Commission Formed To Look At Food, Nutrition Security

By MATT HAYES
Cornell University
 
With the world facing a vast array of food and nutrition security challenges that pose significant humanitarian, environmental and national security risks, a national commission that included leaders from Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences announced May 16 a comprehensive, coordinated effort to solve these problems.
 
The Challenge of Change Commission comprises prominent university, government, nongovernmental organization and business leaders.
 
The report from the commission — which includes Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Mike Hoffmann, executive director of the Cornell Institute for Climate Smart Solutions and professor of entomology; and Per Pinstrup-Anderson, professor emeritus in nutrition and economics — emphasized a transdisciplinary approach leveraging the role of public research universities to solve food security issues.
 
Max Pfeffer, international professor of development sociology and CALS senior associate dean, served as an invited expert on the commission.
 
“Food insecurity is one of the most daunting issues that we face today. The challenges will only intensify without coordinated efforts by public and private partners,” said Boor. 

“Harnessing food systems expertise at Cornell and other land-grant universities will enable bold action to protect the health and well-being of people around the globe. The steps outlined by the commission provide a path forward for scientists and policy experts as we work together to achieve food and nutrition security,” Boor said.
 
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, launched the commission in 2016.
 
The commission’s report recommends four key steps:
 
** Create a major, sustained effort by the more than 230 public research universities and university systems in the U.S., Canada and Mexico that comprise APLU, including further developing recommendations to reduce institutional barriers to cross-disciplinary research.
 
** Encourage multiple federal departments and public agencies to work to achieve domestic and global food security by mobilizing private sector and foundation resources to address the challenges.
 
** Urge governments of the U.S., Mexico and Canada to together sponsor collaborative research partnerships with universities and their partners to advance the report’s recommendations.
 
** Encourage public universities and their partners to identify challenges and related activities they might 
undertake, including partnering with public and private entities in agriculture, public health, nutrition and health care.
 
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities said food security problems — hunger, obesity, malnutrition, low crop yields, inadequate food storage, poor sanitation, and the political instability they create — are poised to intensify unless there is a deliberate effort to create true global food and nutrition security. 

The report calls for the academic, research and leadership capabilities of public research universities to address food and nutrition security.
 
“Public universities possess enormous capacity across many disciplines — from plant breeding to the social sciences — to respond to global challenges,” said Hoffmann.
 
The commission defined seven challenges: increase yields, profitability and environmental sustainability simultaneously; develop varieties and breeds needed for sustainable food systems; decrease food loss and waste through more efficient distribution systems; create and share resources that serve all populations; ensure inclusive and equitable food systems; address undernutrition and obesity to ensure full human potential; and ensure a safe and secure food supply that protects and improves public health.
 
Cornell researchers took part in interdisciplinary groups to provide subject expertise for the report. Rachel Bezner Kerr, associate professor in the Department of Development Sociology, joined with the Sustainable Production Systems working group to identify ways to increase plant and animal agricultural production yields, enhance and maintain soil health, and use water sustainably and efficiently.
 
Miguel Gómez, associate professor at the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, focused on challenges across the food supply chain domestically and globally as part of the working group Supply Chains, Distribution, Loss and Waste in Food Systems.
 
Pinstrup-Anderson, the 2001 World Food Prize winner, said: “Universities are uniquely positioned to provide the science-based knowledge required to guide public and private sector action to help assure healthy diets for all. Scientific discoveries combined with enlightened policies for our food systems can make nutrient deficiencies and obesity a thing of the past.”

Cornell University Receives Money for Students Studying Agriculture

Check out the story https://ithacavoice.com/2017/03/cornell-receives-280k-students-studying-agriculture/ at this link.

Conference on Farm Transfer and Management Set For Feb. 15, 16

A two-day conference on Farm Transfer and Management is scheduled for Feb. 15 and 16 at the Double Tree by Hilton in DeWitt, east of Syracuse.

The conference, put on by NY FarmNet, will include discussion and education about how to manage the risks of farm business transfer, such as:

** Human Resource Management
** Strategies for managing the agricultural market
** Crop insurance options for your farm
** Developing a risk management plan for your farm

Gary Schnitkey will give the keynote address. Schnitkey, a professor and farm management specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois, focuses on farm and risk management, specifically crop insurance evaluation, and aiding farmers in understanding the risk and return tradeoffs of different crop insurance policies. 

