New fund to help New York vegetable growers

There’s a new player at the table when it comes to supporting agricultural research in New York – and organizers are hoping their ante will encourage regional vegetable producers to place their bets on the industry’s future.

 

Dubbed the “Agriculture Research Fund” by the group of processing vegetable growers from Western New York who launched the endowment in 2014, the fund is designed as the beginning of an ongoing industry effort. Seeded with more than $100,000 from its initial contributors, organizers say the goal is to support critically needed research in breeding, growing and protecting vegetables across New York state.

 

“We’re hoping this fund will grow significantly, with additional support from the industry,” said Tom Facer, president of Oakfield-based Farm Fresh First and a former Birds Eye Foods executive.

 

Farm Fresh First includes growers and managers who work from Canada to the U.S. Midwest and Southeast. Facer said vegetable growers and processors throughout New York anticipate increasing demand as consumers choose healthy and locally grown food. He said the industry also faces an “ever-changing” set of challenges – from new weeds and diseases to steadily increasing insect pressures. Facer said the Agriculture Research Fund’s supporters firmly believe ongoing basic and applied agricultural research must be continued and expanded for growers to stay ahead of these challenges, stay in operation and continue to deliver top-quality produce to consumers.

 

To read the full story, visit the Cornell Chronicle's website.