Mexicans are the largest Latino group in the United States and are now estimated to be the largest Latino ethnicity in New York City. The Mexican immigrant population in Massachusetts is growing, but it still lower than Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans. Frank Mangan’s program has researched and introduced several crops popular among Mexicans and introduced them to commercial farmers. You can read more about that research here.

Frank Mangan’s program has been collaborating on a project to establish a new shipping line between New Bedford Mass. and a port in the Mexican state of Vera Cruz. Currently more than 95% of the fresh produce that is exported to the United States from Mexico comes by truck, including Mexican fresh produce increasingly found in stores in New England. Transportation by boat has the potential to significantly reduce the amount of carbon-based energy needed for transportation. Agricultural activities, including transportation of agricultural products, is estimated to be responsible for 30% of greenhouse gases emitted yearly.

Frank Mangan’s program has strong relationships with the agricultural university Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo among other research and academic institutions in Mexico.