Cornell CALS' response to COVID-19 

CALS is closely monitoring developments related to COVID-19 and following steps the university is taking to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our community. As part of this action, the majority of CALS offices are currently on remote work plans. Review all college communications and available resources for students, faculty and staff.

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Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture

Go here for resources on COVID-19 for Food, Beverage, and Agriculture Businesses.

A dynamic hub for innovation and collaboration, the Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech leverages the unparalleled research and expertise of Cornell University to accelerate growth and position New York State as a global leader in food and agricultural advancement by:

  • Pushing entrepreneurs and startups to launch their businesses in New York and commercialize products and services
  • Pulling companies into the state by connecting them with innovation resources and economic development partners
  • Growing existing food, beverage and agriculture-related companies from across New York State through business mentoring, technical assistance, research, business-to-business partnerships, supply chains and the myriad resources they need to succeed and thrive

Meet Cathy Young, our director

The director of the Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech, shares her ambitious vision for the center and believes the climate is ripe for food and agriculture entrepreneurs in New York state. The center accelerates business development by connecting startups and existing businesses with the institutional resources and expertise at Cornell to cultivate innovation, economic growth and robust job creation in New York’s food and farming sector.

Two people show a new product, cured sumac.
Two women and a man looking at plants in a warehouse.
Overhead view of the AgriTech Pilot Plant
Stony Brook food packaging
Person analyzing specimen under blacklight.
Person pouring beer from a tap.
Play Cornell Craft Beverage Institute
Play Industrial hemp research at Cornell University

The Center of Excellence works with a number of growing New York state companies such as Assured Edge Solutions (shown in photo).

With its state of the art technologies, the Cornell Food Venture Center Pilot Plant is a valuable asset to the food entrepreneurs working with the Center of Excellence.

Stony Brook Pepitas

Wang Zhen, a visiting scientist in the lab of Alan Taylor, professor of horticulture, uses fluorescent tracer compounds to better understand seed coat permeability.

Beer from a tap at the Cornell Craft Beverage Analytical Lab.

The Cornell Craft Beverage Institute plays a central role in the craft beverage industry's development by providing resources, education and services.

Hemp is a promising revitalizing crop. The Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture is supporting Cornell University as one of the nation's leaders in purpose-driven industrial hemp research.

Success stories

Learn how the Center of Excellence has supported and empowered businesses to grow and thrive: 

Close-up of several different kinds of mushrooms
Button, Coral Maitake and Blue Oyster mushrooms, left to right, are pictured at the Leep Foods facility in Rochester, New York. Photo provided.

75+

Companies Engaged

The Center of Excellence made great strides in 2019 in supporting startups and companies to launch and grow their businesses. A total of 75 companies were assisted.

$25

Million

Raised by companies working with the Center of Excellence in 2019.

97

Jobs

The Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture led to the creation of 97 New York state jobs in 2019.

Our Experts

A headshot of a woman
Molly Israel

Marketing Strategist

School of Integrative Plant Science

Molly Israel
  • mmi24 [at] cornell.edu
A woman stands in a hallway
Catharine Young

Director, Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture

Cornell AgriTech

Food Science

Catharine Young
A man smiles in a light filled hallway
Ed Maguire

Business Development Specialist, Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture

Cornell AgriTech

Ed Maguire
  • ejm328 [at] cornell.edu
A woman stands facing right in a light filled hallway.
Carrie Carmenatty

Marketing and Development Specialist; NYS Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture

Cornell AgriTech

Food Science

Carrie Carmenatty
A woman stands in a light filled hallway.
Kailey Maloy

Administrative Assistant III

Cornell AgriTech

Kailey Maloy
A headshot of a smiling man in front of green trees
Bruno Xavier

Senior Extension Associate

Cornell AgriTech

Food Science

Bruno Xavier

News & events

A man standing in a green house examining plants

News

Genetics, not field conditions, makes hemp ‘go hot’
Contrary to popular belief, new research shows that a hemp plant’s propensity to become too high in THC is determined by genetics and not as a stress response to growing conditions.
  • Center of Excellence in Food and Agriculture
  • Cornell AgriTech
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
Chocolate covered chickpeas crushed up on a white table

News

Chickpea snack startup aims to disrupt junk food industry
Antithesis was recently awarded a $225,000 Small Business Innovation Research Phase I award from the National Science Foundation to explore additional ways to make its nutrient-dense chickpea dough part of the processed foods industry. The...
  • Center of Excellence in Food and Agriculture
  • Cornell AgriTech
  • Food Science

News

Grow-NY Summit to feature food, ag innovations

The two-day event includes live pitches from food and agriculture startups competing for $3 million in prizes, a symposium, an exhibition of regional food and ag ecosystem leaders and an awards gala. A partnership between Empire State...

  • Center of Excellence in Food and Agriculture
  • Cornell AgriTech
  • Cornell Initiative for Digital Agriculture

The Application Period for Round 2 of the Grow-NY Competition is Open

A woman speaks to a crowd in front of a Grow-NY sign.

Resources and partners

The Center of Excellence maintains partnerships with a wealth of programs and resources primed to support food and agriculture companies grow and thrive. Contact our team to get connected to valuable resources like these:

  • Incubators and accelerators
  • Training and education partners
  • Testing and validation services
  • Trade association support
  • Business-to-business (B2B) relationships
  • Supply chain assets [feedstock and packaging suppliers, processors and manufacturers, production facilities, co-packers, warehousing, distribution, retail and marketplace]
  • State, federal and local economic development incentive programs
  • Capital resources
  • Marketing resources