A Trusted Resource for Farmers
The NE Climate Smart Farming (CSF) Network provides farmers in New York and the Northeast with access to some of the top Extension specialists and ag advisors who have been trained to help producers manage the risks posed by the changing climate, and develop plans for their farms. Working in partnership with climate scientists and agriculture researchers at Cornell University and other Land Grant Universities in the NE, the network draws on the latest science to answer producers’ questions about farming and management practices that can reduce risks and help them adapt to changing climate conditions. In New York, our work is guided by the Cornell Climate Change and Agriculture Program Work Team. The tools and resources are driven by the climate science and data from the Northeast Regional Climate Center.
New York: Ag Climate Resiliency Specialists
Dr. Kitty O’Neil works to improve the yield and production efficiency of field crops and forages – a goal that requires smart crop management and a keen understanding of climate-related risks and long-term soil health. A field crops and soils specialist, she leads the North New York field crops team, which designs crop and soil management programs to serve the region’s farms. Kitty’s research has included cropping systems and the effects of soil amendments and cover crops on soil health on potato farms. She earned a B.S. in animal science from Cornell University, an M.S. in animal nutrition and plant biochemistry, and a Ph.D. in sustainable plant and soil cropping systems, both from Michigan State University. Kitty worked on the Dairy Climate Adaptation Fellowship Program, training dairy farmers and advisors about climate resiliency. She Co-Chairs the Cornell Extension Climate Change and Agriculture Program Work Team.
Email: kitty.oneil@cornell.edu | Phone: (315) 379-9192
Savanna Shelnutt is an Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Harvest New York Team. She works with producers and fellow extension personnel to combat and adapt to climate change in the Hudson Valley. She is based in Hudson, New York and serves the ten counties between Albany and New York City. Prior to joining Cornell Cooperative Extension, Savanna worked with hemp producers in New York State to determine best production practices and create production budgets. She has also participated in research related to the soil microbiome’s role in greenhouse gas exchange. Savanna is originally from North Texas and received her B.S. in Plant and Environmental Soil Sciences from Texas A&M University and her M.S. in Horticulture from Cornell University. Savanna has been working with Allison Chatrchyan to co-lead the Urban Climate Adaptation Program (CAMP). She Co-Chairs the Cornell Extension Climate Change and Agriculture Program Work Team (PWT).
Email: ss2655@cornell.edu | Phone: (518) 651-9617
New York: Ag & Climate Resiliency Extension
Agricultural Stewardship Specialist, Suffolk County – Emily Lindback works to minimize nitrogen and pesticide loading from agricultural lands to ground and surface waters of Suffolk County while maintaining a strong, viable agricultural industry. Emily works across commodities, researching and promoting soil health, IPM, and monitoring nitrate and pesticide loading. Emily has a M.S. in Forest Ecology and Management from Michigan Technological University where her work primarily focused on plant physiology. She also has a B.A. in Environmental Science from Franklin & Marshall College. Emily Co-Chairs the Cornell Extension Climate Change and Agriculture Program Work Team (PWT).
Email: el684@cornell.edu | Phone: (631) 740-0268
Field Crops, Central NY – Janice Degni is the Team Leader and Field Crops Specialist with the SCNY Dairy & Field Crops Team, based in Cortland, NY. Janice has agriculture in her blood having spent summers on her grandmother’s dairy farm as a child. As a worldwide traveler who has explored interests in international agriculture and is fluent in Spanish, she can provide communication assistance to farmers. Janice works with farmers to help them on crop production issues, integrated crop management, environmental stewardship, soil health, and forage quality. Janice holds an M.P.S. in plant protection and a B.S. in agronomy, both from Cornell University. She worked on the Dairy Climate Adaptation Fellowship Program, training dairy farmers and advisors about climate resiliency.
