With 9 academic departments and 67 cooperative extension offices, one in each of Pennsylvania's counties, the college is widely recognized as one of the nation's top institutions for agricultural research and education programs.

Pugh helped to transform the Farmer's High School into the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences by supporting Congress to pass the Morrill Land-Grant Act.

In addition to learning farming methods, Pugh had contributed other subjects to the college including chemistry, geology, mathematics, and mineralogy.

Scientists in the college are seeking solutions to the agricultural and ecological problems of our time by conducting basic and applied research focusing on cross-cutting thematic areas.

[9] The Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center, located in Landisville in Lancaster county in southeastern Pennsylvania, primarily focuses on agronomic crops, vegetables, small fruits, and flowers.

[12] It consists of the agronomy, entomology, horticulture, and plant pathology research farms, as well as being the location of Ag Progress Days and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Livestock Evaluation Center.

[26][27] It is Swahili for 'light' to symbolize how the app can bring light to smallholder farmers in Africa who typically lack access to expert knowledge systems.