Admission to the conference is free as are all meals and materials. Hotel accommodations are NOT included. Travel scholarships are available for veterans.

Tickets are available at https://www.cvent.com/events/farm-transfer-management-conference-risk-management-in-new-york-agriculture-in-an-age-of-uncertainty/registration-568bd06cdec04e988f3b7f1938e42de6.aspx this link.

You also can register at http://bit.ly/farmtransfer at this link. Registration does not include hotel reservations.

Also sponsoring the conference are Farm Credit East, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cornell University's Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Ag Analytics.

 

 

State's Seed Testing Lab Moving to Albany

From NYS AG and MARKETS
 

The state’s Seed Testing Laboratory will now be run by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets and housed within its state-of-the-art New York State Food Laboratory in Albany.
 
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced Nov. 8 that, in partnership with Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the lab would move to the Albany facility. 
 
Currently operated by and located at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station on the College of Agriculture and Life Science’s Geneva campus, the Seed Lab provides assurances to the agricultural community that seed used in production is healthy and robust.
 
“Our Food Lab is a cutting-edge facility that houses some of the world’s best and brightest scientists,” said Ball. “Staff provide extensive and essential consumer protection services by testing foods and other products for purity, wholesomeness and accurate labeling.”
 

“By partnering with Cornell University to bring the Seed Lab to Albany and house it within our Food Lab, we’re able to offer additional efficiency in testing services to the agricultural industry,” he said.
 
“For more than 130 years, the Seed Lab in Geneva has provided the highest quality routine seed quality tests — such as those for germination, moisture, purity, and vigor — along with more specialized tests to the state’s farmers and producers,” said Susan Brown, the Goichman Family Director of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station.
 
“Many of our academic departments have worked closely with the lab and it is a legacy we look forward to continuing in Albany,” she said.
 
Established in 1882, the Seed Lab provides high quality seed results and reporting to residents, growers and seed companies. Since 1912, the lab has been operating as the regulatory laboratory for New York state, testing inspection samples to verify accuracy of product content and labeling for the state Department of Agriculture and Markets. 
 
The lab performs critical functions for the agricultural industry, testing 800 samples annually to insure that seed purchased by New York state farmers and consumers is true to label claim, meets minimum germination standards and is free of noxious weed seeds.
 
The Department and Cornell University are working together to successfully transfer the Seed Lab. The Seed Lab will continue to process samples in Geneva until the transfer of equipment to the Food Lab is complete, which is expected by the end of the year. 
 
Growers and businesses will be notified by mail, prior to the opening of the new space, of the exact timeline and Albany mailing address to send samples. They can also find updates on the Seed Lab’s website at http://blogs.cornell.edu/nyseedlab/.
 
The lab, at its new Albany location, will continue to offer its services and expertise on a fee basis, which will remain unchanged, to a wide range of clientele.
 
In addition, the department has hired Kyle Arvin as its Seed Lab director, who will manage client services and regulatory testing. Enforcement will continue as a separate function within the department. 
 
Arvin has 25 years of experience in seed-related testing, working both in the private and public sector, including as the director of the New York State Seed Testing Laboratory, based at Cornell University. 
 
During his time at the NYS Seed Testing Lab in Geneva, he oversaw the facility’s seed testing services and coordinated with graduate students and faculty in their research on seeds. He also worked cooperatively with the states of New York, New Hampshire and Vermont to provide testing lab services for their state seed regulatory programs. 
 
Arvin worked frequently with the New York Seed Improvement Program, which operates within Cornell’s Plant Breeding extension program and consists of a certified seed division.
 
Most recently, Arvin was a Registered Seed Technologist with Dow AgroSciences, North American Seed Quality Control Laboratory, in West Lafayette, Ind., where he trained new analysts how to perform seed testing and worked on a global seed quality testing team. His work in Indiana helped the laboratory become an USDA Accredited Seed Laboratory.

Cornell University Team Wins Innovations in Food and Agricultural Science and Technology Competition

From the USDA
 
A team from Cornell University was one of four winners of the first Innovations in Food and Agricultural Science and Technology competition.
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the National Science Foundation announced the winners in the $200,000 prize competition. 

