2022 FVI Projects Announced!

New York Farm Viability Institute funds 12 projects selected by farmers across the state
Research projects will create and share knowledge to bring new crops, new technologies and improved environmental practices to New York’s farms

The New York Farm Viability Institute’s board of directors is pleased to announce the 12 projects that were selected for funding in the organization’s competitive grant program. The NYFVI board made the funding decision with input from producers from across New York state. A common attribute of all the work is its focus on creating and sharing knowledge that will help farmers adapt their practices and make informed decisions about technology investments. This year’s projects cover a wide range of topics including chickpea and lupini production, soil science, dairy cattle health, and more.

NYFVI board chair Dave Ryan said, “The work selected for funding highlights how New York’s farmers are constantly seeking improved solutions to pressing challenges or new opportunities for their business.  From automation in dairy health monitoring to evaluating the economics of chickpea varieties, this year’s projects will continue to build the knowledge that farmers need to succeed.”

“NYFVI is deeply appreciative of the support received from Governor Hochul and Agricultural Committee Chairs Senator Hinchey and Assemblymember Lupardo. They clearly see the value of connecting farmers’ insights to the State’s research investments,” said NYFVI Executive Director Dave Grusenmeyer.

FVI 22 Projects. Descriptions of these projects can be found in this publication.

ProjectRecipientAward
Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization in Nutritionally Enhanced Male Sterile BMR Sorghum for Dairy and Grass Fed Beef.Thomas Kilcer, Advanced Ag Systems LLC$124,805
Best practices of growing cover crops for weed suppression and improving soil health in cut flower productionJingjing Yin, Cornell Cooperative Extension Albany County$49,023
Lower-canopy crop sensing for nitrogen deficiencies using robotic platformsHarold Van Es, Cornell University,
CALS, School of Integrated Plant Science, Soil and Crop Science Section
$121,883
Enhance western bean cutworm trapping methods for accurate monitoring and management in major New York dry bean production areasMargie Lund, Cornell University,
CALS Cooperative Extension,
Vegetable Program
$46,424
Harnessing the power of automated dairy cow health monitoring systems: on-farm testing and training of cow health-care techniciansJulio Giordano, Cornell University,
CALS, Animal Science
$125,000
An On-line Approach to Teaching On-farm Mastitis Culture Techniques and Creation of a Practical Assessment Tool for Complicated Procedures on DairiesDaryl Nydam Cornell University,
College of Veterinary Medicine
$123,460
Comparison of Soil Compaction in Consistently High- and Low-Yielding Areas Within Commercial NYS Farm FieldsKitty O’Neil, Cornell University, CALS Cooperative Extension, North Country Regional Agriculture Team$74,845
Dairy Cattle Intravaginal Probiotic to Reduce Post Calving Problems and Improve Cow Health Over the Transition PeriodLouis Hui, Healthy Cow$122,500
Advanced UV-C LED Technology to Reduce Fungicide/Pesticide Use on New York FarmsMark Rea, Icahn School of Medicine
at Mount Sinai
$123,558
Evaluating Environmental and Economic Benefits of Nitrogen Conservation through the N2 Applied TechnologyMark Stoermann, Newtrient$51,520
Creating a Profitable and Verifiable Farm-to-Market System for Enhanced Hemp/Wool ProductsDaniel Walczyk, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute$99,828
Providing New York Farmers with a diversified revenue stream through additional Chickpea and Lupini trials to determine optimum growing conditions and yields.Judy McKinney Cherry, SCOPED, INC.$92,870

The New York Farm Viability Institute is a nonprofit grantmaking organization. The organization runs a competitive grant program that seeks to fund agricultural research and education projects that will create and share knowledge to improve the economic viability of New York’s farmers.  If you are a New York farmer and would like to get involved in our review process, please reach out to Aileen Randolph at arandolph@nyfvi.org.