Organic is one of the most dynamic and fast-growing segments of the U.S. agricultural market and is an increasingly important engine of growth for New York's farmers, large and small. Cornell supports organic agriculture and dairy through numerous research and extension activities.
The information on this website is a valuable resource for farmers and gardeners, agricultural educators, governmental agency representatives, university faculty and extension educators, and all others interested in organic production systems.
Visit the grower and extension resources page for specific production strategies for everything from squash to seed corn.
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Organic Cropping Systems Project
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Northeast Organic Network - NEON
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A strong national network of researchers and growers, aimed at developing and delivering improved vegetable varieties selected for superior performance in organic systems. |
Growing ancient grains—affordably and organically
Increased demand for ancient and heritage varieties of wheat and grains is opening up new niche markets for farmers seeking sustainable options on their farms.
Cornell University’s Small Grains Project, led by Mark Sorrells, professor of plant breeding and genetics, evaluates grains such as heritage wheat, emmer, spelt and einkorn for growing in organic systems and assesses their desirable grain and baking characteristics (including flavor and nutritional quality).
Researchers working on the project will evaluate germplasm with potentially high market value on both certified organic land and land in transition to organic. They also aim to develop best management techniques from planting through storage that are appropriate for small- and large-scale production.
Small-grain crops provide multiple benefits to organic systems—including protecting and improving the soil and supplying organic matter—but they are often underutilized due to their relatively low economic value. What’s more, spelt, emmer and einkorn all have hulls that must be removed before sale, and cleaning the grains requires specialized equipment that can be difficult for smaller farms to afford.
To make the process less expensive, a team of Cornell engineering students is developing a small-scale grain dehuller. In addition to identifying promising varieties and production techniques, the researchers are working with GrowNYC and its Greenmarket program to develop regional markets for the grains and study consumer demand for them in New York City.
Faculty Researchers: Mark Sorrells
Post Doc. Associate: Julie Dawson
Project Technicians: David Benscher, John Shiffer
Department: Plant Breeding and Genetics
Partners: Penn State, North Dakota State University, Greenmarket/GrowNYC
Funding: The project is funded by the USDA’s Organic Research and Education Initiative (OREI)