Our mission

PATS Mission Statement

The Program on Agricultural Technology Studies (PATS) is an interdisciplinary program dedicated to providing timely, objective, and accessible assessments of new and emerging agricultural technologies to farmers, agricultural workers, consumers, and decision-makers in the public and private sectors.

PATS monitors and analyzes scientific, technological, and policy developments that affect agriculture, farm and community structure, and environmental quality. PATS conducts its research for educational outreach and the creation of public policy that fosters viable farms and communities, social equity, and stewardship of natural resources.

PATS pursues its mission through the interdisciplinary application of economics and sociology. Survey-based methodology allows PATS to provide an objective, empirical channel for stakeholders - especially farmers and farm workers - to have their viewpoints understood and expressed. PATS utilizes a wide variety of outreach vehicles and practices to ensure that its findings are communicated widely.

PATS is a collaborative effort of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Community and Environmental Sociology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. PATS is a combined unit of UW-Madison/Extension.