Cornell AgriTech

09/04/2026

Science is "buzzing" all around us.🐝

08/31/2026

This summer, University of Wisconsin-Madison student Mirielle Sherman spent her days studying grapevine bud development and frost vulnerability as part of our Summer Research Scholars Program. Her work contributed to research that could help growers address future challenges.

"The summer has really made me decide that I want a Ph.D. in breeding," Sherman said about her experience.

Sherman was one of 29 students from 23 colleges across 15 states who spent the summer at Cornell AgriTech, contributing to research projects spanning plant breeding, food science, entomology, plant pathology and horticulture.

Read more about Mirielle's experience:

Mirielle Sherman leaned over her scientific poster, making a few final adjustments before presenting her work at Cornell AgriTech’s Summer Research Scholars symposium in July.Photographs of grapevines covered the poster. Some showed cameras mounted inside a greenhouse; others captured grapevine bu...

08/28/2026

Thank you, Senator Jeremy Cooney for visiting Cornell AgriTech today!

We appreciated the opportunity to share how our research, innovation, and student training programs support New York's farm and food economy while helping strengthen food and agriculture businesses in the Rochester region and beyond.

08/26/2026

Congratulations to Katie Gold, assistant professor (shown here with her team, including her daughter, a "mini-me" team member), for receiving the American Phytopathological Society’s 2026 Hewitt Award. The award honors Gold’s contributions to plant disease epidemiology and remote sensing, including her NASA Acres-supported work advancing satellite-based approaches to detect and manage crop disease.

08/24/2026

08/20/2026

This week, Senator Chuck Schumer visited our Cornell Lake Erie Research and Extension Laboratory to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the Concord grape industry and to advocate for investment and research that help growers adapt to a changing future.

We are grateful for his support, and for the support of our local, state, and federal representatives, in advocating for New York grape growers and recognizing the important role that research and innovation play in sustaining our agricultural economy.

08/14/2026

How can New Yorkers enjoy fresh, locally grown produce year-round? 🍅

We're helping answer that question through Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) research. Assistant professors Dominique Holtappels and Samantha Willden are studying how mulches, companion plants and biological controls affect crop production, while also investigating their impacts on pollinators, soil health and common Northeast pests and diseases.

As interest in year-round local food continues to grow, this research is helping address the challenges growers face and deepen our understanding of how CEA can work in New York.

08/12/2026

Ideas for new companies often start at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University.

While working in assistant professor Yu Jiang's lab, CALS alumni Jonathan Moon '21, M.S. '24 and Ertai Liu, Ph.D. '24 gained hands-on experience applying technology to real-world agricultural challenges. That experience helped inspire the creation of Budbreak Innovations, a startup using AI, computer vision and robotics to help growers monitor crop health and make more informed decisions.

By providing plant-level insights that can detect disease earlier, track crop development, and improve vineyard management, Budbreak has the potential to help growers increase efficiency, reduce costs, and build more resilient farming systems for the future.

Launched for vineyards, their company—dubbed Budbreak—now works with growers of berries, citrus, almonds, and more

08/10/2026

From h**p field to real-world use.

The new flooring and desk in Cornell AgriTech's director's office started as Ursa 'Alta', a h**p variety developed by professor Larry Smart.

Grown on Cornell University farms, harvested for fiber, and transformed into flooring, it showcases the potential of h**p as a renewable resource for sustainable building materials.

Ursa 'Alta' was bred to thrive in New York's climate while providing farmers with a high-yielding, compliant fiber crop that can support a range of products, from textiles and insulation to innovative construction materials. By creating new opportunities for plant-based materials, this work is helping advance a more sustainable future for agriculture, manufacturing and housing.