The Innovations in Food and Agricultural Science and Technology, called I-FAST, helps scientists and engineers broaden the impact of their research by encouraging collaboration between academia and industry to translate fundamental agricultural innovations into the marketplace.
 
“Innovation is an economic driver and a necessity in the agriculture industry,” said National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director Sonny Ramaswamy. “Through this new partnership with the National Science Foundation, we are able to help move ideas from the research lab to the marketplace, where they can provide real solutions as these teams intended.”
 
Each of the four winning teams receive $50,000 to start a business and move their innovation towards full commercialization. Team members will also participate in the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps, a six-month entrepreneurial immersion course to develop skills that help them commercialize their inventions and discoveries.
 
Teams also are eligible to apply for additional funding through the USDA Small Business Innovation Research Program, administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
 
The winning teams are:
 
** Cornell University, Ithaca – The team developed a micro electro-mechanical systems microtensiometer sensor that monitors minute-by-minute readings of both plant water and soil stresses to help producers optimize irrigation to improve the yield and quality of crops.
 
** University of Houston, Houston, Texas – The team developed a behavior-based affordable educational toolkit and augmented reality technology system to educate, monitor and improve employees’ fresh- and fresh-cut produce handling practices.
 
** University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Ill. – The team is bringing to market two software packages that make it possible for crop advisors to inexpensively run large-scale, on-farm agronomic trials and create strategies for profitable nitrogen fertilizer management.
 
** Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Mo. – The team developed a pathogen detection biotechnology test kit to determine if E. coli 0157:H7 is present in food to help lower the risk of contamination all along the food chain from the farm to the consumer.
  

New York State Specialty Crops Receive Money for Research

From state DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS
 
Projects in the state looking at apples, Christmas trees, kale, onions, mushrooms and garlic have been awarded money through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
 
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced the awards Nov. 1 totaling nearly $1.1 million for eight projects to strengthen New York agriculture through research, protection and promotion of the state’s specialty crops.
 
Projects are:
 
** $99,801 to test new kale varieties both in the field and at the market. The project will conduct on-farm evaluation trials, as well as consumer taste tests.  The successful varieties will create new opportunities for specialty crop producers and tasty new choices for consumers.
 
** $99,962 to better understand the cause of Stemphyium Leaf Blight (SLB) in onions. SLB, which has emerged in recent years, is reducing the yield and harvest quality of onions. The research will identify SLB resistant varieties and the best agronomic practices for integrated management of this disease.
 
** $98,429 to develop a standard test for moisture content and freshness of real fir trees. This test will help wholesalers and retailers ensure they are providing fresh cut trees to holiday shoppers. The project is led by the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of NY in partnership with the SUNY College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry in Syracuse.
 
** $95,507 to build predictive models that will allow growers to understand which of their McIntosh, Cortland, Red Delicious and Ruby Frost apples are most likely to develop superficial scald, which causes dark spots on the skin of the fruit. The models will also help growers identify which apples are likely to store well. The research will examine the use of dynamic controlled atmosphere to support long term storage of apples without chemical treatment.
 
** $77,939 to partner with the Cornell Small Farms Program for the development of training and business planning tools for log-grown shiitake mushroom farmers. The project, which has a goal of helping 36 new farmers develop and implement woodland mushroom production, will include one-on-one business mentoring from experienced growers as well as a full market assessment report for the product in five regions of the state.
 
** $75,841 to learn how to help New York garlic growers avoid costly Fusarium diseases in our typically wet and cold climate. Research will be paired with education and outreach to expand general knowledge of field-based disease identification and best-management practices; sources of disease inoculum; and cultural practices which can reduce field-based disease severity.
 
In addition, the Department of Agriculture and Markets will implement two statewide initiatives that will benefit the specialty crop industry throughout the state.
 
These projects are designed to evaluate water testing hold times in preparation for the USDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule and to increase the amount of locally-grown specialty crops served to students in New York schools through the state’s Farm-to-School program.
 
“Specialty crops are as important to the agricultural industry as they are to our health. These grants will help farmers overcome some of the critical challenges they face when growing these crops and allow for a stronger and safer food supply,” Ball said.
 
