Dr. Joseph Rich
Northeast Area Director (Acting)
(970) 219-9044
10300 BALTIMORE AVENUE
BLDG. 003, RM. 223, BARC-WEST
Beltsville MD 20705
Office of the Director's Staff
Mission:
The mission of the NEA is to conduct innovative fundamental and applied scientific research to develop and transfer solutions that address agricultural and human health problems of high national priority, such as:
- Maintaining and improving the plentiful supply of healthful and safe food, fiber, bioenergy, and agriculture-derived value-added products for all Americans.
- Protecting and enhancing the natural resource base and the environment.
- Providing innovative technology to enhance economic opportunities for rural citizens, communities, and society as a whole.
- Assuring a competitive position for American agriculture in the global economy.
The nutritional needs of Americans are assessed at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, as well as the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, MA. NEA programs widely leverage their resources by closely collaborating with other federal research agencies, U.S. land-grant institutions, state and private universities, and foreign universities and scientific research organizations worldwide.
ARS NEA encompasses 15 research centers and laboratories, and 9 worksites located in 11 northeastern and Atlantic states from Maine to Tennessee, as well as the District of Columbia. These include the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.; the Eastern Regional Research Center in Philadelphia, PA; the Robert C. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health in Ithaca, NY; and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Maryland, the largest and most comprehensive agricultural research complex in the world. The noteworthy accomplishments of the scientists at NEA’s centers and laboratories have made them international leaders in their respective scientific fields.