Funded Research Projects, FY2022


Title	PI	Source	Department	Description
Effects of feed-through insecticides and de-wormers on dung beetle diversity in beef and dairy pastures across NYS.	Wise, K. L.	Hatch	Integrated Pest Management (IPM)	Dung beetles compete with horn and face flies for manure on pastures. Dung beetles can control up to 95% of flies that cause economic loses to cattle. De-wormers and feed through insecticides can be detrimental to dung beetles. We will research the diversity and abundance of dung beetle species in pastures comparing farms that do or do not use de-wormers and feed through insecticides.
Specialty Crops and Food Systems: Exploring Markets, Supply Chains and Policy Dimensions	Rickard, B. J.	Multistate	Applied Economics and Management, Dyson School of	The primary aim of our proposed research is to better understand the economic consequences associated with greater intake of fruits and vegetables, with a particular focus on the crops that are important in New York State. This work involves the evaluation of new management practices and technologies that may increase production, quality, and value of specialty crops for producers in an increasingly competitive marketplace. It also will examine the factors that influence the decisions that consumers make when they purchase fruits and vegetables including health, food safety, affordability, specific attributes, and region of production. Results from our project will directly feed into Cornell Extension programming and education efforts to communicate real-world implications to industry and policy stakeholders in New York State.
Marketing improvements using point-of-sale data for fruit and vegetable producers at farmers markets in New York State	Schmit, T. M.	Hatch	Applied Economics and Management, Dyson School of	The adoption of an easy-to-use sales POS data collection technology and training of producers on how to analyze the data will inform marketing changes and support sales growth. While still not widely adopted by farms, we will provide training and technical assistance on free POS software (Square) to collect and analyze transaction data from farmers markets to improve decision making and sales performance. The results of supplemental analyses by the research team using all POS data across farms, markets, and time will be provided through conferences and publications on the determinants of increasing customer transaction size and overall market sales. Marketing workshops will teach farms the logic of the POS analyses and how to use them to improve financial outcomes. Participating farmers will also receive personalized data summary reports throughout the season containing specific recommendations to increase sales, including changes to product assortment, pricing, and presentation.
Glyphosate herbicide transport: mobility factors, field-scale monitoring, and mitigation	Richards, B. K.	Hatch	Biological & Environmental Engineering	Glyphosate-based herbicides have become key weed control tools, but recent research (including ours) shows that a portion of applied glyphosate can be lost in field runoff (outflow). We will measure factors governing glyphosate mobilization in outflow as well as carry out continued field monitoring under typical NY production agriculture conditions to better understand and mitigate these losses.
Pollen-mimicking, detoxifying microparticles for assessing the impact of pesticide usage on managed pollinators	Ma, M.	Hatch	Biological & Environmental Engineering	Once our pollen-mimicking detoxifying microparticles are fully designed and optimized, we will work with local New York beekeepers to integrate the product into a beekeeping feeding regimen for assessing pesticide risks. (For example, if bees with the microparticles perform better than bees without the microparticles when they're exposed to pesticides, the difference in that performance can be attributed to the pesticide stress.) In our preliminary studies, microcolonies of bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) fed malathion-contaminated pollen patties demonstrated 100% survival when fed our particles but 0% survival with plain sucrose within 4 days. Working with beekeepers will provide us knowledge into how the product can be best assimilated amongst beekeepers. We will continue to keep in close communications with the beekeepers to respond to their feedback, make any subsequent alterations to the product and to assess and eventually mitigate the impact of pesticides on bees.
Crop yield responses to dry extremes simulated by an earth system model	Pendergrass, A. G.	Hatch	Earth & Atmospheric Sciences	Crop yields are affected by precipitation extremes. Determining which weather patterns are associated with events that affect crops most is necessary to improve forecasts. This project brings together experts on extreme precipitation and simulating crops to examine the relationship between extreme precipitation and yields of corn, wheat and soy using a model with newly-added crop functionality.
