Celebrating 25 years of sound science & supporting New York farmers

"Cornell’s Nutrient Management Spear Program team is a key component in New York State dairy’s plan for long-term success. The NMSP team is innovative, forward-thinking and geared towards sharing scientifically based information. It is one of the most tuned-in organizations I am aware of that helps farms be both profitable and responsible. 

The Spear team is just as often found on farms as they are on campus because they understand the important bond between farmers and applied researchers. They welcome and encourage input and have regularly helped our farm team find research-based factual answers to pressing questions regarding cropping and nutrient management. They are our partners in success, and we are grateful to work with such upbeat, friendly, driven collaborators."

"Thank you and congratulations to the Cornell Nutrient Management Spear Program for 25 years of partnerships with farmers, planners, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, NYS agencies, USDA-NRCS, Cooperative Extension, researchers, students, and others for feasible and impactful advancements in whole-farm nutrient management. The Spear Program’s team approach of applied on-farm research, guidelines, training, mentoring and communication serves as a model for others in the field and has been fundamental to Agricultural Environmental Management in New York State. Here’s to continued progress in farm productivity, viability, and environmental stewardship for the next 25 years."

"The work of Quirine Ketterings and the Nutrient Management Spear Program team has been of tremendous value to the dairy industry over the years. Serving on the DEC CAFO work group time and again, we were able to get a permit that worked for farmers and protected the waters of the state; without the research to back farmers up from NMSP, we would have had a much different permit. The increase in yield potential for different soil types, the ongoing research on the value of manure, the ability to use yield monitors to justify nutrient applications– the list goes on. I have been privileged to have contributed as a collaborator, and I have learned much of value to our dairy farm."

"Innovative and fact-filled science is at the heart of Cornell CALS land-grant mission. The generational partnerships that exist through 25 year+ programs like Nutrient Management Spear, led so well by Dr. Ketterings, reflect the embedded nature of the land-grant stewardship ethos between CALS, family farmers, and New York State.  Trust in science is critically important to achieve our inextricably linked shared value of economic and environmental sustainability.  The Spear program's critical work to promote on-farm research actively partners with farmers to co-create a feedback loop that builds trust, enhances communication, and continues the generational partnerships of the land-grant mission to better serve NY's family farmers."

"I met Dr. Quirine Ketterings before she accepted her position at Cornell University. She has consistently maintained a track record of producing strong science and a deep commitment to seeing the results used in the real world, and has continued to uphold this more than 2 decades later as leader of the Nutrient Management Spear Program. I have collaborated with NMSP on dozens of projects, papers and extension programs and materials. It has been a great honor and privilege to work with the Nutrient Management Spear Program."