Back

Discover CALS

See how our current work and research is bringing new thinking and new solutions to some of today's biggest challenges.

Share
  • Cornell AgriTech
  • School of Integrative Plant Science

Kaitlin is on a mission to make melon growing more sustainable. Growing a melon is not as simple as planting a seed and waiting for a sweet summer harvest. From tiny seedlings to the fruit on your picnic table, melons face nonstop pressure from insects, diseases and weeds.

Many growers rely on chemical sprays to protect their crops, but Kaitlin focuses on the farmers who choose a different path. Her research supports sustainable and certified organic melon growers who want effective tools without synthetic chemicals. Instead of reacting to problems after they appear, Kaitlin studies smart, preventative strategies that help farmers stay ahead of pests and diseases while keeping their production systems healthy.

Her work is helping growers protect their crops, strengthen their farms and bring delicious melons to your table in a more sustainable way.

 

Keep Exploring

cows in a dairy barn

Report

The May 2026 Dairy Market Watch provides an overview of dairy market trends affecting producers in the Northeast Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO #1). Component production remained historically strong, with average butterfat and protein tests...
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Animal Science
a broccoli plant

News

Expanding broccoli production on the East Coast and outside of California can help stabilize fresh produce supply chains that are vulnerable to water shortages.

  • Cornell AgriTech
  • Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
  • Horticulture