Enhancing the Cornell Forage Species Selector Tool and other Online Decision Support Tools with Climate Change Data Supp	Degaetano, A. T.	Hatch	Earth & Atmospheric Sciences	Successful use and adaptation of the proposed decision tools requires integrated research, extension, and outreach. This will be accomplished via the Cornell CSF team working with CCE educators and advisors across the state. These CCE specialists on the CSF team have provided the impetus for the proposed tools and tool refinements by gathering information from existing tool users. As a part of the proposed work they will guide both online model development and field testing of the models. The CSF team will be trained in tool use, scientific background, and assumptions. Ultimately the CSF team will provide training to other CCE educators, agri-service professionals, and stakeholders on the effective use of the tools, and adaptation strategies. The project strongly connects to recent research and extension projects at the interface of climate change and agriculture with land grant universities and the USDA NE Climate Hub.
Farmer-centric on-farm experimentation research	Longchamps, L.	Hatch	School of Integrative Plant Science	Farmers experiment to optimize decision making. Despite an important investment, on-farm experimentation seldom benefits from advanced techniques and technologies that are ubiquitous in traditional research institutions. This project aims at contributing scientific methodology, digital technologies, and advanced analytics to on-farm experimentation, to the benefit of farmers and their communities
The effects of dietary emulsifiers on fat digestion in dairy cows.	McFadden, J. W.	Hatch	Animal Science	Saturated fats are fed to dairy cattle to increase energy intake, and milk and milk fat production. However, low saturated fat digestibility is a concern. Emulsifiers such as phospholipids and bile salts may enhance fatty acid digestibility and intestinal absorption in cows. This resubmission will determine this possibility in lactating dairy cows as a means to develop related feed additives.
Influence of ovary, uterus, and embryo on pregnancy success in ruminants	Selvaraj, V.	Multistate	Animal Science	Low fertility performance in cows directly affects profits in dairy farms. Poor embryo survival is a major factor contributing to low reproductive success. In this project, we seek to identify serum biomarkers that would enable early detection of embryo loss, to improve the efficiency of fertility assessment and management tools for use in dairy farms.
Regenerating protein from waste: Improving harvesting in sustainable insect farming for protein feed	Selvaraj, V.	Hatch	Animal Science	Objective of this project is the advance sustainable biomanufacturing of insect larvae for aquaculture/livestock feed: refuse/waste depletion via regenerating protein as a feed ingredient. Despite the substantial benefits to this model, scaling-up to commercial production of larva-meal faces a crippling challenge: effectiveness of harvesting. This research is aligned to tackling this problem.
Defining and soil sampling within-field management zones for agronomic decision and environmental risk assessment	Ketterings, Q. M.	Hatch	Animal Science	We work with farmers and crop consultants on all of our applied research projects. Feedback from the collaborators and recent request for clarifications about soil sampling resulted in the formulation of this project. While the goal is to develop the best possible zone delineations and soil sampling strategies for agronomic decision making and for environmental risk assessment, we also plan to summarize findings in the form of extension articles, factsheets and presentations, in addition to publishing a minimum of two journal articles on zone delineation and grid and zone sampling.
Management of sheep for solar grazing and milk production	Cherney, D. J.	Hatch	Animal Science	Sheep will graze a solar farm to study vegetation management for farm diversification, pollinator plant propagation, and soil carbon sequestration. 1/3 of the ewes will be milked to identify the minimum proportion of out-of-season lambing genetics in dairy ewes needed to produce 3 lactations in 2 years. Extension activities will convey management ideas and results to the agricultural community.
Using risk communication to reduce exposure to lead in wild game consumption	McComas, K. A.	Hatch	Communication	Lead is a neurotoxin with crippling health effects. Many hunters and consumers of wild game are unaware of the dangers of lead remnants in meat, putting them and low-income beneficiaries of wild game food pantry donations at risk of lead exposure. This project works with CCE offices to develop and disseminate risk messages that communicate ways to reduce the exposure to lead in wild game.
Ecology and Management of Arthropods in Corn	Shields, E. J.	Multistate	Entomology	Research will focus on 1) stress testing the biological control of corn rootworm using biocontrol nematodes to identify the CRW larval population level where biocontrol nematode efficacy is reduced, 2) Investigating the efficacy of biocontrol nematodes under droughty soil conditions and 3) Improvements of the biocontrol nematode mass rearing system to make it more user friendly.
