Rangarajan, Anusuya
Senior Extension Associate
It is my personal philosophy that a publicly funded, applied research and extension programs focused on sustainability of vegetable production systems must be designed to address constraints that exist regardless of farm size, approach and scale. The problem-solving approach must balance economic and environmental challenges to production with safety and quality of vegetables for society at large. Within this governing philosophy, the main thrusts of my research and extension program include directing the Cornell Small Farms Program, conducting research and outreach on organic nutrient sources, soil quality, new crops, food safety, and reduced tillage and other alternative practices for vegetable production, and developing educational materials and leadership training programs for growers.
research
research and scholarship focus
My research efforts include investigating the effects of organic nutrient sources (manure, compost, and food processing wastes) on soil quality and nutrient release, developing strategies to reduce tillage in conventional and organic vegetable production systems, and exploring ecological interactions on organically managed farms to identify new strategies for vegetable production in conventional systems.
primary investigator of
- 2008 NESARE NY OUTREACH PROGRAM | Research Grant
- ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY IN NYS THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EXTENSION EDUCATORS, USDA AGENCY STAFF AND OTHER AGRICULTRUAL PROFESSIONALS | Research Grant
- ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY IN NYS THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EXTENSION EDUCATORS, USDA AGENCY STAFF AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PROFESSIONALS | Research Grant
- ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EXTENSION EDUCATORS, USDA AGENCY STAFF AND OTHER AGRICULTURE PROFESSIONALS | Research Grant
- BUILDING SUCCESSFUL NEW FARM ENTERPRISES | Research Grant
- ENHANCING THE PROSPERITY OF SMALL FARMS AND RURAL AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES: THE ROLE OF INDUSTRY CLUSTERS | Research Grant
- OPTIMIZING REDUCED TILLAGE SYSTEMS FOR ROOT, LEAFY AND ORGANIC VEGETABLES GROWN IN THE NORTHEAST | Research Grant
- PLANNING TO SUPPORT BEGINNER FARMERS IN NEW YORK | Research Grant
- PROMOTING REDUCED TILLAGE SYSTEMS IN VEGETABLES FOR INCREASED FARM PROFITABILITY | Research Grant
- THE ORGANIC DAIRY INITIATIVE: STRENGTHENING THE NY ORGANIC DAIRY INDUSTRY THROUGH IMPROVED PLANNING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE | Research Grant
co investigator of
research areas
- adult and extension education | collaborative research area (CALS)
- biological control | collaborative research area (CALS)
- community development | collaborative research area (CALS)
- compost | collaborative research area (CALS)
- crop management or crop science | collaborative research area (CALS)
- disease control | collaborative research area (CALS)
- entrepreneurship | collaborative research area (CALS)
- environmental sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
- food system and/or policy | collaborative research area (CALS)
- fruit and vegetable production | collaborative research area (CALS)
- horticultural sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
- integrated crop management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- nutrient management | collaborative research area (CALS)
- organic agriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- risk analysis and assessment | collaborative research area (CALS)
- small business | collaborative research area (CALS)
- soil health | collaborative research area (CALS)
- sustainable agriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- sustainable development | collaborative research area (CALS)
- value-added agriculture | collaborative research area (CALS)
- vegetables | collaborative research area (CALS)
- water resource management | collaborative research area (CALS)
submitted impact statement
- New York Organic Dairy Initiative | 2007 Impact statement
- Supporting Small Farms in New York | 2007 Impact statement
- Building successful new farm enterprises | 2007 Impact statement
- Enhancing organic agriculture research and extension in the Northeast U.S. | 2007 Impact statement
- Supporting Small Farms in New York | 2006 Impact statement
- Enhancing organic agriculture research and extension in the Northeast U.S. | 2006 Impact statement
- Good Agricultural Practices to Improve Food Safety of Fruits and Vegetables | 2006 Impact statement
- Good Agricultural Practices to Improve Food Safety of Fruits and Vegetables | 2005 Impact statement
- Supporting Small Farms in New York | 2004 Impact statement
- Enhancing organic agriculture research and extension in the Northeast | 2004 Impact statement
- Good agricultural practices to improve the safety of fruits and vegetables | 2004 Impact statement
affiliations
head of
- Cornell Organic Working Group | working group
- Small Farms Program | applied research and extension education program
administrative appointment
- Horticulture (HORT) | Cornell department
academic staff in
- Horticulture (HORT) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- Horticulture | graduate field
teaching
teaching focus
I do not have a formal teaching appointment, but I provide guest lectures in several horticulture and sustainable agriculture courses. The Cornell Small Farm Program does sponsor a one credit course titled: Exploring the Small Farm Dream.
teaches
- HORT 5900 - Master of Professional Studies (Agriculture) Project (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HORT 8900 - Thesis Research, Master of Science (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HORT 2400 - Exploring the Small Farm Dream (R 01:25:PM-02:40:PM) | spring 2009 class
- HORT 5900 - Master of Professional Studies (Agriculture) Project (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
service
outreach focus
My efforts include enhancing Cornell research and outreach to New York?s Small Farm Sector via the Cornell Small Farms Program, developing educational materials, training programs and grower leadership on issues facing New York horticultural industries (including microbial food safety, genetically modified organisms, and the agriculture-urban interface), developing viable alternative crops and new cultural practices to support diversification and profitability of N.Y. fresh market vegetable growers, and enhancing Cornell research and extension efforts in organic agriculture by building networks and collaborations to study these complex systems. I also co-chair the Cornell Organic Production and Marketing Work Team, which includes Cornell faculty and staff, NY organic farmers from all commodities and local organic farmer organizations.
background
educational background
- B.S., Horticulture, Michigan State University, 1987
- M.S., Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, 1989
- Ph.D., Horticulture, Michigan State University, 1995
featured in
- Cornell receives nearly $850,000 to improve specialty crops | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Course comparing Indian and U.S. agriculture helps make students and faculty 'globally relevant' | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Local foods: Good for your health and the economy, stresses state commissioner | Cornell Chronicle feature
- New free online videos help mentor new farmers | Cornell Chronicle feature
Keywords: compost, composting, conservation tillage, ethnic, ethnicity, facilitation, farmer to farmer, fresh market, fresh market vegetable production, locally grown, minimum tillage, niche, nutrient management, nutritional value, organic, organic vegetable production, production, professional development, reduced tillage, small farms, sustainable agriculture, tillage, vegetable, vegetables