CSU ARI, agriculture scientists looking through microscopes and doing other scientific activity
Agricultural Research Institute

Agricultural Research Institute

Supporting Agricultural Research

The California State University Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) is a diverse and comprehensive multi-campus applied agricultural and environmental research program that leverages state funding with university and industry capital and intellectual collateral through university-industry partnerships.

ARI's collective expertise is a collaboration of the CSU's four colleges of agriculture at California State University, Fresno; California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo; and California State University, Chico; and the state's agriculture and natural resource industries and allied business communities.

ARI projects and programs seek to resolve California farm, ranch and consumer challenges such as improving food quality and safety, increasing productivity and enhancing economic viability. Research also addresses emerging sustainability issues such as environmental compatibility and domestic and international competitiveness. In addition, ARI explores solutions for strategic gaps in our knowledge base that otherwise might not be studied by for-profit companies and institutions because there is little or no financial incentive to do so, despite their importance.

The ARI primarily focuses on finding immediate and practical solutions for high-priority challenges in the following general research categories:

  • Agricultural Business
  • Biodiversity
  • Biotechnology
  • Food Science/Safety/Security
  • Natural Resources
  • Production and Cultural Practices
  • Public Policy
  • Water and Irrigation Technology

The California State Polytechnic University, Pomona supports broader research areas within each of the areas listed above. To see a list of all 37 areas which we support click here.

The ARI receives a $4.37 million annual State General Fund budget allocation to support applied research and outreach activities. The ARI distributes this public funding to support scientifically peer-reviewed research that is annually matched at least one to one with industry and/or agency resources to fund high-priority research, development, and technology transfer activities, as well as public and industry education and outreach. ARI funding allocations are expressly designed to encourage CSU system and individual campus excellence through a combination of competitive research and capacity building enhancements. Individual campus funding is allocated through the respective colleges of agriculture on a competitive basis and must be utilized for agricultural, allied business or natural resources applied research. Research funding opportunities, however, are not exclusive to the colleges of agriculture.

Please don't hesitate to contact us with questions about the suitability of your project.  We look forward to working with you!