Harnessing Chemical Ecology to Address Agricultural Pest and Pollinator Priorities	Losey, J. E.	Multistate	Entomology	The main objective of this proposal is to identify plant-derived volatile chemicals that are attractive to lady beetles that can be used to draw beetles from the landscape into crops, where the beetles can provide valuable pest suppression services. The Losey lab is home to the nationally recognized Lost Ladybug Project, which has a vast following at LostLadybug.org and on Facebook. We plan to leverage that following to disseminate our findings. As part of our current Smith-Lever award, we have established contacts with more than 25 county extension offices (Horticulture, Ag and Natural Resource Educators, Master Gardeners, etc.) and several local CSAs. We have collaborated with these groups and provided them with lady beetles to release as part of our lady beetle education program, which made contact with more than 450 program participants during 2020. We also plan to present our data at scientific and grower meetings, and submit articles to peer-reviewed scientific journals.
New York State Tick Blitz: understanding expanding range of tick disease vectors impacting human and animal health	Harrington, L. C.	Hatch	Entomology	New York State faces increasing tick-borne disease risks and threats to livestock annually. Climate and land use changes are bringing people and livestock in closer proximity with ticks than ever before. We will conduct a "tick blitz" drawing from the successful "bio blitz" model, to understand the presence of two emerging ticks and risk to human health and agriculture.
Engineering for food safety and quality	Gibney, P.	Multistate	Food Science	The craft brewing industry has been growing in New York. Engineered yeast strains are being commercially used to increase process efficiency and environmental benefits. The proposed research seeks to develop robust tools for rapidly testing strain-engineering ideas, and also to use those tools to construct yeast strains for increased haze production and gluten-free beer production.
Enhancing Microbial Food Safety by Risk Analysis	Snyder, A. B.	Multistate	Food Science	Robust food plant sanitation helps ensure food safety. The goal of this work is development of a quantitative framework that considers environment and sanitation standard operating procedure on food safety outcomes. This will allow industry stakeholders to identify risk-based best practices specific to their production environments.
Engineering for food safety and quality	Alcaine, S. D.	Multistate	Food Science	Dairy producers are looking for novel, label friendly processes to improve product quality and safety. Our previous research shows that the enzyme lactose oxidase represents a potential, natural antimicrobial control, however without inactivation it can also impact product quality. This project seeks evaluate the enzyme immobilization on activity, bacterial control, and subsequent quality.
Enhancing Microbial Food Safety by Risk Analysis	Goddard, J. M.	Multistate	Food Science	We propose a method to produce an antimicrobial polyethylene that can be used to fabricate materials used to package foods. Working with commercial polymers and approved antimicrobials, using a translatable process, makes this approach both innovative and pragmatic. These materials will help control post-processing contamination by pathogenic organisms and thus improve food safety.
Nanotechnology and Biosensors	Nugen, S. R.	Multistate	Food Science	We propose a method to rapidly determine the quality of water used in food and agriculture. This nanotechnology-enabled diagnostic device will allow farmers and producers determine if their products meet federal and retailer requirements for use in produce and will allow an early detection of possible contamination and improve food safety.
Improving Quality and Reducing Losses in Specialty Fruit Crops through Storage Technologies	Watkins, C. B.	Multistate	School of Integrative Plant Science	The Primary Investigator in New York, as do most of his colleagues around the nation, have strong interactions with respective fruit industries, and indeed are recognized resources across the nation. In New York, stakeholder engagement is strong via a number of formal mechanisms by which issues of importance can be identified and prioritized: 1. The Program Work Team for fruit, which brings faculty, educators and industry together; 2. Advisory team meetings for the fruit teams (Lake Ontario Fruit Team and Eastern NW Commercial Horticulture Team); 3. Annual meeting of the NY Apple Research and Development Program; 4. Annual Fruit Schools and Cornell storage workshops, held regionally or at Ithaca. In addition, informal engagement takes place via phone calls and emails, and visits to storage facilities, sometimes as a result of a major storage problems.
Pre- and post-harvest treatment impacts on the apple fruit microbiome	Watkins, C. B.	Hatch	School of Integrative Plant Science	This is a multistate project that is focused on adapting or developing harvest, handling, and storage technologies for apples and other fruit across North America. Our priorities are to jointly seek preharvest and postharvest solutions to maximize fruit quality and control storage disorders of 'Gala' and 'Honeycrisp', as well as within NY, specific varieties such as 'Snapdragon' and 'RubyFrost'.