“By increasing our access to these healthy food options, we are also taking an important step to protecting the well-being of all New Yorkers,” he said.
 
Specialty crops include a variety of agricultural products, including fruits and vegetables, honey, herbs, shrubs and commercially-grown trees. 

Many of the specialty crops grown in New York rank highly in the nation in terms of production and economic value. New York ranks second in production of apples, maple syrup, cabbage and snap beans, third in grapes, and fourth in pears.
 
Together, these projects will provide innovative solutions to many of the challenges that effect the profitability of local farming operations. They will also create new opportunities for growers by enhancing the quality of several New York specialty crops and allowing consumers to enjoy them for a longer part of the season.
 
By utilizing these solutions, New York farmers will be able to better protect their crops, enhance and diversify their operations and remain competitive.
 
“The farmers on our review panels did an outstanding job selecting projects that will help New York growers bring to market a diverse range of foods that will connect with today’s consumers,” said Jim Bittner, Bittner-Singer Orchards and chair of the New York Farm Viability Institute.
 
“Whether improving the storage capability of apples, fighting diseases in garlic and onions, or increasing the availability of New York grown Shiitake mushrooms the outcomes of these projects will be a win for farmers and consumers.”
 
“Cornell’s research will continue to empower Empire State farmers to remain competitive and to provide New Yorkers with wholesome and safe foods to feed their families,” said Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. 

“From products that spice up our meals to those that spruce up our holidays, CALS is committed to connecting the people of New York State with New York State produce.”

New Strawberry Ready for NY Planting

From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine:

By MATT HAYES
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
 
Strawberry fans, rejoice.
 
The newest Cornell strawberry variety concentrates intense flavor in a berry big enough to fill the palm of your hand.
 
Topping out at over 50 grams, Archer, the latest creation from Cornell berry breeder Courtney Weber, is comparable in size to a plum or small peach. But this behemoth stands out in ways beyond just its proportions: the flavor and aroma exceed what you’d expect from a strawberry of such unusual size.
 
“Archer is an extraordinarily high-flavored berry,” said Weber, associate professor in the horticulture section of the School of Integrative Plant Science. “It has an intense aroma, so when you bite into it you get a strong strawberry smell, and it’s very sweet, so you get a strong strawberry flavor that really makes an impact.”
 
Weber says the combination of large fruit and strong flavor hits the sweet spot for local growers who sell in farmers markets, u-pick sites and roadside stands. Archer ripens in June and holds its large size through multiple harvests for two to three weeks.
 
“Strawberries are the ultimate summertime fruit that signal the start of the summer season. People love that vivid flavor, and Archer delivers a complex, sunny aroma and taste that just screams summer,” said Weber. 

“Consumers have a real preference for large berries, and with fruits that can be as big as the palm of your hand, Archer really draws people’s attention and fills baskets quickly. It’s larger on average than any of the dozens of strawberry varieties we’ve tested over the years.”
 
And this big berry is no wimp: The cold-hardy variety is tough enough to withstand winters, making it suitable for growing in diverse climates throughout New York as well as in places like Michigan and Minnesota and along the Mid-Atlantic from Maryland into the Northeast.
 
Weber’s strawberries are bred to be hardy. He breeds in a perennial system without soil fumigation so that only the most robust varieties thrive. With a durable root system, this high-yield variety is tolerant to root rots and other common diseases.
 
Fruit breeding has a long history at Cornell, which has introduced more than 280 fruit varieties since 1880. The berry breeding program is the oldest of its kind in the U.S., and Archer is the 43rd strawberry variety released by the program, and the fifth by Weber, who joined Cornell in 1999.
 
Other recent releases include the Herriot strawberry, a high-yielding midseason variety, and the burgundy-colored Walker sold exclusively by Burpee Seed as Purple Wonder. 

Archer is the largest strawberry ever released at Cornell’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, Ontario County.
 
Weber selected Archer in 2001 from the first field he planted at the ag station, and it has been under field evaluation for many years. Final field testing was done on the farms of members of the New York State Berry Growers Association.

Matt Hayes is managing editor and social media officer for Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

State Senate GOP Unveils Agriculture Plan for 2016

Ritchie

State Sen. Patricia Ritchie, chair of the state Senate agriculture committee, has unveiled her legislative plan for agriculture for the coming year in a program called "Planting Seeds."

