Technology, Ag Grow Together in Tech Valley
Published Apr 15, 2008
William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute in Chazy is widely known for its agricultural research and programs.
From agricultural engineering to plant and animal sciences, technology clearly has made its way out of the laboratory and onto the farms in Tech Valley. Farmers benefit from agricultural research and technology developed in several college labs throughout the region, including State University of New York Cobleskill.
Professors in the SUNY Cobleskill agriculture department educate students in five different areas – agriculture business, animal science, plant science, agricultural engineering, and fisheries and wildlife.
“We have a working farm on campus, plus we are involved in areas such as developing our own bioenergy center to take organic material and convert it to energy,” says Michael McCaskey, dean of agriculture at SUNY Cobleskill.
“We also research the best corn for dairy cows to eat, grow strong turf for golf courses, and analyze the best ways to breed top horses. If it has to do with agriculture, SUNY Cobleskill is often involved.”
The university also shares its research innovation around the world. For example, SUNY Cobleskill is sharing fish species knowledge with a college in Turkey, and is developing a high-protein plant that can withstand arid conditions to help supplement the diets of humans and animals in Africa.
“Our graduates often end up working for top research corporations such as BASF, DuPont and Monsanto,” McCaskey says.
A New Generation of Farmers
At the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute in Chazy, agriculture technology is heavily oriented toward the dairy industry, crop genetics and the equine industry.
“We have a dairy farm and an equine farm on our grounds, and 700 acres of tillable land among our 8,000 overall acres,” says Rick Grant, president of the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute.
The roots of Miner Institute date back to the early 1900s when millionaire William Miner built an impressive farm in Chazy. The visionary Miner wanted his farm to feature the latest in technology, with a constant focus on research and education.
“We actually are not a university, but we have college students who take agriculture credit classes here and then earn their four-year ag degrees at Cornell University, the University of Vermont or Plattsburgh State University,” Grant says. “Those degrees are primarily in dairy science, animal nutrition and environmental science.”
Grant says he is pleased that many of the students at Miner eventually go back into farming.
“We need a new generation of farmers, and agriculture today is a fascinating, advancing industry that many young students are interested in,” he says. “Our job is to train people in technology so that the Tech Valley will continue to have a vibrant agricultural economy.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Michael W. Bunch
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