Improving forest flood prediction by integrating water uptake and interspecies competition into ecohydrologic simulation	Bauerle, T. L.	Hatch	School of Integrative Plant Science	Extreme precipitation has been increasing throughout NY. Forest tree species composition significantly determines riverine flooding. This research will enhance the representation of plant water use in modeling to improve the accuracy of flood prediction across NY, and will use this functionality to identify watersheds where flooding threatens water quality and commercial forestry sustainability.
Evaluating arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to improve growth and nutrition in grapevines	Vanden Heuvel, J. E.	Hatch	School of Integrative Plant Science	Replicated trials will be initiated in commercial vineyards in the Finger Lakes (FLX) and Long Island (LI) regions. Grower side-by-side comparisons of inoculation treatments will take place in Western NY (WNY), FLX, and LI; root-viewing boxes will be installed in the CCE Finger Lakes Vineyard Program Demo Vineyard. Growers will evaluate the impact of inoculations at field meetings in each region based on visual assessment as well as collected data; they will evaluate wines made from control and inoculated plots in the replicated trials. FLX growers will compare root systems in root-viewing boxes of inoculated vs. control vines at a field meeting. Results from replicated trials and grower comparisions will be shared each year in regional extension newsletters (LERGP newsletter, FL Grape Program Update, LI Fruit & Veg Update). Growers will learn about the project results through a presentation at the BEV NY meeting and through a summary article in the Appellation Cornell newsletter.
New York Agricultural Labor in Transition: Dairy	Stup, R.	Hatch	School of Integrative Plant Science	Results from this project will be used extensively toward the development of new and existing educational programs for farm managers and employees. - We will report annually about progress and emerging trends discovered in the project at industry meetings and events such as Becker Forum, Labor Roadshows, Northeast Dairy Management Conference, Empire State Producer's Expo, and other regional industry meetings. - We will publish interim findings each year of the project in trade publications, the Ag Workforce Journal, Dyson Extension Bulletins, and through CCE newsletters. - We will develop and deliver in-person and online professional development training and certificate programs for farm managers and supervisors. - We will host continuing education workshops for CCE educators and agribusiness representatives to train them on best human resource management practices identified in the research so that they can share with producers.
Developing Seed Propagated Downy Mildew Resistant Impatiens Plants	Bridgen, M. P.	Hatch	School of Integrative Plant Science	There are joint research and extension personnel who will be contributing to research and extension activities with this project. There are collaborating floriculture and greenhouse specialists, plant pathologists and entomologists from different sections in CALS and state cooperative extension programs at Cornell University who will be closely involved. In addition, we already have a New York advisory committee whose members are stakeholders who are involved with the NY floriculture and greenhouses industries. Members in CALS' Greenhouse PWT, Long Island Flower Growers' Association, and New York Flower Industries will participate in the evaluation of the results during educational programs, open houses, and tours of the research site. Workshops and educational programs with stakeholders will also be held to educate growers about this new technique.
Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Other Green Environments: Understanding Human and Community Benefits and Mechanisms	Tidball, K. G.	Multistate	Natural Resources	We will collaborate with cooperative extension associations in NYS and in other states to help us identify populations of veterans and currently serving service-members who enjoy or are interested in outdoor recreation therapeutic activities. Cooperative extension educators will assist in production and dissemination of surveys and of final analysis of this study. CCE Associations will also be instrumental in jointly planning and executing the focus group activities and the final research symposium. We will focus on associations with an established history of working with currently serving military populations or veteran populations.
Biological Control of Arthropod Pests and Weeds	Whitmore, M. C.	Multistate	Natural Resources	Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is an invasive pest that has killed untold millions of hemlocks in the eastern US. Hemlock is the third most common tree in NY and its loss would be disaster to our high quality paper industry and scenic resources. The long-term solution is implementation of biological control. We propose detailed biological studies of Silverfly HWA predators to evaluate their efficacy.
