Cornell Farm to School Program
Becky O'Connor, Farm to School Coordinator, WNY & Finger Lakes
Harvest New York
The Cornell Farm to School Program provides comprehensive support to Farm to School stakeholders, including School Food Authorities, farmers, distributors, manufacturers, processors, and food hubs. The primary goal of the program is to increase the volume and variety of local farm products purchased by SFAs for use in child nutrition programs.
To achieve this goal, Harvest NY developed a plan of work centered on the following three objectives:
- Provide direct support to supply chain partners.
- Provide statewide support via resource development, training, and technical assistance to supply chain partners.
- Strengthen campus-to-community connections by identifying and developing opportunities for applied Farm to School research.
What we do:
- Find local food and farm partners
- Work with supply chain partners on logistics, including delivery
- Develop local food procurement plans
- Assist with bid development that favors local foods
- Establish Farm to School promotional campaigns, like NY Thursdays and Harvest NY
- Assist with securing grants to expand Farm to School programming
- Support 30% NY Initiative tracking and documentation requirements
The Cornell Farm to School Program includes 7 Regional Procurement Specialists, an Education Specialist, and a Program Lead:
Statewide Program Lead | Cheryl Bilinski: cbt32@cornell.edu | (607) 592-9507
The counties listed under each Regional Coordinator are loose boundaries. If you'd like assistance and fall outside the stated counties, please reach out to Cheryl for assistance.
Education Specialist | Kate Preston: kep98@cornell.edu | (607) 788-4188
Kate works to strengthen Farm to School collaborations among cafeterias, classrooms, and communities.
Lower Hudson Valley | Putnam, Rockland, Orange, and Westchester Counties
Kristy Apostolides: kda4@cornell.edu | (845) 429-7085, ext. 106
Upper Hudson Valley | Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, and Delaware Counties
Katie Sheehan-Lopez: kms369@cornell.edu | (845) 340-3990, ext. 334
Western NY | Erie, Chautauqua, Allegany, Genesee, Wyoming, Orleans, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, and Yates Counties
Becky O'Connor: rao84@cornell.edu | (845) 706-0293
Long Island | Suffolk and Nassau Counties
Amy Bly: ab2353@cornell.edu | (631) 827-1015
Central NY | Oswego, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison, Cortland, and Tompkins Counties
Lizzy Cooper: ec795@cornell.edu | (315) 630-0405
North Country | Franklin, Clinton, Essex, Lewis, Jefferson, and St Lawrence Counties
Meghan Dohman: meb377@cornell.edu | (518) 791-1888
New York City | SJ Whelan: sw954@cornell.edu | (929) 895-2257
Cornell Farm to School Program Map (jpg; 1839KB)
Upcoming Events
2025 Cornell High-Cannabinoid Hemp Cannabis sativa Field Day
September 10, 2025
8:30 am - 6:00 pm
Geneva, NY
Join us for a full day of learning and discussion, connecting and having fun! The Cornell Cannabis sativa L. (Hemp) Field Day features interactive workshops, demonstrations, and panel discussions on the latest industry advancements for New York growers and other stakeholders. Topics include:- controlled environment agriculture
- soil health and composting
- disease management and tissue culture
- genetics of color and minor cannabinoids
- post-harvest, drying, and curing
- NYS Office of Cannabis Management updates and fireside chat
Cultivating Climate Resilience of Urban Agriculture in New York City
September 24, 2025
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
New York, NY
A Panel Presentation and Hands-on Soil Health Demo!Join the New York Climate Exchange and Cornell Cooperative Extension's Ag Climate Resiliency Program, New York Soil Health, and Harvest NY for a Soil Health Field Day in Governor's Island. This event focuses on best practices for building climate resilience on urban farms and is part of the 2025 Soil Health and Climate Resilience Field Days. It will offer a farm tour, as well as valuable insights and hands-on demonstrations to enhance soil health through biochar applications.
Whether you're a seasoned farmer or just getting started, this event is perfect for anyone who wants to learn the basics of climate resilience, adaptation planning, and soil health-- hearing directly from urban farmers in New York City.
2025 Agroforestry Field Day Series -- Agroforestry Implementation and Management
October 23, 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Highland, NY
Interested in incorporating agroforestry practices into your farm? Join us for a series of workshops co-hosted by CCE Ulster, Orange, and Harvest NY with Mastwood Farms, Black Creek Farm and Nursery and Scenic Hudson. On October 23, we'll return to Erik Schellenberg's farm, Black Creek Farm and Nursery, for a Fall tour of their agroforestry plantings. Erik will talk about harvesting and managing plantings while we see some seasonal crops and installations of different ages and types. There will be time for questions and discussion as we wrap up the series. covered.