Cornell Food Connections - Onondaga County

Are you an aspiring or early-stage food and beverage entrepreneur looking to grow your business and bring new products to market? Cornell Food Connections, a partnership among Cornell AgriTech, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Taste NY and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, is a series of workshops that will equip food producers with the expertise they need to develop products for retail and institutional sale. 

Food scientists Bruno Xavier, Ph.D ‘08, Associate Director of the Cornell Food Venture Center, and Cynthia James, M.S., Extension Support Specialist with the Institute for Food Safety @ Cornell University and Cornell Food Venture Center, will lead the workshops. 

This program is designed to train food entrepreneurs and producers, as well as current food educators, such as Cornell Cooperative Extension staff and other food development partners. Please note that registrants must live and/or be growing or producing in New York state to be eligible to participate in the workshop. 

The $25 program fee includes lunch and all the supplies needed for the workshop. 

Cornell Food Connection 2026 Workshop Dates:

June 3 - Erie County

June 8 - Monroe County/Rochester

July 22 - Jefferson County/Watertown

Aug. 3 - Broome County/Binghamton

Sept. 11 - Onondaga County/Syracuse

Sept. 14-15 - New York City (Two-day workshop)

Oct. 21 - Rensselaer County/Troy