SUNY Chancellor King Announces $5 Million Investment in Agritech Research

November 13, 2026

Four SUNY Campuses Awarded Funding through the SUNY Agritech Center to Expand High-Tech Research, Education, and Training Opportunities Related to Agriculture Technology

Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced a $5 million investment in agritech research to support four SUNY campuses with funding to expand research, education, and training opportunities for students related to agriculture technology. SUNY has more than 7,500 students enrolled in agriculture-related programs at campuses statewide, and launched the SUNY Agritech Center to support New York State’s farm workforce and promote the use of emerging technologies in agriculture.

"SUNY is proud to be a state leader in supporting and strengthening New York State’s agriculture industry and dedicate resources that will help our campuses continue to lead innovation in this area," said SUNY Chancellor King. "As the agriculture industry continues to advance, it is vital that we continue to invest in initiatives that prepare the highly skilled workforce of the future."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Through the steadfast support of Governor Hochul and the State Legislature, SUNY can invest in initiatives that help strengthen New York State’s robust agriculture industry. We thank Governor Hochul and state leaders for their continued investment in SUNY, and our students."

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture, there are 30,650 farms in New York State, with farmland comprising of 21.6 percent of the state’s area. Farming contributes $2.7 billion to New York State’s GDP, and farming and related businesses directly supported nearly 165,000 jobs in New York State.

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "We are appreciative of SUNY’s commitment to furthering agricultural education and expanding resources for students interested in agriculture as a career. These grants build so well on SUNY’s Agritech Center and its partnership with FFA, and complement the work being done here at the Department of Agriculture and Markets to strengthen our agricultural workforce pipeline, invest in agricultural education, and prepare students for jobs in various agricultural sectors. I look forward to seeing these projects take shape across our SUNY campuses, giving the next generation the opportunity to work with emerging technologies, gain critical hands-on experience, and ensure that our future leaders have the high-tech skills and training they need to succeed in today’s changing industry."

SUNY offers a variety of agriculture and other related programs on campuses across New York State, including Agribusiness Management, Equine Science, Environmental Science, Viticulture, Veterinary Science, and Food Systems & Technology. Agricultural innovations being researched in the SUNY system include climate protections like carbon sequestration and agrivoltaics research, robotic deployments, invasive species and pest control practices, and farm-based data collection and research.

To further support opportunities for students related to agriculture technology, the SUNY Board of Trustees has allocated $5 million in capital funding to scale high-tech research, education, and training opportunities. The award recipients include:

$1.15 million to Alfred State College to develop a Data Integrated Animal Production Systems Technician certificate, as well as a microcredential in Agricultural Data Management to integrate AI and other technologies. The campus will upgrade internet access to all barns, classrooms, and labs, invest in Wi-Fi enabled grazing management systems, monitoring systems for beef cattle, and handing and health monitoring systems for sheep and goats. Additionally, Alfred State College will install manure handling robots, as well as a retention system and pumps. Alfred State College will also partner with the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, Finger Lakes Dairy Service, and DeLaval Dairy Services.
$1.15 million to SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech to develop New York State’s first statewide agribiotech network that integrates autonomous farm and drone machinery, robotics, AI-enabled agronomy, biotechnology, alternative fuel systems, and circular-economy agricultural models. The campus will acquire a variety of technologies to support the initiative, including precision planter technology, precision-guided tractor systems, drone-based imaging, sensing platforms, AI-enabled field monitoring systems, weed-zapping technology for sustainable weed management, precision spraying for sustainable nutrient management, and precision calf feeding equipment. SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech will also partner with SUNY Poly and the Griffiss Institute.
$1.35 million to SUNY Delhi to develop curriculum and purchase equipment as part of a fully equipped, state-of-the-art robotics and automation laboratory. The program will be relevant to food and dairy processing, automated packaging, conveying and material handling, temperature and environmental controls, refrigeration-related controls, warehousing, and other industrial and agricultural supply-chain operations, including robotic arms and training cells, electrical and motor-control trainers, and more. SUNY Delhi will pursue partnerships with employers as part of the initiative.
$35 million to SUNY Morrisville to build New York State’s agritech workforce through a living agricultural innovation lab. The initiative will center around a mobile, solar-powered trailer, establishing a living laboratory for applied agritech innovation and workforce development, and will include drones and image processing technology, a precision-GPS tractor, reduced-tillage strip-till equipment, liquid manure injection, precision liquid-fertilizer corn planter, air seeder, and an AI-powered barn camera system. SUNY Morrisville will also partner with Mohawk Valley Community College, Cornell Cooperative Extensions, Madison County Industrial Development Agency and White’s Farm Supply.

To learn more about agriculture-focused courses available at SUNY campuses throughout New York State, visit https://www.suny.edu/agriculture.

Alfred State President Steven Mauro said, "We are grateful to SUNY for this transformative investment in Alfred State and New York agriculture. This funding will expand hands-on learning opportunities for our students through cutting-edge technologies in AI, agricultural data management, precision livestock monitoring, and automation. By enhancing our facilities and strengthening partnerships with industry leaders, we are preparing graduates with the skills needed to lead the future of animal agriculture and agricultural technology."

SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech President Marion Terenzio said, "Sustainable agriculture and technology are the two fields that most directly shape human and environmental well-being, and they are strongest when they move forward together. With this investment, SUNY’s Agritech Center is turning its campuses into a connected network for agricultural innovation, where research in robotics, data, and precision farming goes straight from the lab to the field. SUNY Cobleskill is proud to be part of this work because together we can prepare the workforce and develop the practices that will keep New York agriculture productive and sustainable. More than 30,000 farms across our state are facing a future where they must feed the population and look after the land, and technology will be central to how they do both. SUNY is making sure New York is ready for that future."

SUNY Delhi President Mary Bonderoff said, "New York’s agricultural economy depends on more than what happens on the farm. It also relies on skilled technicians who keep the increasingly sophisticated systems used in food and dairy processing, packaging, refrigeration, and distribution running. This investment will build on SUNY Delhi’s established strengths in Mechatronics and Electrical Controls by enhancing our curriculum, expanding hands-on training in robotics and automation, and creating opportunities to grow enrollment in these high-demand fields. By preparing students with the advanced technical skills needed to support agriculture and related industries, we can open doors to rewarding careers while meeting critical workforce needs in our region. We are grateful to Chancellor King, the SUNY Board of Trustees, and New York State for their continued investment in our students and communities."

SUNY Morrisville President Michelle Coach said, "We are excited to receive this $1.35 million investment, which will establish a mobile agricultural innovation lab at SUNY Morrisville, bringing emerging agricultural technologies and equipment to our students and giving them valuable experience with the tools and practices shaping the future of agriculture. This builds on SUNY Morrisville’s tradition of hands-on learning while helping prepare students for careers in a changing agricultural industry and strengthening New York’s workforce alongside Mohawk Valley Community College. We appreciate SUNY’s investment in Morrisville and the opportunities it will create for our students and industry partners."

State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee said, "Farming in New York is increasingly a high-tech industry. Many of today’s farmers manage data and run robotic systems to improve their productivity. This investment puts those same tools in the hands of students, so they graduate ready for the work ahead. With agriculture supporting nearly 165,000 jobs in our state, what it produces reaches families across New York."

State Senator Michelle Hinchey, Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said, "New York agriculture is foundational to our everyday lives and statewide economy, and keeping it strong for generations to come means investing in the cutting-edge research and careers that will carry the industry forward. I was proud to help secure this capital investment for SUNY, and I thank Chancellor King and the SUNY Board of Trustees for putting it to work expanding agritech research, education, and innovative technologies. Congratulations to Alfred State, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Delhi, and SUNY Morrisville on these well-deserved awards, which will help harness the full potential of New York agriculture to protect our food supply and fight food insecurity."

State Senator George Borrello said, "This $5 million investment will expand opportunities for SUNY students to engage in high-tech agricultural research and gain hands-on experience with the advanced technologies that are transforming modern farming. From artificial intelligence and robotics to precision agriculture and automation, these state-of-the-art research and training opportunities will help prepare the next generation of agricultural professionals for a rapidly evolving industry. As Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I’m pleased to see SUNY strengthening these important educational and career pathways. By equipping students with the skills and expertise to drive agricultural innovation, we’re investing not only in their futures, but in the long-term strength, productivity and competitiveness of New York’s agricultural industry."

State Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, said, "Congrats to Alfred State, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Delhi and SUNY Morrisville on the $5 million investment in agritech research. The funds provided will help New York’s 30,650 farms stay up-to-date by using 21st-century emerging technologies and support the nearly 165,000 farm-related jobs in the state."

State Assemblymember Donna Lupardo, Chair of the Agriculture Committee, said, "I want to thank SUNY Chancellor King for making this important investment in agricultural technology possible. The support being extended to four of the SUNY system’s leaders in agricultural education will make a tangible difference. This commitment will ultimately connect farms to innovative technologies, while attracting and developing the skilled workforce we need for the future."

SUNY has worked to expand opportunities for students to pursue agriculture as a career field and inform prospective students about agriculture programs at SUNY. In March, Chancellor King highlighted agriculture programs available on SUNY campuses for New York City students during a college fair and information session at the SUNY Global Center. In February, Chancellor King announced a partnership with New York State Future Farmers of America to help prospective students learn more about the agriculture-focused courses available on SUNY campuses. In November 2025, SUNY launched the SUNY Agritech Center by holding 26 listening sessions across New York, and SUNY officials have engaged with stakeholders representing all regions of the state including state lawmakers, farmers, industry groups, agriculture non-profits, small business advisors, faculty, students, and early education partners, which will help guide SUNY programs to ensure they meet the current and future needs of New York’s agriculture industry. In September 2023, SUNY convened the first Agricultural Technology Workforce Readiness Summit at SUNY New Paltz and announced the first rounds of agriculture and technology grants utilized by SUNY campuses for agriculture-related projects.

About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.

Your Privacy is Important To Us.

SUNY Chancellor King Announces $5 Million Investment in Agritech Research

Recent News Stories: RSS: