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Hailing from Belize, Gabriela Garcia joined Cornell CALS’ Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) as an intern in January 2026 from Zamorano University , located in Honduras. This semester, she will be working alongside Carlos Irias on the...

One of the best ways to connect science to practice is through on-farm research. On-farm research can help farmers make informed decisions about how to efficiently use their resources (like fertilizer and seed) to grow high-yielding, high...

Soil testing is a crucial part of efficient, effective crop production, allowing for farm decision-makers to consider different nutrient management strategies based on their soil test results. Cornell’s Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP)...

The push for sustainability metrics for the dairy industry is ever growing. This includes metrics for air and water quality, water use, and most recently above-ground biodiversity. We sat down with members of the Nutrient Management Spear...

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...

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...

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...

Cornell Atkinson, The Nature Conservancy, Clean Air Task Force and Environmental Defense Fund have awarded grants to five research projects that aim to improve sustainability in the dairy industry.

For a two and a half decades, NMSP has worked to support farmers with sound science, and made strides when it comes to on-farm research and extension. Led by Quirine Ketterings, NMSP focuses on the big picture when it comes to agriculture and...

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...

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...

On June 30, dairy industry leaders from New York state toured the Cornell University Ruminant Center, a one-of-a-kind testbed for new technologies and strategies and a crucial resource for the state's dairy farmers.

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...

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...

In collaboration with farmers, researchers found that emission intensities from New York state dairy farms were lower per gallon of milk than national estimates and among the lowest reported across continents.

Master’s candidate Carlos Irias and Zamorano intern Greivin Fernandez Benavides are currently conducting rainfall simulation experiments, studying nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loss in runoff and infiltrate. Manure is a very valuable source of...

The Value of Manure project aims to help farmers understand the value of cow manure and use it as efficiently as they can, reducing reliance on nitrogen (N) based synthetic fertilizers. Jointly funded by the New York Farm Viability Institute...

From humble beginnings, Erick Amaya’s passion for learning carried him through his undergraduate career to a position with Cornell’s Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) — first as an intern, then as a research technician. While a part of...

Greiven Fernández Benavides is an intern with the Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) . He grew up in Cariari, in the province of Limón, Costa Rica and is currently a senior studying Agricultural Science and Production at Zamorano...

Sarah Flanagan ’26 has known since high school that she wanted a career in agriculture to help reduce global food insecurity. An agricultural sciences major, Flanagan has taken impactful classes in plant genetics, soil science and many other...