Email: jgd3@cornell.edu | Phone: (607) 391-2660 Ext. 414
Field Crops, Central NY – Dr. Erik Smith works as a Field Crops Specialist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Central New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Team. Erik has 15 years of experience conducting agricultural research and educational outreach as a graduate student and Extension professional. As a Finger Lakes native with grain and forage crop experience gained on his family’s farm, he brings his knowledge to New York’s agricultural community to his work with farmers. Erik earned his B.A. from SUNY Oswego in Biology and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Entomology from Cornell University.
Email: eas56@cornell.edu | Phone: (315) 219-7786
Dairy Management, Northern NY – Lindsay Ferlito is a specialist with the PRO-DAIRY Program at Cornell University. In this role, she works with dairy farmers in Northern NY to help them optimize management and production. She focuses on cow comfort and animal welfare, ventilation and facility design, and climate adaptation and mitigation on farms. Lindsay was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and received her B.S. in Animal Biology and her M.S. in Animal Science, specifically dairy cattle welfare and behavior from the University of British Columbia. Lindsay worked on the Dairy Climate Adaptation Fellowship Program, training dairy farmers and advisors about climate resiliency.
Email: lc636@cornell.edu | Phone: (607) 592-0290
Fresh Market Vegetables, Western NY – Elizabeth Buck works as part of the Cornell Vegetable Program and offers diversified vegetable experience in the areas of nutritional management, disease control, variety evaluation, surveying, and scouting. She earned a B.S. in Plant Sciences and Agricultural Sciences from Cornell, and an M.S. from the University of Guelph, where she focused on integrated weed management practices in vegetable crops.
Email: emb273@cornell.edu | Phone: (585) 406-3419
Viticulture, Lake Erie Region – Jennifer Phillips Russo is the Team Leader and Viticulture Specialist with the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program, based in Portland, NY. Her work at LERGP brings local experience and research-based solutions together to provide projects aimed at increasing yields, product quality, diversity and improvement of cultivars, the efficiency of production, profitability, and adoption of environmentally sound cultural management strategies with an emphasis on soil and grapevine health, site selection, growth control, nutrition, and water management, and harvest management. She holds her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biology from The State University of New York at Fredonia.
Email: jjr268@cornell.edu | Phone: (716) 792-2800 ext 204
Urban Agriculture & Resiliency, NYC – Yolanda Gonzalez is an Urban Agriculture Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension. She holds a dual degree in Master of Science in Environmental and Community Land Planning from SUNY ESF and Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, as well as a BA in Environmental Studies and Spanish Literature from SUNY Geneseo. Yolanda’s most recent experience as an Excelsior Fellow at the NYS Office of General Services in the Organizational and Workforce Development Unit has given her process improvement skills that will help urban growers maximize efficiency and profitability in limited spaces. Her background is mostly in small-scale production, working on a number of small farms in Maine, Pennsylvania, and Long Island. Yolanda has been working with Allison Chatrchyan to co-lead the Urban Climate Adaptation Program (CAMP).
Email: yg88@cornell.edu | Phone: (516)-305-0358
For other agriculture Extension advisors in different regions of New York, or with different expertise than listed above, reach out to the Statewide Ag Resiliency Specialists: Kitty O’Neil or Savanna Shelnutt.
New York: Cornell University Campus Leads
Dr. Art DeGaetano is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University and Director of the Northeast Regional Climate Center (NRCC). His research interests include applied climatology, which involves the development of methods and data sets that provide climatological information to decision-makers in a variety of fields; modeling climate influences on man-made and biological systems, documenting observed variations in the climate system; improving climate data quality; and assessing climate impacts. Art received an interdisciplinary Ph.D. focusing on Climatology and Horticulture from Rutgers University.
