Dr. Mark Williams is Professor and Chair of the Department of Horticulture at the University of Kentucky.  He is the Director of the Sustainable Agriculture undergraduate degree program as well as the 30 acre UK Organic Farming Unit. His research is focused on sustainable organic horticulture production. Research projects include developing, evaluating and optimizing diverse direct-marketed vegetable systems, and solving pest management issues in specific systems such as cucurbits, peppers and apples. Additionally Dr. Williams focuses on elucidating plant microbe interactions and how they are affected by farming practices.