Tree species that promote soil recovery on post-agricultural land	Yavitt, J. B.	McIntire-Stennis	Natural Resources	Post-agricultural land is common in New York State. Efforts to restore natural forests and wetlands show many successes and some failures but much less is known about recovery of soil fertility, soil carbon levels, and good soil structure. We will examine which tree species promote soil recovery, and why. The research will aid restoration strategies to promote health of New York State's soils
Designing sustainable multistory cropping systems for maple sugarbushes	Smallidge, P. J.	McIntire-Stennis	Natural Resources	The agroforestry research plot will serve as both an experimental field site, and in the future will be a host location for talks and trainings. Field research will create knowledge that will result in real world improvements on maple farms. Research results will be reported through conferences, workshops, journal articles, printed materials, videos, and the Cornell Maple Program website. The Maple Program interacts with maple specialists in other states through board membership of the International Maple Syrup Institute, participation at North American Maple Syrup Council meetings, and informal meetings to discuss maple research plans and outcomes. The impact of Maple Program efforts is deep and broad with more than 4,362 annual seat hours of educational interaction with maple producers in the northeast. An estimated 80% of participants gain an increase in knowledge and are prepared to change their farming practices.
Breeding Alfalfa for Improved Seedling Vigor and Establishment	Moore, V.	Hatch	School of Integrative Plant Science	Diverse alfalfa germplasm will be adapted for NY production. Birdsfoot trefoil will be evaluated for compounds that control parasitic nematodes that reduce milk production. Cover crop varieties will be evaluated for regional adaptation. New varieties and populations of forage species will be evaluated for yield to determine resilience. Data will be available to extension educators and growers.
Building Useful Genetic Diversity into Commercially Relevant Field Corns	Smith, M. E.	Hatch	School of Integrative Plant Science	The PI has a research and extension appointment and runs an integrated program that links research and extension activities. On-farm evaluation of experimental varieties developed through this project provides opportunities for county-based extension educators to engage with this research and for farmer feedback on our experimental varieties. Our hybrid trial plots also can be part of field day programs. This project provides the scientific content for field day, in-service, winter meeting, and newsletter article presentations. In all cases, we seek information flow both from seed industry and farmer stakeholders (to inform research goals and activities) as well as to them (to share results).
Harnessing Chemical Ecology to Address Agricultural Pest and Pollinator Priorities	Casteel, C. L.	Multistate	School of Integrative Plant Science	This project involves coordinated research and extension activities aimed at increasing the sustainability of pest management in New York State. I will collaborate with CCE specialist Julie Kikkert and Elizabeth Buck, who have worked extensively with Snap and Dry beans. Their advice was used to design objectives and experiments, and will continue to be sought throughout the project. I will also collaborate with them to present results in grower meetings, get grower feedback, and meet additional extension agents and industry partners. Field experiments in Geneva or Aurora can serve as demonstration sites where farmers can learn about our project and see results firsthand. Research outcomes from this project will also be integrated into and broadly benefit extension programs across the US as outlined in the NE2001 Project summary (https://www.nimss.org/projects/view/mrp/outline/18700).
Improving Management of Diseases Impacting Long Island Vegetable Crops	McGrath, M. T.	Hatch	School of Integrative Plant Science	Enable NY growers to manage diseases better through research to 1) examine fungicide resistance and its management in the powdery mildew pathogen of squash and other cucurbits, 2) evaluate cultural and chemical controls for key diseases identified by growers, and 3) monitor occurrence of cucurbit downy mildew. Modern fungicides are prone to reduced efficacy from pathogens becoming resistant.
Landowners, Farmers and Community Impacts of Large Scale Solar Development	Kay, D. L.	Hatch	Global Development	We use a suite of approaches to investigate implications of large scale solar facilities for 3 communities and NYS. We consider landowner interests and choices regarding "large" solar. Landowner records & census data define the size & distribution of impacts among farms, owners & residents. A model assesses effects on jobs & the economy. Varied collaborators keep us "grounded".
Social, Economic and Environmental Causes and Consequences of Demographic Change in Rural America	Warner, M. E.	Multistate	Global Development	While we are not requesting extension funding, we will have outreach to local governments via their state and national local government associations. They will participate as collaborators in the research, helping with focus groups, surveys and to identify case studies. We will share our results with their members via webinars, conferences and publications.
Pesticides and the health of non-bee pollinators	Agrawal, A.	Hatch	Ecology & Evolutionary Biology	Healthy pollinators are essential for NY Agriculture and continued study is needed to understand when they are negatively impacted by pesticides. In addition to bees, hoverflies and butterflies are abundant visitors to crop flowers, including strawberries, and are thought improve yield. Research is needed to understand which pesticides pose the strongest risk to better manage pollinator abundance.