Email: atd2@cornell.edu
Dr. Allison Morrill Chatrchyan is the Director of Stakeholder Engagement for the NSF/NIFA-funded AI-LEAF Institute (AI for Land, Economy, Agriculture & Forestry), and a Research Associate with the School of Integrative Plant Sciences at Cornell University. An environmental social scientist, she facilitates interdisciplinary research and education teams and works to develop resources, tools, and training programs that integrate climate science, impacts, adaptation, and mitigation – and infusing Artificial Intelligence (AI) into tools. She received her BA from Colby College, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in international environmental politics from the University of Maryland. With Art DeGaetano, Allison developed the Cornell Climate Smart Farming Program in 2015. She currently works with the USDA Climate Hub leading the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Fellowship Programs with dairy and urban farmers. Email: amc256@cornell.edu
Candace Hulbert is the Program Manager for the NSF/NIFA-funded AI-LEAF Institute (AI for Land, Economy, Agriculture & Forestry), and the Cornell Climate Smart Farming program. Candace’s work with AI-LEAF centers around public engagement, stakeholder education, and extension related to Climate-Smart Agriculture, digital agriculture, and artificial intelligence in agriculture. Candace is leading efforts to conduct a Needs Assessment with Dr. Chatrchyan to collect the views, experiences, and challenges and opportunities faced by agricultural stakeholders in using AI-driven decision support tools and technology. Candace received her MPS in Natural Resources and the Environment from Cornell University in 2023 and her BA in English and Political Science from the University of Michigan in 2020. From January 2021 to August 2023, Candace coordinated the Weather Ready Farms program at the University of Nebraska Extension. Email: crh232@cornell.edu
Dr. Johannes Lehmann is the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science Soil and Crop Sciences Section and a professor in the Department of Global Development. Johannes focuses his research and teaching in soil biogeochemistry and soil fertility management. His specialization is in soil organic matter and nutrient studies of managed and natural ecosystems with a focus on soil carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling from wastes, biochar systems, circular economy, and sustainable agriculture in the tropics (especially Africa). His research stretches from ultra-fine scale microscopy to examine carbon stabilization in soils to global-scale carbon and nutrient cycles. Learn more about Johannes’ work on the Lehmann Lab website. Email: cl273@cornell.edu
Northeast: USDA NE Climate Hub
Erin D. Lane is the Director for the USDA Northeast Climate Hub. Her passion and the focus of her work lies in developing strategic teamwork and collaborations. She maintains strong relationships with federal, land grant and other partners, and leads projects and activities throughout the Hub. Erin changed her focus to climate ecology after an initial career based in fire ecology. She is also a co-founder, and coordinator, of the North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange serving the fire community to advance the use of relevant fire science to harmonize fire management goals by bring people together and addressing challenges. Erin’s current research interests include regional precipitation and drought trends, soil carbon and carbon cycles, and future projections for wildfire in the Northeast. Email: erin.d.lane@usda.gov
Kristin Benson is an ORISE Fellow with the USDA Forest Service and the USDA Northeast Climate Hub, where she works to support farmer and landowner economic and environmental sustainability in the Northeast. Kristin grew up in a dairy farming family in Gorham, Maine and became passionate about agricultural sustainability early on. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Southern Maine and her Master’s in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University. She has a background in curriculum development and agricultural sustainability and is supporting farmers as they transition to climate-smart practices. Kristin has been co-leading the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Programs with Cornell, working with dairy and urban farmers. Email: kristin.benson@usda.gov
For assistance from agriculture and climate Extension specialists in other states in the Northeast Region (including in CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NY, NJ, PA, RI, VT, or WV), contact the USDA Northeast Climate Hub.
Dr. Kitty O’Neil works to improve the yield and production efficiency of field crops and forages – a goal that requires smart crop management and a keen understanding of climate-related risks and long-term soil health. A field crops and soils specialist, she leads the North New York field crops team, which designs crop and soil management programs to serve the region’s farms. Kitty’s research has included cropping systems and the effects of soil amendments and cover crops on soil health on potato farms. She earned a B.S. in animal science from Cornell University, an M.S. in animal nutrition and plant biochemistry, and a Ph.D. in sustainable plant and soil cropping systems, both from Michigan State University. Kitty worked on the Dairy Climate Adaptation Fellowship Program, training dairy farmers and advisors about climate resiliency. She Co-Chairs the Cornell Extension Climate Change and Agriculture Program Work Team.
