributors for inclusion in meals sold to students, staff and the community.