Current Operations
Until rather recently, most of the money for agricultural research at the Station was provided by state and federal governments. The Station's 2007–2008 total budget is approximately $25.1 million; $11.8 million is funded through the State University of New York base budget, $6.4 million of Cornell general purpose funds, $5.5 million in grants and contracts, and $1.1 Federal appropriations. As the station's research program have matured and expanded, the financial support base has been increasingly augmented by funds from foundations, industry, grower and food processor organizations, and by individuals. As of 2007, 253 staff and 50 professors (18 with at least 20% extension appointments) are employed at the Station. At any one time, 25-90 graduate students are conducting research for their theses under the guidance of professors at Geneva. At any one time, there are around 15 visiting scientists, 10 postdocs, 20 research associates and 6 extension associates at the Station.
There are now four departments actively engaged in more than 120 projects. These departments are: Horticultural Sciences (study of fruit and vegetable crops, and seeds), Entomology (study of insects and mites), Plant Pathology (study of plant diseases), and Food Science and Technology (study of food processing and packaging techniques and their effects on food quality and safety). The focus is on improving the genetics, cultivation, protection, post-harvest handling, and processing of fruit and vegetable crops.
New York State is currently funding a $6.7 million construction project to renovate the Food Science laboratory.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Plant Genetic Resources Unit, responsible for the U.S. collection of apple, cold-hardy grapes, and sour cherry as well as selected seed-propagated crops, such as onion, tomato, garlic, broccoli, cabbage and winter squash, is located on the Geneva campus.
Read more about this topic: New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
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