At NYFVI, we think it is critically important to fund the projects that will most help farmers succeed. Those projects might focus on solving an existing problem, or demonstrate how a new opportunity may benefit farmers.
To make sure we understand the challenges and opportunities that farmers are facing, we work with extension educators and agriculture organizations to conduct periodic discussions and surveys to establish research priorities in specific ag sectors.
Below are links to information gathered by NYFVI and collaborating organizations.
Many others also work with farmers to assess their needs. We encourage you to seek out information from other organizations as well.
Additionally, this 2021 NYFVI blog post offers more information about the challenges NY farmers face.
Other Resources
- We are intrigued by the ADOPT model to predict if farmers will adopt a practice that was developed in Australia. Read more here.
- The Food Marketing Institute, FMI has a great research section about consumer food trends..
- National Agricultural Statistics Service.
- The Program on Applied Demographics (PAD) at Cornell brings skills in demographics, economics, statistics, data gathering and data analysis together to provide a variety of organizations with data, information and advice. The website offers great information down to the county level.
- The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State has a number of great tools. The U.S. Market Estimator allows users to estimate demand based on average consumption numbers for 200 different crops at the county level.
Applicants for grant funding are encouraged to consult these resources and develop proposals that address issues identified as high priority by producers. If you are a farmer or educator and have ideas for projects you would like to see done, please share them with us!