Rolling corn field and barn in the distance.

A Call for Innovation: New York’s Agrifood System

Opportunities in New York's agrifood ecosystem

New York state is poised to lead the country in agrifood innovation and the time is ripe for new agtech solutions and leading-edge food and beverage applications to take root and grow within the state’s booming food and ag economy. The Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech and the Grow-NY program at Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement collaborated to research and publish, “A Call for Agrifood Innovation in New York State,” the state’s first-ever report on innovation opportunities in its agrifood ecosystem.

 

About the report:

With a track record of attracting and bolstering agrifood innovation, The Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech and the Grow-NY program at Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement were uniquely positioned to interview hundreds of farmers, manufacturers, retailers, researchers and other stakeholders across the state. You can find some of the unfiltered interview responses in the report section entitled “What NY Farmers are Saying.” Additionally, an Advisory Committee of 16 leaders from across the food and ag sector volunteered their time to review the report and provide feedback on the research methodology and the resulting report.

What will you learn in the report?

The report summarizes the current state of New York’s agrifood ecosystem and offers evidence-based recommendations and guidance to aspiring inventors, innovators, and startup founders, as well as investors looking for investment opportunities in the agriculture, processing, and distribution space. The report dives into the trends that could enable New York farmers and food producers to continue to produce and sell excellent quality food, while reducing costs and environmental impacts, and responding to changes in land and labor availability.

Areas identified for innovation include:

  • Farm robotics and automation
  • Supporting local supply chains
  • Direct marketing platforms
  • Novel crop protection
  • Biomaterials: innovative applications for hemp
  • New product development
  • Tackling climate changes
  • Investing in diverse, young farmers
  • Supporting rural economies

Innovators inspired by the report are encouraged to learn more about and apply to the Grow-NY food and agriculture business competition.