Email: kitty.oneil@cornell.edu | Phone: (315) 379-9192
Savanna Shelnutt is an Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Harvest New York Team. She works with producers and fellow extension personnel to combat and adapt to climate change in the Hudson Valley. She is based in Hudson, New York and serves the ten counties between Albany and New York City. Prior to joining Cornell Cooperative Extension, Savanna worked with hemp producers in New York State to determine best production practices and create production budgets. She has also participated in research related to the soil microbiome’s role in greenhouse gas exchange. Savanna is originally from North Texas and received her B.S. in Plant and Environmental Soil Sciences from Texas A&M University and her M.S. in Horticulture from Cornell University. Savanna has been working with Allison Chatrchyan to co-lead the Urban Climate Adaptation Program (CAMP). She Co-Chairs the Cornell Extension Climate Change and Agriculture Program Work Team (PWT).
Email: ss2655@cornell.edu | Phone: (518) 651-9617
New York: Ag & Climate Resiliency Extension
Agricultural Stewardship Specialist, Suffolk County – Emily Lindback works to minimize nitrogen and pesticide loading from agricultural lands to ground and surface waters of Suffolk County while maintaining a strong, viable agricultural industry. Emily works across commodities, researching and promoting soil health, IPM, and monitoring nitrate and pesticide loading. Emily has a M.S. in Forest Ecology and Management from Michigan Technological University where her work primarily focused on plant physiology. She also has a B.A. in Environmental Science from Franklin & Marshall College. Emily Co-Chairs the Cornell Extension Climate Change and Agriculture Program Work Team (PWT).
Email: el684@cornell.edu | Phone: (631) 740-0268
Field Crops, Central NY – Janice Degni is the Team Leader and Field Crops Specialist with the SCNY Dairy & Field Crops Team, based in Cortland, NY. Janice has agriculture in her blood having spent summers on her grandmother’s dairy farm as a child. As a worldwide traveler who has explored interests in international agriculture and is fluent in Spanish, she can provide communication assistance to farmers. Janice works with farmers to help them on crop production issues, integrated crop management, environmental stewardship, soil health, and forage quality. Janice holds an M.P.S. in plant protection and a B.S. in agronomy, both from Cornell University. She worked on the Dairy Climate Adaptation Fellowship Program, training dairy farmers and advisors about climate resiliency.
Email: jgd3@cornell.edu | Phone: (607) 391-2660 Ext. 414
Field Crops, Central NY – Dr. Erik Smith works as a Field Crops Specialist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Central New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Team. Erik has 15 years of experience conducting agricultural research and educational outreach as a graduate student and Extension professional. As a Finger Lakes native with grain and forage crop experience gained on his family’s farm, he brings his knowledge to New York’s agricultural community to his work with farmers. Erik earned his B.A. from SUNY Oswego in Biology and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Entomology from Cornell University.
Email: eas56@cornell.edu | Phone: (315) 219-7786
Dairy Management, Northern NY – Lindsay Ferlito is a specialist with the PRO-DAIRY Program at Cornell University. In this role, she works with dairy farmers in Northern NY to help them optimize management and production. She focuses on cow comfort and animal welfare, ventilation and facility design, and climate adaptation and mitigation on farms. Lindsay was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and received her B.S. in Animal Biology and her M.S. in Animal Science, specifically dairy cattle welfare and behavior from the University of British Columbia. Lindsay worked on the Dairy Climate Adaptation Fellowship Program, training dairy farmers and advisors about climate resiliency.
