Key Takeaways
- Groundbreaking Event: The USDA and Cornell University commenced the construction of the National Grape Improvement Center at Cornell AgriTech.
- Focus on Research: The facility is designed to enhance U.S. grape production and improve responses to climate change through focused research.
- Facility Specifications: Occupying over 70,000 square feet, the facility will include ARS and Cornell research units dedicated to grape research.
- Government Support: The project receives backing from the Biden-Harris Administration and Senator Chuck Schumer, highlighting its significance to the national agricultural strategy.
- Innovation and Technology: The center will prioritize developing technologies to address agricultural challenges, aiming to improve both production and sustainability.
Launch of National Grape Improvement Center at Cornell University
Ceremonial Beginnings
On a notable day for agricultural research, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) alongside Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), celebrated the groundbreaking of the National Grape Improvement Center located at the Cornell AgriTech campus. This initiative marks a pivotal step towards advanced agricultural research and collaboration.
Facility Overview
The newly established National Grape Improvement Center, extending over 70,000 square feet, is set to become the new headquarters for the ARS Grape Genetics Research Unit and the ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit. It will also support four significant Cornell grapevine research projects, aiming to centralize and enhance research efforts.
Enhancing Grape Production
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small commented on the facility’s potential impact, stating, “Ag research conducted by USDA and Cornell University will both enhance U.S. grape production and ensure farmers are better able to fight the impacts of climate change.” The establishment of this center is part of a broader effort to increase agricultural sustainability and economic viability within the U.S. grape industry.
Commitment to Research and Innovation
Dr. Simon Liu, ARS Administrator, remarked on the collaborative potential of the new center, noting, “The USDA-ARS National Grape Improvement Center will provide an excellent platform for deepening the productive synergies in grape research between ARS and Cornell University and will offer tremendous opportunities for collaboration.” This facility is expected to provide researchers with enhanced resources to continue their work in innovating and improving grape quality globally.
Recognition and Prospects
Cornell University Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff expressed appreciation for the federal support, emphasizing the significance of the investment: “Locating this state-of-the-art facility here recognizes the longstanding and productive partnership between Cornell and the ARS Grape Genetics Research Unit, and solidifies the Finger Lakes as the hub of cold climate grape research in the United States.”
