Cornell-led project aims to bring AI-powered robots into U.S. orchards
Cornell University is leading a new $7.5 million national research effort aimed at developing robots that can handle some of the most labor-intensive jobs in fruit orchards, from pollination and thinning to harvesting and weed ... more
Three Ithaca startups named finalists in $3 million Grow-NY competition
Three Ithaca startups developing technologies aimed at fighting agricultural frost, improving food testing and replacing plastic-based packaging coatings are among 20 companies selected to compete for $3 million through New York's Grow-NY food and agriculture ... more
Trust, but Verify: Tanner Winterhof on the Question Farmers Should Ask Before Writing the Check
The water stood on Corey Hillebo's field for five days. By the time it drained he had two decisions to make and no reliable way to make either one. Twelve inches of rain had come ... more
New York grape growers face oversupply, lost contracts
New York grape growers are confronting lost processor contracts, excess supply and limited markets as harvest season approaches, according to Spectrum News 1. Chautauqua County producer Jim Joy said Refresco canceled contracts with more than ... more
Short seasons and early frost put the focus on varieties that finish fast
New York growers reported more than $30 million in crop losses after an April frost this spring. Fruit growers took the visible damage. For anyone planting an annual crop on a small plot, it made ... more
Wayne farmers face weather strain
Wayne County area farmers are dealing with crop delays and reduced yields after a wet spring shifted into a hot, dry summer. The weather affected sweet corn, stone fruit and some other seasonal crops ... more
New York farm tariff-relief applications due Aug. 11
New York farmers have until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, to apply for a share of a $30 million state program intended to offset higher costs and market losses tied to federal tariffs. The Agricultural ... more
USDA declaration opens emergency aid for Upstate crop losses
Eligible Upstate New York growers can apply for low-interest emergency loans and other federal assistance following a U.S. Department of Agriculture disaster declaration tied to damaging spring weather. New York growers reported more than $30 ... more
Fruit growers eligible for emergency loans after disaster declaration
Apple, grape, and stone fruit growers in parts of the Finger Lakes can apply for USDA emergency loans after a disaster declaration. The declaration covers 32 New York counties affected by weather damage this year ... more
Cornell climate stewards program expands local action across New York
A Cornell-connected climate training program is helping volunteers across New York address flooding, heat, storms and other local climate impacts. The Cornell Climate Stewards program has trained nearly 200 participants since 2021 and is now ... more
Cornell study finds East Coast broccoli can cut drought risk
A Cornell-led study found that expanding East Coast broccoli production could slightly lower supply-chain costs and reduce dependence on drought-prone California. The research used a supply-chain model to examine how fresh produce systems could respond ... more
Cornell study says China’s pollution gains carried costs for farmers
A Cornell-led study found that China's push to improve environmental quality helped reduce pollution but placed heavy economic pressure on upstream farming counties. Researchers found that agricultural value added dropped by 58% in counties upstream ... more
New York farmers face July 15 crop acreage reporting deadline
New York agricultural producers have a July 15 deadline to file crop acreage reports for corn, soybeans, spring-planted small grains and most other crops, including Conservation Reserve Program and cover crops, federal officials said. The ... more
Farm Bureau backs bill to change H-2A farmworker program
New York Farm Bureau is backing federal legislation that would change the H-2A guest worker program, saying the bill would help farmers address labor shortages and rising costs. The Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act was introduced ... more
Farmers can apply for tariff aid
New York farmers can now apply for up to $25,000 in tariff relief, according to The Citizen. The state's new $30 million Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs program aims to help producers offset rising costs and ... more
Cornell study says warming could slow forest carbon storage
A Cornell-led study suggests current climate models may overestimate how much carbon forests will store as temperatures rise and air becomes hotter and drier. The research, published June 18 in Geophysical Research Letters, found that ... more
New York July 4 cookout costs rise nearly 14%, Farm Bureau says
New Yorkers planning a Fourth of July cookout will pay an average of $67.55 to feed 10 people this year, a nearly 14% increase from 2025, according to New York Farm Bureau. The state average ... more
Climate change may be costing dairy farmers twice as much as previously thought, Cornell finds
Rising temperatures are doing more than reducing milk production on dairy farms. New research from Cornell University suggests heat stress is also lowering the quality of milk, creating economic losses that may be twice as ... more
New York seeks federal disaster aid after frost causes $30 million in crop losses
New York has asked the federal government to declare a disaster across multiple regions after an April frost caused widespread damage to fruit and vegetable crops, with losses already estimated at more than $30 million ... more