Email: lc636@cornell.edu | Phone: (607) 592-0290
Fresh Market Vegetables, Western NY – Elizabeth Buck works as part of the Cornell Vegetable Program and offers diversified vegetable experience in the areas of nutritional management, disease control, variety evaluation, surveying, and scouting. She earned a B.S. in Plant Sciences and Agricultural Sciences from Cornell, and an M.S. from the University of Guelph, where she focused on integrated weed management practices in vegetable crops.
Email: emb273@cornell.edu | Phone: (585) 406-3419
Viticulture, Lake Erie Region – Jennifer Phillips Russo is the Team Leader and Viticulture Specialist with the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program, based in Portland, NY. Her work at LERGP brings local experience and research-based solutions together to provide projects aimed at increasing yields, product quality, diversity and improvement of cultivars, the efficiency of production, profitability, and adoption of environmentally sound cultural management strategies with an emphasis on soil and grapevine health, site selection, growth control, nutrition, and water management, and harvest management. She holds her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biology from The State University of New York at Fredonia.
Email: jjr268@cornell.edu | Phone: (716) 792-2800 ext 204
Urban Agriculture & Resiliency, NYC – Yolanda Gonzalez is an Urban Agriculture Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension. She holds a dual degree in Master of Science in Environmental and Community Land Planning from SUNY ESF and Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, as well as a BA in Environmental Studies and Spanish Literature from SUNY Geneseo. Yolanda’s most recent experience as an Excelsior Fellow at the NYS Office of General Services in the Organizational and Workforce Development Unit has given her process improvement skills that will help urban growers maximize efficiency and profitability in limited spaces. Her background is mostly in small-scale production, working on a number of small farms in Maine, Pennsylvania, and Long Island. Yolanda has been working with Allison Chatrchyan to co-lead the Urban Climate Adaptation Program (CAMP).
Email: yg88@cornell.edu | Phone: (516)-305-0358
For other agriculture Extension advisors in different regions of New York, or with different expertise than listed above, reach out to the Statewide Ag Resiliency Specialists: Kitty O’Neil or Savanna Shelnutt.
New York: Cornell University Campus Leads
Dr. Art DeGaetano is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University and Director of the Northeast Regional Climate Center (NRCC). His research interests include applied climatology, which involves the development of methods and data sets that provide climatological information to decision-makers in a variety of fields; modeling climate influences on man-made and biological systems, documenting observed variations in the climate system; improving climate data quality; and assessing climate impacts. Art received an interdisciplinary Ph.D. focusing on Climatology and Horticulture from Rutgers University.
Email: atd2@cornell.edu
Dr. Allison Morrill Chatrchyan is the Director of Stakeholder Engagement for the NSF/NIFA-funded AI-LEAF Institute (AI for Land, Economy, Agriculture & Forestry), and a Research Associate with the School of Integrative Plant Sciences at Cornell University. An environmental social scientist, she facilitates interdisciplinary research and education teams and works to develop resources, tools, and training programs that integrate climate science, impacts, adaptation, and mitigation – and infusing Artificial Intelligence (AI) into tools. She received her BA from Colby College, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in international environmental politics from the University of Maryland. With Art DeGaetano, Allison developed the Cornell Climate Smart Farming Program in 2015. She currently works with the USDA Climate Hub leading the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Fellowship Programs with dairy and urban farmers. Email: amc256@cornell.edu
Candace Hulbert is the Program Manager for the NSF/NIFA-funded AI-LEAF Institute (AI for Land, Economy, Agriculture & Forestry), and the Cornell Climate Smart Farming program. Candace’s work with AI-LEAF centers around public engagement, stakeholder education, and extension related to Climate-Smart Agriculture, digital agriculture, and artificial intelligence in agriculture. Candace is leading efforts to conduct a Needs Assessment with Dr. Chatrchyan to collect the views, experiences, and challenges and opportunities faced by agricultural stakeholders in using AI-driven decision support tools and technology. Candace received her MPS in Natural Resources and the Environment from Cornell University in 2023 and her BA in English and Political Science from the University of Michigan in 2020. From January 2021 to August 2023, Candace coordinated the Weather Ready Farms program at the University of Nebraska Extension. Email: crh232@cornell.edu
