The Cornell Climate Smart Farming program is a voluntary initiative that helps farmers in New York and the Northeastern US to:
- Increase agricultural productivity and farming incomes sustainably
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural production through adoption of best management practices, increased energy efficiency, use of renewable energy, and increased carbon sequestration
- Increase farm resiliency to extreme weather and climate variability through the adoption of best management practices for climate change adaptation
Our program follows the three pillars of Climate-Smart Agriculture, as defined by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and the USDA’s new Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Initiative.
Research and Extension Specialists can help farmers to:
- Identify on-farm vulnerabilities to extreme weather and variability; inventory energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the farm; set goals and plan for adaptation, mitigation, and increased carbon sequestration
- Increase on-farm adaptation through best management practices, including cropping systems, IPM, land-use planning, and water resource management
- Upgrade infrastructure, such as cooling, irrigation, drainage, and waste management systems for increased resiliency
- Increase farm energy efficiency and install renewable energy systems on the farm, which can contribute to cost savings
- Adopt best management practices to reduce GHG emissions and sequester carbon through Cornell-recommended practices (e.g. soil health, cover crops, low-till practices)
- Improve on-farm recycling, solid waste disposal, and nutrient management practices
- Utilize new climate-smart agricultural decision support tools with Cornell University
- Support local food and climate-smart initiatives in the surrounding community
- Inform and inspire other farmers to be leaders and innovators through peer-to-peer information exchange and recognition
For more information, contact the CSF Team at:
climatesmartsolutions@gmail.com