Soundscapes and farmscapes: using freshwater sounds to identify agricultural practices that sustain stream health	Flecker, A. S.	Hatch	Ecology & Evolutionary Biology	Our research will develop innovative tools for monitoring stream soundscapes as indicators of ecosystem health in agricultural land mosaics, to understand farming practices that concurrently promote agriculture and freshwater biodiversity. A public interactive kiosk will educate users on underwater sounds and eco-friendly agricultural practices that help maintain healthy aquatic populations.
Improve sustainable forest production with forest biomass monitoring using terrestrial LiDAR technology	Xu, X.	McIntire-Stennis	Ecology & Evolutionary Biology	This project is a unique opportunity to blend the latest technology of basic forest science with outreach corresponding to the high priority needs of forest managers, maple producers, and practitioners. The integration of research and extension objectives is designed to leverage this interface to provide for immediate and future impacts. This project will develop fundamental knowledge related to the allocation and dynamics of tree aboveground volumes by lidar, and how those data may predict tree response to forest management treatments or their utilization. Key informant teams of maple producers, maple specialists, and foresters will work with the research team to identify research outputs and future questions, refine the output to usable products, and react to the development of practical tools and applications. Extension outputs include non-technical reports, fact sheets, webinars, field tours, and decision support tools.
Harnessing Chemical Ecology to Address Agricultural Pest and Pollinator Priorities	Kessler, A.	Multistate	Ecology & Evolutionary Biology	This study will test the suitability of functional intercropping with legumes as a sustainable, organic pest-control method for corn production in NYS. Field and laboratory experiments will identify optimal intercropping species and elucidate the mechanisms that link intercropping to enhanced control of mycotoxin-producing fungi as well as insect pests in corn used for silage and grain production.
Agrochemical Impacts On Human And Environmental Health: Mechanisms And Mitigation	Hay, A. G.	Multistate	Microbiology	Stenotrophomonas bacteria are well-known pesticide degraders and antibiotic resistant human pathogens. We know little, however, about the connection between pesticide exposure and antibiotic resistance in soil isolates of this genus. We will quantify the effect of pesticide exposure on Stenotrophomonas abundance in diverse soils and characterize the antimicrobial resistance of individual isolates.
Remember COVID-19: Meaning making of negative experiences to facilitate psychological well-being	Wang, Q.	Hatch	Human Development	Two intervention studies, one with adult and adolescent participants and one with mothers and young children, will be conducted based on the findings of earlier studies in the project. These interventions aim at helping individuals, youth, children, and families make meaning from their negative experiences, including the loss of loved ones, during the pandemic and adopt generative viewpoints that buffer against the negative impact of the pandemic and facilitate long-term well-being. In addition, the cost-efficient, self-help interventions will be useful given the current shortage of mental health professionals in NYS, especially in rural areas. Furthermore, we will hold workshops for relevant stakeholders in NYS, present findings at professional conferences, and send newsletters to interested participants and parents. We will further improve audience and general public access to our results through our website and publications.
Evidence-based parenting education: A common factors approach to Cornell curricula	Tiffany, J. S.	Hatch	Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research	This research project engages extension professionals from rural, urban and suburban communities as collaborators, bringing their experience with implementing parenting education programs to bear in the review, interpretation, dissemination and use of the knowledge generated. The team of collaborators will serve as consultants to assess and fine-tune the systematic review of Cornell parenting education curricula and the identification of core common factors that result in positive outcomes for participants. Collaborators hold critical roles in program implementation and have key insights into participant groups (for example, Spanish-speaking families in the dairy industry) who are not yet engaged by parenting education programs that would contribute to the optimal development of their children and family, as well as their community's health and well-being. This research emerges from and provides critical knowledge for the further development of Cornell's parenting education curricula.
New York SNAP-Express: Online grocery shopping program to maximize food access and diet quality in low income families	Figueroa Bautista, R.	Hatch	Nutritional Sciences	For the next three years, the proposed project will incorporate a combination of extension and research activities in order to successfully implement and evaluate NY SNAP-Express. As a brand-new program available only in select states (including New York), conducting joint activities early in the implementation process would help build an evidence base that informs future research on SNAP™s efforts to alleviate food insecurity and promote healthy eating, as well as inform extension outreach efforts to help eligible families make nutritious food choices on a budget through SNAP-Ed NY programming. Project personnel and a sub-set of current NY SNAP-Express implementers and participants will be invited to serve as a community advisory board (CAB) to the project. The role of the CAB is to actively engage key stakeholders in discussions related to promoting food access and healthy eating through SNAP-Express participation in New York State.
