Julie Grossman
Community-engagement; organic agriculture; food systems; legume cover crops; vegetable systems
Background & Expertise
Julie Grossman serves as the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, and is a professor in the Department of Horticultural Science, at the University of Minnesota. Her research improves understanding of relationships between plants, soils, and microbes and leverages legume biological nitrogen fixation to enhance soil fertility in organic vegetable systems. Julie earned her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, completed an NSF postdoctoral fellowship at Cornell University, and began her academic career as a faculty member at North Carolina State University before returning to Minnesota in 2014. A passionate advocate for innovative teaching and learning, Julie is committed to fostering transformative learning experiences that connect students with public needs. She has received numerous awards including the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Soil Science Society of America, the Organic Achievement Award from the Agronomy Society of America, the Campus Compact Thomas Ehrlich Award for Civically Engaged Faculty, and two Fulbright Fellowships to Mexico and Colombia. Outside of her professional life, Julie is a competitive rower and enjoys adventuring with her three children.
Featured Project: Julie Grossman
Elevating Emerging Farmer Voices For Sustainable Food Production
Challenge
Emerging farmers – those who traditionally face barriers to the education and resources necessary to build profitable agricultural businesses such as immigrant farmers and farmers of color – make up a crucial and growing segment of fresh produce growers in Minnesota. These farmers often face cultural, economic and language barriers to accessing traditional Extension support. There is a need for tools and programming to enable farmer educators to provide accessible and culturally appropriate technical assistance to address soil health and fertility challenges.
Meet the Project Team
Project Lead
