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Central New York Agricultural Testing and Analysis Labs

Award Category: Talent + Place
Project Site: Central New York Agricultural Testing and Analysis Labs
Submitted By: State University of New York at Oswego
Contact: Pamela D. Caraccioli , 315.312.3699

Abstract

The SUNY Oswego Agricultural Testing and Analysis Labs (2) were developed in response to local industry demand for closing the export loop within our regional economy. SUNY Oswego partnered with State of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who provided a $250,000 capital investment for lab equipment, and the Port of Oswego Authority who provided the global interface to business and industry to create a student training lab in SUNY Oswego’s Shineman Center for Science, Engineering and Innovation, and a duplicate industry lab just one mile away at the Port of Oswego Authority.

As a result, the testing needs of the nation’s largest exporter, Perdue AgriBusiness were immediately met, valuable experiential learning opportunities in food safety became widely available to SUNY Oswego students, and new opportunities to expand New York’s vibrant agriculture and food industries is poised to position the state to set a national standard.

Local sourcing, transporting, testing and exporting will result in full engagement of regional economic development opportunities by providing significant cost savings to local business and industry who transport and/or export grain and other food products, as well as a strong, sustainable agricultural sourcing link in the center of New York State.  Additionally, environmental benefits will also be realized by reducing the transportation footprint, and real-world, hands-on laboratory experience for SUNY Oswego students will translate into future careers in food testing, including but not limited to nutrition labeling, microbiology, microscopy, chemistry and sampling.