Ritchie said the plan will continue to support New York’s family farmers and boost the agriculture economy.

Joined by members of the Senate Republican Conference, Ritchie unveiled the plan, which includes proposals to restore budget cuts and increase funding for key agriculture programs in the areas of research, education and marketing, provide new tax and regulatory relief for farmers, support initiatives that promote food safety and create new opportunities for veterans in the agriculture industry, among others. 

 “New York farms — and New York farmers — are the backbone of our rural communities and economies,” Ritchie said. “That’s why, once again, the Senate Majority Conference is making agriculture a top priority. We’re planting seeds to support the hard work of our farm families and grow the future of agriculture in New York state.”

Norton

“The success of agriculture is essential to the economic well-being of our rural communities. The Senate Majority’s plan focuses on critical areas including program funding, research, new farmer initiatives and agricultural education," said New York Farm Bureau President Dean Norton.

"They are all pieces of the puzzle that will assist in growing an industry that supports thousands of jobs and a healthy, safe food supply said.

"We are poised for incredible growth in farming and food production if we can simply take advantage of the sometimes insurmountable opportunities that exist today," said Julie Suarez, assistant dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. 

"By providing support for the critical partnership between New York state and the Land Grant mission at Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Senate is showing incredible leadership for the research based knowledge that gives New York's farm families an economic advantage in today's marketplace," Suarez said.

In addition, Planting Seeds also proposes new programs to grow agriculture in the region Ritchie represents.  

Under the plan, a new “North Country Ag Academy” would be created.  Modeled after a similar program in Western New York, the Ag Academy would provide hands-on learning experiences for aspiring young farmers to learn and practice the agricultural arts, and prepare them for future careers.

Planting Seeds also proposes the creation of an agriculture management program at SUNY Canton, which for many students could serve as a lower-cost alternative to a traditional four-year agriculture degree program. 

Originally founded as the School of Agriculture at St. Lawrence, the college eliminated most agriculture-related degrees in the 1990s. The Senate’s plan would support the provision of staff to provide courses and real work experience allowing students to study marketing, technology, and other practical skills necessary to survive and thrive in the farming industry.

Planting Seeds builds upon key elements of the Senate Republicans’ successful Young Farmers and Grown in New York programs that have been enacted over the last five years. In addition to reductions in broad based tax rates and a statewide property tax cap that is reining in school and municipal taxes, a Senate Republican initiative to limit increases in agricultural land assessments has already saved farmers more than $11 million in its very first year. 

Other measures have reduced the estate tax to help preserve the tradition of family farming, connected young farmers with grants to help them start a new business, and reduced educational costs for those interested in beginning a farming career.

For full details of the Planting Seeds program, go to www.ritchie.nysenate.gov

Cornell Officials Visit First Ag Committee Meeting of Year

In its first meeting of 2016, the state Senate Agriculture Committee was joined by special guests from Cornell University who spoke about new opportunities, as well as new challenges involving the state’s agriculture industry.

Hosted by Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Senator Patty Ritchie, the meeting featured Dr. Kathryn Boor, Dean of the School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, who touched on accomplishments of the past year involving Cornell-run programs like Harvest NY and PRO-DAIRY.
 
The meeting’s second speaker, Dr. Lorin Warnick, interim dean of the Veterinary School at Cornell University, discussed the college’s work in the area of disease surveillance, in particular, rabies.
 
At the meeting, guests from Cornell discussed a number of new efforts to encourage the growth of New York agriculture, including a new program aimed at reducing costs for those pursuing degrees through the University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and a first of its kind initiative that seeks to provide education, training and support to New York military veterans interested in careers in agriculture and farming.

Cornell University's CALS Dean Discusses Cuomo's State of the State Address

Statement from Dean Kathryn Boor of the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences on Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address:


Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address on Wednesday included a number of initiatives designed to promote agriculture and food quality – and through them the economic vitality of New York State.  

Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, praised the governor’s efforts and noted New York’s Land Grant university is committed to these same goals.

Boor says:

“I am very pleased that Governor Cuomo’s vision, as outlined in yesterday’s 2016 State of the State and Budget Address, recognizes the importance of agriculture to the state’s economic vitality and community wellness.

