By Blake Jackson
The Cornell Agricultural Systems Testbed and Demonstration Site (CAST) plays a crucial role in the development and testing of new agricultural technologies.
These technologies, such as biosensors for livestock health and soil moisture sensors for crop fields, often require multiple rounds of testing, validation, and refinement before they’re ready for market.
CAST provides a unique opportunity for real-world testing without significant repercussions if a prototype fails.
“The mission of a testbed is to provide a place where technology can be tested without major repercussions if a prototype or an immature technology should fail or prove to be less effective than hoped,” explained Dr. Julio Giordano, professor of dairy cattle biology and management, and director of CAST. “To have an agricultural testbed like CAST at a land grand institution like Cornell is especially beneficial because we can provide unique infrastructure and expertise you can’t get anywhere else.”
CAST is made up of three commercial-scale farms across New York state: the Cornell University Ruminant Center in Harford, the Musgrave Research Farm in Aurora, and the Cornell Teaching Dairy Barn in Ithaca.
These farms support over 2,500 acres and 1,300 cattle. In 2023, Giordano secured a $4.3 million grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to establish CAST as part of the federal Farm of the Future program.
CAST now works with around 20 technologies and 40 data streams to aid in farm decision-making. “By combining all these devices and the data they generate, we have increased tremendously our capacity to understand our cows, our soils and our crops,” said Giordano.
CAST also partners with over 15 companies, including startups like Labby Inc., which tests real-time milk testing systems, and Rowbot Systems, which develops robotic platforms for row crops. “The collaboration has been transformative,” said Labby CEO Julia Somerdin, highlighting the valuable insights CAST provides for improving agricultural technologies.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-shotbydave
Categories: New York, Education