Dr. Johannes Lehmann is the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science Soil and Crop Sciences Section and a professor in the Department of Global Development. Johannes focuses his research and teaching in soil biogeochemistry and soil fertility management. His specialization is in soil organic matter and nutrient studies of managed and natural ecosystems with a focus on soil carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling from wastes, biochar systems, circular economy, and sustainable agriculture in the tropics (especially Africa). His research stretches from ultra-fine scale microscopy to examine carbon stabilization in soils to global-scale carbon and nutrient cycles. Learn more about Johannes’ work on the Lehmann Lab website. Email: cl273@cornell.edu
Northeast: USDA NE Climate Hub
Erin D. Lane is the Director for the USDA Northeast Climate Hub. Her passion and the focus of her work lies in developing strategic teamwork and collaborations. She maintains strong relationships with federal, land grant and other partners, and leads projects and activities throughout the Hub. Erin changed her focus to climate ecology after an initial career based in fire ecology. She is also a co-founder, and coordinator, of the North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange serving the fire community to advance the use of relevant fire science to harmonize fire management goals by bring people together and addressing challenges. Erin’s current research interests include regional precipitation and drought trends, soil carbon and carbon cycles, and future projections for wildfire in the Northeast. Email: erin.d.lane@usda.gov
Kristin Benson is an ORISE Fellow with the USDA Forest Service and the USDA Northeast Climate Hub, where she works to support farmer and landowner economic and environmental sustainability in the Northeast. Kristin grew up in a dairy farming family in Gorham, Maine and became passionate about agricultural sustainability early on. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Southern Maine and her Master’s in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University. She has a background in curriculum development and agricultural sustainability and is supporting farmers as they transition to climate-smart practices. Kristin has been co-leading the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Programs with Cornell, working with dairy and urban farmers. Email: kristin.benson@usda.gov
For assistance from agriculture and climate Extension specialists in other states in the Northeast Region (including in CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NY, NJ, PA, RI, VT, or WV), contact the USDA Northeast Climate Hub.
Savanna Shelnutt is an Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Harvest New York Team. She works with producers and fellow extension personnel to combat and adapt to climate change in the Hudson Valley. She is based in Hudson, New York and serves the ten counties between Albany and New York City. Prior to joining Cornell Cooperative Extension, Savanna worked with hemp producers in New York State to determine best production practices and create production budgets. She has also participated in research related to the soil microbiome’s role in greenhouse gas exchange. Savanna is originally from North Texas and received her B.S. in Plant and Environmental Soil Sciences from Texas A&M University and her M.S. in Horticulture from Cornell University. Savanna has been working with Allison Chatrchyan to co-lead the Urban Climate Adaptation Program (CAMP). She Co-Chairs the Cornell Extension Climate Change and Agriculture Program Work Team (PWT).
Email: ss2655@cornell.edu | Phone: (518) 651-9617
New York: Ag & Climate Resiliency Extension
Agricultural Stewardship Specialist, Suffolk County – Emily Lindback works to minimize nitrogen and pesticide loading from agricultural lands to ground and surface waters of Suffolk County while maintaining a strong, viable agricultural industry. Emily works across commodities, researching and promoting soil health, IPM, and monitoring nitrate and pesticide loading. Emily has a M.S. in Forest Ecology and Management from Michigan Technological University where her work primarily focused on plant physiology. She also has a B.A. in Environmental Science from Franklin & Marshall College. Emily Co-Chairs the Cornell Extension Climate Change and Agriculture Program Work Team (PWT).