Governor Cuomo understands that agriculture has always been – and continues to be, more than ever – a vital component of the state’s character and economic health, especially as the dairy, beer and wine industries create fresh opportunities across the state. The Governor’s vision bolsters Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Land-Grant Mission – a mission of teaching, research and outreach – in several key areas.

“First, having been privileged to serve on the Governor’s Anti-Hunger Task Force, I am very pleased to see several of the task force’s suggestions adopted. In particular, I applaud the Governor’s continuing support of Farm-to-School programs, building upon successful partnerships between the Empire State’s school districts, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) educators and local farmers.

"Farm-to-School programs create vital conduits that bring local crops directly to school cafeterias and promote the wellness of our state’s school children. CCE educators are also working with adults throughout the state, from Wyoming to Nassau counties, in order to increase nutritional awareness and community vitality.

“As an agricultural leader, New York depends on the hardworking farmers across this state to drive business while providing all of us with the bounty of their efforts. I applaud the Governor’s announcement that the state will no longer tax those farmers delivering healthy produce to communities throughout the state by eliminating New York State Thruway tolls for their vehicles.

“The promise of New York has consistently been demonstrated by its commitment towards science and research. Having just celebrated Cornell’s 150 years of academic excellence, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is tremendously gratified to see the continuation of the successful New York State Science, Technology, Engineering and “Mathematics (STEM) Incentive Program, which encourages our best and brightest high school students to pursue their educations and their futures in New York.

"I am very proud to say that, in just its first year, CALS is home to 31 STEM Incentive Awardees, with three more on their way. Across New York, STEM careers are growing twice as fast than those in any other field, and our students will be leading the way in agriculture and the biological sciences.

“Since its inception, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has been devoted to developing farming techniques that allow those who work the land to reap the maximum economic benefit with the lowest environmental impact, a spirit of stewardship that continues as CALS creates a sustainable future for generations to come.

"The Governor’s commitment to increasing the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) dollars has energized the college’s highly successful and well-regarded Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.

"In a time of increasing challenges from invasive insect species and ever-changing weather patterns, it has never been more important to ensure that our IPM program has the resources needed to continue working hand-in-hand with New York’s farmers on employing a common-sense, earth-friendly approach: utilizing pesticides only when necessary and focusing on good agronomic practices, as CALS forges a sustainable future focused on growth and prosperity.”

Cornell Ag School Dean Talks About Future of New York Agriculture

Great story about New York agriculture and its future from Kathryn Boor, dean of the ag school at Cornell University.

Go to http://www.mpnnow.com/article/20151015/NEWS/151019749/SHARED/st_refDomain=t.co&st_refQuery=/yqyWBHec5z to check it out.

Harvest NY Program Expanding to Northern New York

From the office of State Sen. Patty Ritchie:

Cornell Cooperative Extension's “Harvest NY,” a program that works to strengthen the agriculture industry by supporting farmers in the areas of dairy processing, food safety, local food distribution, marketing, dairy modernization and profitability, is being expanded to Northern New York.

Established in 2012 and serving 16 counties in Western New York, the expansion was made possible through money in the state budget.

“Harvest NY is an innovative extension initiative, the first of its kind in the country," said Kathryn Boor, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. 

"By maximizing the connections that farmers and producers have to the research and resources of Cornell University and Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell is providing unparalleled leadership in economic development in New York’s food and agricultural sectors which has become a model for other states.”

As a result of the expansion, Harvest NY specialists in the following areas will be based in the North Country:

**  Dairy Value Added Processing and Marketing;

**  Agricultural Business Development and Marketing; and

**  Livestock Processing and Marketing

Experts in these positions will work closely with Cornell faculty members, as well as local and regional Extension Staff to bring new information and agricultural resources to the region. 

Cornell University, Ithaca College Offer Master's Program for Ag Teachers

From Cornell University and Ithaca College:

Cornell University and Ithaca College will offer a new Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program to help meet growing demand for qualified agricultural educators. 

Students in the graduate program will earn a degree in agriculture education from Ithaca College in collaboration with Cornell Connect, a program of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).


