Weathering the Shift: Climate Stress in Orchards

Field Note

As unpredictable weather continues to disrupt growing seasons, associate professor of horticulture Jason Londo is uncovering its deepening impact on apple orchards — from long-term tree decline to subtle changes in fruit finish that influence...
  • Cornell AgriTech
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Horticulture
Jason Londo examines a tree impact by extreme weather.

From Cornell to the UN with Sofia Herrera ’27

Field Note

Sofia Herrera ’27, a global development major from Panama City, Panama, shares her experience serving her home country as a summer intern with the United Nations. Why I chose this path This summer, I had the privilege of interning at the...
  • Global Development
Standing on the UN floor next to table cards that read "President" and "Panama"

Ann Jie Teo ’27 spends summer providing nutrition education in Alaska

Field Note

This summer Ann Jie Teo ’27, an international student from Ipoh, Malaysia, studying nutritional sciences, traveled to Nome, Alaska, to intern with Norton Sound Health Corp. Here, she talks about her experience in the Bering Strait region...
  • Nutritional Sciences
  • Health + Nutrition
Ann Jie Teo ’27

Cristhian Galvez Espinoza: Breaking into sustainable ag research

Field Note

Originally from Ecuador, Cristhian Said Galvez Espinoza came to work with the Nutrient Management Spear Program last fall as an intern from Zamorano University. Earlier this year, he rejoined the team for eight months as a research technician...
  • Animal Science
  • Crops
  • Soil
A man reaches onto a shelf. He is wearing a lab coat.

Zamorano interns carry unique perspectives into NY ag research

Field Note

This fall, four interns from Zamorano University, in Honduras, joined the Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) team to sharpen their research skills before they graduate this November. Hailing from a number of different countries, these...
  • Animal Science
  • Environment
  • Soil
Four people stand with their faces inside a Cornell CALS themed frame.

Striving to support sustainable ag around the globe: Aidan Villanueva

Field Note

Originally from Belize, Aidan Villanueva was finishing up his studies at Zamorano University in Honduras when he joined the Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) for a 3-month internship. Later, he returned to work with the team from January...
  • Animal Science
  • Agriculture
  • Environment
Two people standing in a field with equipment.

What makes New York golf courses sustainable?

Field Note

Sustainability in turfgrass science can be measured through input efficiency, reduced labor, lower emissions, biological pest control, environmental protection and even the social benefit of keeping recreational greenspaces open to the public...
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Horticulture
aerial view of fairway with rising sun

From lion poop to lab chips: Jennifer Nagashima '09, PhD'15

Field Note

As biodiversity declines and many wildlife species face extinction, the need for innovative conservation solutions has never been more urgent. Among those leading this effort is Jennifer Nagashima ’09, PhD ’15, whose research bridges...
  • Animal Science
  • Animals
a woman crouches to pet a dog

Five fall 2025 CALS courses sure to inspire

Field Note

Why do cats purr when they are happy? Can I still eat that pizza I left out overnight? What is the carbon footprint of a football game? CALS courses are designed to help you seek answers to your everyday questions, leading you to build knowledge...
  • Animal Science
  • Department of Entomology
  • Microbiology
  • Natural Resources and the Environment Section
Students walk on the Ag Quad

Meet the CoE: Joseph Ganley

Field Note

Joseph Ganley joined our CoE team in July as a business development specialist. As part of our business development team, Joe works with our member entrepreneurs and businesses to help them start and grow their enterprises here in New York. Joe...
  • Center of Excellence in Food and Agriculture
  • Cornell AgriTech
Headshot of Joe Ganley

Growing to love agriculture: Meet Marcos Velludo Junqueira Filho

Field Note

What inspired you to pursue agronomy? I am Brazilian, and I was raised on a third-generation farm in São Miguel do Iguaçu, Paraná, a small town near the tri-border area with Paraguay and Argentina. As a child, I developed a deep interest in...
  • Animal Science
  • Field Crops
A man smiles in front of a background of greenery.

Adam Murray: Supporting New York's beef producers

Field Note

Rising global food demand has forced beef producers to face significant challenges. Climate adaptation, the increased cost of raising cattle to market and consumer misperception of agricultural practices are just some of the issues they must...
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • PRO-LIVESTOCK
  • Animal Science
  • Animals
headshot of adam murray

Lena Wilson: Using sweet science to improve berries

Field Note

Lena Wilson is a Ph.D. student in professor Courtney Weber’s lab at Cornell AgriTech, where she focuses on raspberry breeding and genetics. Originally from San Francisco, her path to agricultural science began with a college job at a plant...
  • Cornell AgriTech
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Horticulture
Lena Wilson, a Ph.D. student, examines berries in a research tunnel.

Meet Asmita Gautam: Helping dairies achieve sustainable silage farming

Field Note

Originally from Bulingtar, Nepal, Asmita Gautam recently joined the Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) as a postdoctoral research associate. Read on to learn more about Gautam’s origins and what she hopes to learn from this position. Why...
  • Agriculture
  • Field Crops
  • Climate Change
A woman crouches in a field looking at a tablet housed in a case.

Jean Bonhotal: combating bird flu, supporting NY farmers and communities

Field Note

Jean Bonhotal, director of the Cornell Waste Management Institute, has been helping farmers and regulatory agencies deal with the toughest organic waste disposal issues for the past 35 years. Here, she explains how she’s helping farmers and...
  • Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station
  • Environment
a flock of birds fly over a blue track and compost pile

Debating dairy sustainability: Bridging the gap between stakeholders

Field Note

With well-rounded knowledge about whole-farm nutrient management under their belts, students came to class prepared to debate the future of agricultural rules and regulations. Using what they'd learned in ANSCI 4120, they represented the voices...
  • Animal Science
  • Agriculture
  • Climate Change
  • Dairy
  • Crops
  • Soil
Two people gesture to the left while sitting at a table with a paper placard reading "regulatory agencies."

Karolyn Auer ‘25 helps define on-farm biodiversity, aids sustainable dairy

Field Note

Hailing from Massachusetts, Karolyn Auer is a Cornell CALS senior studying animal science who is about to graduate this May. She conducted substantial research on dairy sustainability during her time at Cornell University. We sat down with Auer...
  • Animal Science
  • Biodiversity
  • Climate Change
  • Dairy
A woman smiles in front of a wall.

Alex Benoit: Investigating cow metabolism to enhance dairy sustainability

Field Note

by Caroline Stamm '24 Rising global demand for milk places greater pressure on dairy farmers and the land, water and feed they depend on. Feed production and cow digestion significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, but optimizing cow...
  • Animal Science
  • Agriculture
  • Biology
  • Dairy
a woman picks up a filter with tweezers in a lab

Francisco Somare: Looking for answers to a global dairy problem

Field Note

by Caroline Stamm '24 For dairy cows, the transition period from late pregnancy to early lactation is a critical time that significantly impacts their health and the sustainability of the dairy industry. Graduate student and veterinarian Dr...
  • Dairy Fellows Program
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Animal Science
  • Dairy
a man hugs a cow