Email: el684@cornell.edu | Phone: (631) 740-0268
Field Crops, Central NY – Janice Degni is the Team Leader and Field Crops Specialist with the SCNY Dairy & Field Crops Team, based in Cortland, NY. Janice has agriculture in her blood having spent summers on her grandmother’s dairy farm as a child. As a worldwide traveler who has explored interests in international agriculture and is fluent in Spanish, she can provide communication assistance to farmers. Janice works with farmers to help them on crop production issues, integrated crop management, environmental stewardship, soil health, and forage quality. Janice holds an M.P.S. in plant protection and a B.S. in agronomy, both from Cornell University. She worked on the Dairy Climate Adaptation Fellowship Program, training dairy farmers and advisors about climate resiliency.
Email: jgd3@cornell.edu | Phone: (607) 391-2660 Ext. 414
Field Crops, Central NY – Dr. Erik Smith works as a Field Crops Specialist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Central New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Team. Erik has 15 years of experience conducting agricultural research and educational outreach as a graduate student and Extension professional. As a Finger Lakes native with grain and forage crop experience gained on his family’s farm, he brings his knowledge to New York’s agricultural community to his work with farmers. Erik earned his B.A. from SUNY Oswego in Biology and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Entomology from Cornell University.
Email: eas56@cornell.edu | Phone: (315) 219-7786
Dairy Management, Northern NY – Lindsay Ferlito is a specialist with the PRO-DAIRY Program at Cornell University. In this role, she works with dairy farmers in Northern NY to help them optimize management and production. She focuses on cow comfort and animal welfare, ventilation and facility design, and climate adaptation and mitigation on farms. Lindsay was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and received her B.S. in Animal Biology and her M.S. in Animal Science, specifically dairy cattle welfare and behavior from the University of British Columbia. Lindsay worked on the Dairy Climate Adaptation Fellowship Program, training dairy farmers and advisors about climate resiliency.
Email: lc636@cornell.edu | Phone: (607) 592-0290
Fresh Market Vegetables, Western NY – Elizabeth Buck works as part of the Cornell Vegetable Program and offers diversified vegetable experience in the areas of nutritional management, disease control, variety evaluation, surveying, and scouting. She earned a B.S. in Plant Sciences and Agricultural Sciences from Cornell, and an M.S. from the University of Guelph, where she focused on integrated weed management practices in vegetable crops.
Email: emb273@cornell.edu | Phone: (585) 406-3419
Viticulture, Lake Erie Region – Jennifer Phillips Russo is the Team Leader and Viticulture Specialist with the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program, based in Portland, NY. Her work at LERGP brings local experience and research-based solutions together to provide projects aimed at increasing yields, product quality, diversity and improvement of cultivars, the efficiency of production, profitability, and adoption of environmentally sound cultural management strategies with an emphasis on soil and grapevine health, site selection, growth control, nutrition, and water management, and harvest management. She holds her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biology from The State University of New York at Fredonia.
Email: jjr268@cornell.edu | Phone: (716) 792-2800 ext 204
Urban Agriculture & Resiliency, NYC – Yolanda Gonzalez is an Urban Agriculture Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension. She holds a dual degree in Master of Science in Environmental and Community Land Planning from SUNY ESF and Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, as well as a BA in Environmental Studies and Spanish Literature from SUNY Geneseo. Yolanda’s most recent experience as an Excelsior Fellow at the NYS Office of General Services in the Organizational and Workforce Development Unit has given her process improvement skills that will help urban growers maximize efficiency and profitability in limited spaces. Her background is mostly in small-scale production, working on a number of small farms in Maine, Pennsylvania, and Long Island. Yolanda has been working with Allison Chatrchyan to co-lead the Urban Climate Adaptation Program (CAMP).
Email: yg88@cornell.edu | Phone: (516)-305-0358
For other agriculture Extension advisors in different regions of New York, or with different expertise than listed above, reach out to the Statewide Ag Resiliency Specialists: Kitty O’Neil or Savanna Shelnutt.