“This unique M.A.T. in agriculture education combines the strength of an established, highly regarded education program at Ithaca College with the internationally recognized agricultural knowledge of Cornell,” said Jeff Perry, education specialist in CALS’ School of Integrative Plant Science. 

“Students will graduate with a strong knowledge of the agricultural education community while also being comfortable with their general education peers,” he said.


This cross-university partnership, unique in the United States, reflects CALS’ commitment to agricultural science education. 

“Our goal has been to expand opportunities for Cornell students to obtain teacher certification. This innovative program is a true partnership with Ithaca College’s nationally accredited, state-approved and much-respected teacher education programs,” said Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.


“Ithaca College and Cornell University have been collaborating in the preparation of teachers for many years,” noted Linda Hanrahan, chair of graduate programs in education at Ithaca College. “The newly approved M.A.T. program in agriculture education provides us with yet another avenue for continued collaboration.”


The intensive 13-month program is an extension of other articulation agreements that exist between the two schools, including the transition of prospective teacher candidates from Cornell’s education studies minor program into the M.S. in childhood education or the M.A.T. in adolescence education at Ithaca College.


The program comes at a time when agricultural education programs are growing in popularity in suburban and urban high schools throughout the country. 

According to a 2014 National Association of Agricultural Educators supply-and-demand report, more than 200 additional agricultural teachers are needed due to program growth and expansion each year.


In the 36-credit program, 27 credits will be taken through Ithaca College in general education and field experience and nine credits will be taken in agriculture through CALS’ Cornell Connect. 

The first cohort in the new program will enter May 31, 2016, and will be eligible for graduation, initial certification and a teaching position by the following summer.

SUNY Announces Farm Initiative

From the Associated Press:

COPAKE — Some New York state college students will have the chance to live and work on a farm while studying agriculture, food sciences and other related fields.

The State University of New York system on Monday announced a partnership with the FarmOn! Foundation that’s meant to give students hands-on experience in everything from planting the seeds to cooking what they grow and serving it at catered events.

The first participants will come from SUNY Cobleskill, Morrisville State College and the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Participants will stay on a farm in Columbia County.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher says the partnership is the first of its kind.

Partnerships Will Boost NY Beverage Industry

From the state Department of Agriculture and Markets:

Two new partnerships to further support and grow the beverage industry in the Finger Lakes region have been announced.

A new partnership between Taste NY and the New York Wine & Culinary Center was unveiled following a successful listening session with beverage industry stakeholders during Gov. Cuomo’s Capital for a Day in Rochester.  

In addition, $200,000 will be provided to Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and its New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva for research on hops and malting barley, the two major ingredients in the production of beer.  

Capital for a Day was created by Cuomo to bring state government directly to the people it serves. The day-long event partnered state officials with residents, local leaders and stakeholders to examine first-hand the needs of a community and how New York state government can build upon its strengths and make a positive impact on its residents.

The New York Wine & Culinary Center, a premier attraction in the Finger Lakes that showcases New York’s dynamic agriculture, food and beverage industries through its classes, events, and farm-to-table restaurant, is partnering with Taste NY to further expand its dedication to New York-sourced products and ingredients, as well as promote and educate visitors about the diversity of New York agricultural products.
 
As part of the partnership, the New York Wine & Culinary Center will incorporate the Taste NY experience into its culinary and beverage educational classes.Recipes used in classes will include New York state products and will list the local farmers and suppliers of ingredients to familiarize students with the wide variety of New York agricultural products. 
 
The New York Wine & Culinary Center also will modify the majority of its promotional material with the addition of the Taste NY logo, such as its newly launched wine and culinary center farm-to-table food truck which features the branding.  

The food truck offers a menu that represents an extension of the cuisine of the Upstairs Bistro, the culinary center's popular restaurant, and uses nearly 100 percent New York state products on the road. 

The food truck will be on the move this summer at various events, wineries, breweries and more. 

Taste NY branding will also be added to the menu at Upstairs Bistro to reflect its dedication to local sourcing. It continues to offer a 100 percent New York wine and beer list, as well as a large number of spirit and cider products from the state.

The state will provide $200,000 to Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station for research into hops and malting barley, the two primary ingredients in beer.

The money, included in the 2015-16 state budget, builds on $133,242 previously provided by the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority.

