The Farm of the Future Is Now

The Cornell Agricultural Systems Testbed and Demonstration Site (CAST) for the Farm of the Future advances data-driven solutions for climate-smart agriculture. Working with farm and industry partners, we are developing an ecosystem of networked technologies and techniques to meet the needs of 21st-century farms.

CAST includes three real-world, commercial-scale farms that together form an advanced hub for research, extension and education. We focus on field crops and dairy production as models for the US agricultural economy. Among the largest agricultural sectors, they also offer some of the greatest challenges and opportunities for technology implementation, improving efficiencies and mitigating climate change.

Learn about CAST

CAST gives multidisciplinary research teams a place to come together to share ideas and try out new technologies and management practices. Watch and learn how.

Our Mission

We aim to accelerate climate-smart agricultural transformation with data-driven technologies and management practices through innovation, collaboration and education.

two men stand in a dairy barn looking at cow sensor data

Our research demonstrates the value of integrating existing and emerging data-driven technologies and practices under commercial-farm-like conditions.

a woman talks to people on a farm

Through engagement with farmers, industry professionals and other stakeholders, we are actively involved in knowledge transfer, education and training.

a student looks through microscope in classroom

Our educational efforts focus on experiential learning—creating, touching, doing, interacting, evaluating and reflecting, with CAST as a living classroom.

Technology Highlight

News

a man stands in a cow barn wearing a methane sensor backpack

News

Dairy Environmental Systems: So much more than manure
When you think about the science of dairy farming, you may think about cow genetics or feed formulation, but what about environmental stewardship? This includes things like manure management, cow comfort, and greenhouse gas reduction—all aspects...
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Ruminant Center
  • Animal Science
a woman looks at a tag in a cow's ear

News

Farming can be hard and risky, but technology has the potential to change that. With the help of data generated by devices such as wearable livestock sensors, drones and video cameras, farms can become more efficient and productive, said Dr...
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Animal Science
  • Digital Agriculture
Woman smiling in front of a tree.

Field Note

Graduate student Issa Diaz ‘28 grew up in San Luis, Comayagua, Honduras. She has always been passionate about helping farmers streamline their practices and dreamed of coming to Cornell University. Now that she has joined the Nutrient Management...
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Animal Science
  • Agriculture
a man positions a piece of tech in a corn field

News

Data collection for agricultural field research can be cumbersome and tedious. Researchers commonly use multiple sensors to gather data from plants, soil and air—all at the same time. The result can be an armload of technology that needs to be...
  • Animal Science
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Soil and Crop Sciences Section
headshot of miel hostens

News

Farmers today need to be able to access and use data if they want to carry out efficient, climate-smart agriculture. But the road to data-driven farming is not an easy one, according to Dr. Miel Hostens, Robert and Anne Everett associate...
  • Animal Science
  • Statistics and Data Science
  • Digital Agriculture

CAST for the Farm of the Future research is supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant no. 2023-77038-38865 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.