Elevated plasma erythritol: a biomarker linking dietary intake to onset of chronic metabolic disease	Field, M. S.	Hatch	Nutritional Sciences	Identifying biomarkers that report on unhealthy response to dietary intake is essential for classifying individuals at risk of developing diet-related chronic disease. Elevated plasma erythritol has been identified as a predictive biomarker of obesity and type 2 diabetes onset. This work will define the relationships among dietary intake, elevated erythritol, and metabolic disease.
Measuring inflammation in cattle: building a comprehensive, innovative and accessible diagnostic panel	Mann, S.	Hatch	Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences	This diagnostic platform is developed following stakeholder input regarding our lack of an appropriate and accessible tool to measure bovine inflammation objectively. Our activities are of interest to dairy producers, extension personnel, veterinarians, and allied professionals due to our improved understanding of the negative effects of inflammation on productivity, sustainable production practices, and prudent antimicrobial use. There is a critical need to measure inflammation on the individual and herd-level to evaluate management interventions or plan treatment protocols. We work closely with extension personnel through participation in extension meetings, webinars, and workshops. Regional meetings such as the Cornell Nutrition Conference and the Northeast Dairy Production Medicine Symposium allow for timely transfer of our information in NY State and through producer focused magazines with applied research and extension scope (HoardÂ´s Dairyman, Progressive Dairy, Pro-Dairy.
Daily measurement of milk components and somatic cells â€“ can we diagnose mastitis in dairy cows before it happens?	McArt, J. A.	Hatch	Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences	All team members have experience translating knowledge from applied dairy research to producers, nutritionists, and veterinarians through extension events within New York, at a national level, and internationally. We plan to continue this knowledge transfer from applied research to those who make changes on dairy farms. This includes discussions with New York dairy producers through PRO-DAIRY, routine veterinary service through the Cornell Ambulatory and Production Medicine Clinic, and consulting provided by Cornell's Quality Milk Production Services; presentation of results at statewide, nationally, and internationally attended conferences (e.g., Northeast Dairy Production Medicine Symposium, Cornell Nutrition Conference, American Association of Bovine Practitioners, American Dairy Science Association); and publication in peer-reviewed journals (e.g., the Journal of Dairy Science) and national dairy magazines (e.g., The Manager, Hoard's Dairyman).
Impact of antibiotic use restrictions on antibiotic resistance in Salmonella Dublin	Cazer, C. L.	Hatch	Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences	Salmonella Dublin causes pneumonia and death in dairy calves. It also causes foodborne infections that are commonly resistant to multiple antibiotics with high rates of hospitalization and death. We will investigate the relationship between dairy farm antibiotic use policies and antibiotic resistant S. Dublin to provide guidance on best antibiotic use practices for animal health and public health.
Impacts of Stress Factors on Performance, Health, and Well-Being of Farm Animals	Mann, S.	Multistate	Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences	The proposed work in this Multi-State research program consists of a close interaction between applied research and extension programs. We will develop immune assays and utilize these to study the immunology of the dairy cow throughout lactation and particularly in late gestation. The late gestation period (typically the dry period) is a very important period for the dairy cow but probably the least understood in terms of physiology. This period is at the same time an important recuperation and recharge period before the next or upcoming lactation but also a high risk period for new infections of the mammary gland. We expect that our research will provide us with a better understanding of the immunological characteristics of the late gestation period (dry period). These finding will be of importance to develop science based extension programs where we communicate our findings to dairy producers and translate our results into dry period best management programs.
Benchmarking antimicrobial use in New York State dairy cattle	Ivanek Miojevic, R.	Hatch	Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences	This project aims to develop a framework for benchmarking of antimicrobial use in dairy cattle in New York State. Data on indication for antimicrobial use will be collected per animal, as will dose and estimated animal weight, to quantify antimicrobial use based on several internationally established benchmarks. This will benefit dairy farmers and the US national antimicrobial monitoring system.