The experiment station is in the second year of a multi-year research plan aimed at testing the growing stock for malting barley, evaluating disease resistance of various varieties and evaluating which varieties are best suited to New York's climate.

The research being conducted by Cornell University will help meet the growing demand of hops and barley for use in farm-based breweries. Cuomo’s Farm Brewery Legislation, which has spurred the rapid growth of craft brewing in New York state, requires farm brewers to increase the percentage of New York-grown hops and all other ingredients in farm-brewed beer from 20 percent today to 90 percent by 2024. 

The 2012 USDA Census of Agriculture, the most recent official statistics available, shows that 7,679 acres of land in New York was used to produce barley, while 19 acres of land was in use for growing hops. 

A Cornell Cooperative Extension hops expert estimates that more than 300 acres of land is in use statewide now to grow hops, with the number growing by 75 to 100 acres a year and with larger farming organizations considering large-scale hops growing operations.

 

Pamkowski Named An Outstanding Alumni

Very deserving award for Peter Pamkowski of Ag and Markets.

Go to http://cals.cornell.edu/get-involved/alumni/leadership-and-recognition/oaa/peter-pamkowski/ to read about it.

People Salivating at Cornell for the Return of Ice Cream

Check out this  http://cornellcals.tumblr.com/post/73415361679/finally link to find out what is back at Cornell University.

Cornell Plant Breeder Wins Prestigious Award

From Cornell University:

Throughout his 43-year career, Cornell University plant breeder Ronnie Coffman has sown seeds of scientific and social change across continents and generations.

Now his efforts are being recognized with the inaugural World Agriculture Prize, awarded by the Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agricultural and Life Sciences (GCHERA), an organization that represents more than 600 universities worldwide.

As a rice breeder at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines in the 1970s, Coffman, helped one generation survive the ravages of war by ensuring food security throughout Southeast Asia.

As leader of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative – and the Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Department for International Development – he is helping another generation combat new strains of wheat rust that threaten to devastate world food supplies.

As the professor behind Cornell’s popular Agriculture in Developing Nations course, director of International Programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (IP-CALS), and organizer of Ph.D. training courses at the West African Center for Crop Improvement, he is mentoring the next generation of plant breeders and international development professionals.

“The world’s farmers need access to the best science that the many great institutions of GCHERA can deliver in order to produce crops that are nutritionally adequate and best adapted to future challenges,” Coffman said during his acceptance speech at Nanjing Agricultural University in China Oct. 20.

New technologies – including biotechnologies – must be made accessible to all the world’s farmers so that nutritionally superior seeds that are well-adapted to climate change are put in the hands of farmers with limited resources, he added.

Coffman also advocated for the advancement of women in agriculture and science, and he committed the $50,000 proceeds of the prize to AWARE (Advancing Women in Agriculture Through Research and Education), a new initiative to ensure that gender is considered in all IP-CALS activities, from events to funding proposals.

“Women hold the greatest potential to make significant impacts in rural development,” said Coffman. “Colleges of agriculture and life sciences need to empower women as future champions around the globe so they can become the entrepreneurs of their own future as well as the planet’s.”

Coffman was nominated for the award by Kathryn Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of CALS, who said he embodied the college’s mission of “knowledge with public purpose.”

“Ronnie excels as an agent of change. He has spent his career ensuring that people with scarce resources in some of the world’s most populous countries have access to the agricultural science they need to produce crops best adapted to the challenges they face,” Boor said.

A Kentucky native, Coffman had never even seen the ocean prior to coming to Cornell as a graduate student in 1967. His first trip off the continent was to Puerto Rico as a participant in the class he now leads. Coffman now travels more than 150 days and 250,000 miles a year in pursuit of advancements in agriculture and rural development.

Coffman joined the Cornell faculty in 1981, and has served as director of IP-CALS since 2001. Previous positions include chair of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, CALS associate dean for research and director of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station.
 

Who Owns New York's Apples?

Good story from http://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/10/who_owns_the_apples_new_yorks.html Sunday's Post-Standard.

This is what growers have to do to bring all of us new varieties.

Ag Day at Cornell University

Check out http://cornellcals.tumblr.com/post/61959147346/once-again-the-cornell-chapter-of-alpha-zeta Ag Day at Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.