Kitty O'Neil

Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist

cell 315-854-1218
email Kitty

Areas of Interest
soil health

Kitty O'Neil joins Harvest NY with an extensive background in climate smart farming; Her goal is to improve productivity and resiliency across the state through smart farm and business management with keen attention to climate-related risks to land, farms, crop, and animal production and long-term soil health. She is a member of the Cornell Climate Smart Farming Extension Team and the Agriculture and Climate Change Program Work Team. Her current research projects focus on impacts of soil compaction to crop yields and soil function.

Kitty previously served as the Cornell Cooperative Extension Regional Field Crops and Soils Specialist in Northern NY. She grew up on a successful family dairy farm in Cayuga County, NY and went on to receive a B.S. in Animal Science from Cornell University, her M.S. in Animal Nutrition and Plant Biochemistry from Michigan State University (MSU), and her Ph.D. in Sustainable Plant and Soil Cropping Systems from MSU. Kitty is also a Certified Crop Adviser.

Prior to working with Cooperative Extension, Dr. O'Neil spent several years working at MSU researching potato cropping systems, studying impacts of crop rotations, soil amendments, and cover crops on soil health and biophysics on potato farms.

Urban Tree Health: New Pest and Disease Challenges

July 24, 2026
8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Trees in urban environments can face unexpected challenges, including new insects and diseases. Join Cornell Integrated Pest Management, in collaboration with Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Cornell Cooperative Extension, to learn how to recognize and manage some of the most pressing IPM challenges in urban forests. 

Medicinal Farm Plants Workshop

August 2, 2026
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Staten Island, NY

Join Snug Harbor for a hands-on workshop with Urban Garden Specialist, Karen Guzman, as we explore medicinal plants growing on the farm! You'll get to see, smell, taste and learn how to grow and use them safely at home. 

Rochester Soil Health Day

September 1, 2026
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Rochester, NY

Join Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY, New York State Soil Health, and Foodlink for interactive activities focused on soil health and an opportunity to get your garden soil screened for lead (reservation required).