CU receives $1 million USDA grant to help boost regional agriculture

To help New York farmers bolster their income by adding value to the commodities they produce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business-Cooperative Service has awarded $1 million to Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The funding will support the New York State Farm Viability Institute: Center for Value-Added Agriculture, a partnership that includes Cornell Cooperative Extension, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the New York Farm Bureau and several commodity organizations.

Michael Hoffmann, associate director of Cornell Cooperative Extension and director of the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM), and William Lesser, chair of the Department of Applied Economics and Management, will serve as co-principals on the grant.

"This is another example of an excellent partnership between Cornell University, our state agencies and our many constituents in the state," said Susan A. Henry, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell. "It will enhance economic development through application of our institution's knowledge base to the real-world problems of our agricultural community. The interdisciplinary team of Cornell specialists, working together with New York's agricultural partners, will help enhance the competitiveness of our farmers in regional and global markets. This represents yet another opportunity for Cornell to pursue its mission as New York's land-grant university. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is particularly pleased to have been a central player in this collaborative effort."

Five university centers and departments will participate in the grant: the Food Venture Center, IPM, the Department of Food Science, the Department of Applied Economics and Management, and the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering.

For horticultural operations, the grant will help producers adopt value-added production and marketing practices. Cornell's Food Venture Center will provide technical and business assistance to those interested in food processing. Farmers will be offered the opportunity to learn about TracApple, software that provides an easy method of recording pest control practices. Proper documentation in this area helps growers maintain international markets.

For dairy farmers and livestock producers, the grant will help establish economic and environmental solutions to manure disposal. The center will also help develop new cheese varieties for specialized markets. Producing cheeses tailored for local winery products and sold at the increasingly popular wine tastings would benefit the dairy industry.

Farmers and agriculture businesses will receive assistance developing business plans and creating business structures, which will enhance the enterprise posture of New York horticultural, dairy and livestock producers.

The Cornell grant is part of a larger $10 million package from the USDA, funded by the 2002 U.S. Farm Bill and divided among institutions in 10 states. Michigan State University, Montana State University, Rutgers University, Purdue University, the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute in Minnesota, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives also received grants.