New York: Cornell University Campus Leads
Dr. Art DeGaetano is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University and Director of the Northeast Regional Climate Center (NRCC). His research interests include applied climatology, which involves the development of methods and data sets that provide climatological information to decision-makers in a variety of fields; modeling climate influences on man-made and biological systems, documenting observed variations in the climate system; improving climate data quality; and assessing climate impacts. Art received an interdisciplinary Ph.D. focusing on Climatology and Horticulture from Rutgers University.
Email: atd2@cornell.edu
Dr. Allison Morrill Chatrchyan is the Director of Stakeholder Engagement for the NSF/NIFA-funded AI-LEAF Institute (AI for Land, Economy, Agriculture & Forestry), and a Research Associate with the School of Integrative Plant Sciences at Cornell University. An environmental social scientist, she facilitates interdisciplinary research and education teams and works to develop resources, tools, and training programs that integrate climate science, impacts, adaptation, and mitigation – and infusing Artificial Intelligence (AI) into tools. She received her BA from Colby College, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in international environmental politics from the University of Maryland. With Art DeGaetano, Allison developed the Cornell Climate Smart Farming Program in 2015. She currently works with the USDA Climate Hub leading the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Fellowship Programs with dairy and urban farmers. Email: amc256@cornell.edu
Candace Hulbert is the Program Manager for the NSF/NIFA-funded AI-LEAF Institute (AI for Land, Economy, Agriculture & Forestry), and the Cornell Climate Smart Farming program. Candace’s work with AI-LEAF centers around public engagement, stakeholder education, and extension related to Climate-Smart Agriculture, digital agriculture, and artificial intelligence in agriculture. Candace is leading efforts to conduct a Needs Assessment with Dr. Chatrchyan to collect the views, experiences, and challenges and opportunities faced by agricultural stakeholders in using AI-driven decision support tools and technology. Candace received her MPS in Natural Resources and the Environment from Cornell University in 2023 and her BA in English and Political Science from the University of Michigan in 2020. From January 2021 to August 2023, Candace coordinated the Weather Ready Farms program at the University of Nebraska Extension. Email: crh232@cornell.edu
Dr. Johannes Lehmann is the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science Soil and Crop Sciences Section and a professor in the Department of Global Development. Johannes focuses his research and teaching in soil biogeochemistry and soil fertility management. His specialization is in soil organic matter and nutrient studies of managed and natural ecosystems with a focus on soil carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling from wastes, biochar systems, circular economy, and sustainable agriculture in the tropics (especially Africa). His research stretches from ultra-fine scale microscopy to examine carbon stabilization in soils to global-scale carbon and nutrient cycles. Learn more about Johannes’ work on the Lehmann Lab website. Email: cl273@cornell.edu
Northeast: USDA NE Climate Hub
Erin D. Lane is the Director for the USDA Northeast Climate Hub. Her passion and the focus of her work lies in developing strategic teamwork and collaborations. She maintains strong relationships with federal, land grant and other partners, and leads projects and activities throughout the Hub. Erin changed her focus to climate ecology after an initial career based in fire ecology. She is also a co-founder, and coordinator, of the North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange serving the fire community to advance the use of relevant fire science to harmonize fire management goals by bring people together and addressing challenges. Erin’s current research interests include regional precipitation and drought trends, soil carbon and carbon cycles, and future projections for wildfire in the Northeast. Email: erin.d.lane@usda.gov
Kristin Benson is an ORISE Fellow with the USDA Forest Service and the USDA Northeast Climate Hub, where she works to support farmer and landowner economic and environmental sustainability in the Northeast. Kristin grew up in a dairy farming family in Gorham, Maine and became passionate about agricultural sustainability early on. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Southern Maine and her Master’s in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University. She has a background in curriculum development and agricultural sustainability and is supporting farmers as they transition to climate-smart practices. Kristin has been co-leading the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Programs with Cornell, working with dairy and urban farmers. Email: kristin.benson@usda.gov
For assistance from agriculture and climate Extension specialists in other states in the Northeast Region (including in CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NY, NJ, PA, RI, VT, or WV), contact the USDA Northeast Climate Hub.