Download Increasing Sustainability of Local Agriculture and the

2016 – 2020 Plan of Work
Increasing the Sustainability of Local Agriculture and the Environment with Changing Weather Conditions
Brief Summary of Program
In the past decade, Cornell researchers have focused on identifying and quantifying the level of climatic disruption
caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gasses and the early, measurable impact on weather patterns, geographic
bioregions, and living creatures. Now, agriculture specialists with the Lake Ontario Fruit Team, Cornell vegetable
Program, NWNY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Teams are partnering with researchers to explore ways to
mitigate the looming challenges and investigating strategies to address expected impacts. In addition, new
education and the development of new resources to reduce the human impact on the environment, changing
weather conditions, length of growing season, including energy usage reduction techniques and recycling and
composting methodology, are also being shared with community organizations and individuals. This allows
multidisciplinary research, education, and extension – from basic plant biologists to economists to climatologists–
all engaged in plant and human adaptation and mitigation to reduce negative impacts on the environment.
Situation and Priorities Statement
Climate data for the last 50 years show dramatic changes in temperature and precipitation at the global, national,
regional, and state levels. In New York and elsewhere, global climate change is believed to be responsible for
more erratic weather patterns, warmer temperatures, heavier rainfall, lower snow levels, and altered season
length with intensifying impact on humans, wildlife, the economy, and the environment. During the last five
years, we have seen a year with extreme drought and a year with extreme wetness in Wayne County. As a result
of the first incidence, many farmers added trickle irrigation systems to crops. In the second incidence, farmers
have made the decision to not plant crops due to late crop plantings and known unprofitable returns they
created. Water resource issues are closely tied to climate change including both quantity and quality issues.
Higher variability of surface water flows is expected to exacerbate pollution and require increased management
and mitigation efforts.
Without action to reduce heat-trapping emissions today, scientists predict that summer in New York will feel like
summer in South Carolina by the end of this century. Cornell researchers have been at the forefront in
documenting climate change and its impact in the living world. New York farmers rely on Cornell research to make
crucial decisions about controlling pests, applying fertilizer and optimal planting and harvesting times. CALS
integrated pest management specialists say certain crop pests are arriving weeks earlier than they used to.
Scientists and specialist team members are studying the potential overwintering by some pest species that
normally die out during the colder months. Local field trials study the productivity of crop plants and how plants
respond to changes in temperature. In 2015 Cornell also established the Climate Smart Farming Team, an
integrated group of specialists from different commodities, to address needs identified above. These specialists
are also part of regional agriculture teams and interact with The Cornell Institute for Climate Change and
Agriculture (CICCA).
Changing weather also heightens the importance of research and extension on invasive species. Invasives
threaten the function and integrity of ecosystems, native species, and agricultural crops. During the past five
years, Wayne County has seen the introduction of new pests and diseases, unseen before in WNY. Each of these
must have local field research for control and education so that all area farmers can take advantage of results
determined by our teams of scientists and extension specialists. Ecologically sound management of invasive
species requires significant improvements in our understanding of the ecological impacts of invasives, as well as
the effective management of their populations.
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Goals:
A. Increase awareness of residents and farmers on invasive species, pests, and plant diseases and ways to
prevent their growth.
B. Increase field research in new crops and methodologies for growing crops not previously grown in WNY.
C. Help producers and communities adapt to changes in the environment.
D. Education on energy reduction, alternative energy solutions, recycling and home composting to improve
soil structure, drainage, and water-holding capacity.
Goal A: Increase awareness of residents and farmers on invasive species and ways to prevent their growth.
Objective 1
Identify one emerging

disease/pest in each area of dairy,
livestock, field crops, vegetables
and fruit to focus on each year.






Educational Strategies
Participate in specialist team

advisory committees and help to
identify and educate public on

emerging diseases/pests with

articles on webpage and
newspaper, etc.
Evaluation Indicator
Team members will evaluate
results.
Random phone calls to Wayne
County growers will identify needs
and results of specialist team
projects.
One “TAg” team type effort in
Wayne County each year, carried
out by regional specialist teams.
Work with teams to summarize
research accomplished and
communicate to board and public.
Coordinate with Cornell faculty and
specialist teams to have research
done in Wayne County.

Objective 2
100 community members will

learn about invasive
species/pests/plant diseases that
can impact Wayne County
communities/consumers.


Educational Strategies
Timely alerts and resources that 
provide information on a current
issue will be e-mailed to client
contact list.


Master Gardener volunteers will
provide workshops/presentations in
community settings on one issue
each year.

2
Evaluation Indicator
Number of people reached through
direct contact,
presentations/workshops.
Calls to randomly selected people
who received information to
determine results and/or
implementation of
recommendations.
Goal B: Increase field research in new crops and methodologies for growing crops not previously grown in WNY.
Goal C: Help producers and communities adapt to changes in the environment.





Objective 1
Each year 400 farm owners and 
employees will learn about farm
research in the areas of Dairy,
Livestock, Field Crops, Vegetables, 
and Fruit.

Each year 400 farm owners and
employees will learn about new
technology that is available.
Each year 50 growers will
implement new technology.





Educational Strategies
Coordinate with Cornell faculty and
regional teams to have research
done in Wayne County.

Work with teams to summarize
data and provide results in team
newsletters and local papers.
Evaluation Indicator
Evaluation Indicators will be
determined by each specialist team.
Feedback from 20 participant
phone calls.
Work with teams to coordinate
twilight or other meetings to have
site visits.
Help specialist teams recruit
research participants.

Each year make 20 random phone
calls to program participants to
survey about practices learned and
implemented.
Goal D: Education on energy reduction, alternative energy solutions, recycling and home composting to improve
soil structure, drainage, and water-holding capacity.
Objective 1
Each year 50 people will learn
about ways to implement recycling
and composting procedures.
Educational Strategies
CCE educators work with MG
volunteers to provide community
workshops/demos and/or
presentations at 3
community/school garden sites and
information to consumers while
working the hotline.
Evaluation Indicator
Pre and post workshop surveys.
Objective 2
Educational Strategies
Evaluation Indicator
Engage community in general
energy action.
One article per month in “Inside
CCE” regarding energy solutions.
Report on number of phone calls to
CCE office and use of web page
information on energy.
3
Ten random phone calls to
participants to evaluate composting
success/how compost was used.