UC Cooperative Extension/ANR Academics Services and Resources

2014 edition. Edited by the former Dean of the UCD College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Dr. Neal Van Alfen. This five-volume set “covers the breadth of issues that define modern agriculture and food systems. Many of the topics discussed are those widely defined as traditional agriculture, i.e. crops, animals, their production systems and protection from pests and diseases.”

2020 edition. Edited by RIchard W. Hazlett. This work “presents an authoritative overview of the role and impacts of agriculture on the natural and human environments, from its origins historically to current praxis and outlooks. Major themes include: global and regional environmental change and the evolution of agriculture, historical styles of agriculture, research needs in agriculture, famine, agricultural pollutants, and the future of agriculture.”

2016 Third edition. Edited by Rattan Lal. This three-volume globally-focused set addresses “ a multitude of soil and soil management concerns … [and] describes every branch of soil science … [for] Soil Scientists, Crop Scientists, Plant Scientists and More. A host of contributors …[focus on] underlying themes relevant to natural and agricultural ecosystems … [including] topics … [such as] soil degradation, climate change, soil carbon sequestration, food and nutritional security, hidden hunger, water quality, non-point source pollution, micronutrients, and elemental transformations."

2019 Second edition. Edited by Paul B. Thompson. This is a “ definitive source on issues pertaining to the full range of topics in the important area of food and agricultural ethics. Altogether about 100 new entries appear in this new edition. The start of the 21st century has seen intensified debate, discussion, and criticism of food and agriculture. Scholars, activists, and citizens increasingly question the goals and ethical rationale behind production, distribution and consumption of food, and the use of crops for fuel and fiber. These wide-ranging debates encompass questions in human nutrition, animal rights, and the environmental impacts of agricultural production. The encyclopedia provides a detailed analysis of these issues and hundreds of other topics including the use of antibiotics in animal feedlots, the Green Revolution, organic farming, Islam and Food, and cannibalism.The Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics, 2nd edition is an indispensable reference point for future research and writing on topics in agriculture, food, animal, and eating ethics.”

2021 edition. Edited by Shauna M. McIntyre. This work takes a “deep dive into the origins of organic farming, offering a clear discussion of what constitutes organic production and how that has changed over time. Next, the volume provides a comprehensive overview of growth of organics as both an industry and a social movement and the inherent challenges that occur from trying to be both. … covers controversial issues and challenges, along with good news about what is working and what is possible. Included are essays by scholars, farmers, and experts working with NGOs as well as profiles of key people and organizations in the organic sector. Additional chapters include data and documents, a comprehensive resource list, and a detailed chronology of the key events in the history of the organic sector. ”

2021 edition. Edited by Carolyn Sachs. This international work “covers major theoretical issues as well as critical empirical shifts in gender and agriculture. Gender relations in agriculture are shifting in most regions of the world with changes in the structure of agriculture, the organization of production, international restructuring of value chains, climate change, the global pandemic, and national and multinational policy changes. This book … [is] organized into four parts: part 1, institutions, markets, and policies; part 2, land, labor, and agrarian transformations; part 3, knowledge, methods, and access to information; and part 4, farming people and identities. The last chapter is an epilogue from many of the contributors focusing on gender, agriculture, and shifting food systems during the coronavirus pandemic. The chapters address both historical subjects as well as ground-breaking work on gender and agriculture, which will help to chart the future of the field.”

2001-present ongoing book series. Each volume in this currently five-volume set focuses on a theme across “ … various branches of [agricultural] economics, each of which is a definitive source, reference, and teaching supplement … Each Handbook provides self-contained surveys … [which] summarize not only received results but also newer developments, from recent journal articles and discussion papers. Some original material is also included, but the main goal is to provide comprehensive and accessible surveys.”

2019 third edition. Edited by Myer Kutz. This is an “essential reference for understanding the food industry, from farm machinery, to dairy processing, food storage facilities and the machinery that processes and packages foods. … The book's chapters include an excellent overview of food engineering, but also regulation and safety information, machinery design for the various stages of food production, from tillage, to processing and packaging.”

Agriculture handbook numbers 1-<726>; 1950 to present. Continuously updating index to USDA Agriculture Handbooks series based on contents of original 1992 print title with capability to search by USDA Agriculture Handbooks' titles, series' document numbers, or subject matter and links to selected full-text USDA Agriculture Handbooks on the Internet.

“ Historical data only for USDA nationwide statistical charts and graphs on agriculture, the farm sector, rural America, nutrition, food safety, and natural resources. Archived editions 1994 through 2001/2002 are available online through HathiTrust. The previous title, Fact Book of U.S. Agriculture, had a more narrative and less detailed approach. Published from 1962 to 1989, some volumes are available in the Internet Archive and HathiTrust.”