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9th Annual Innovations in Agriculture Conference

Welcome & Opening Remarks

• Frank Murray Jr., President and CEO, NYSERDA;
• Patrick Hooker, Commissioner, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets;
• Darrel J. Aubertine, New York State Senator, Chair of Agriculture and Energy Committees

Farming for the Future: How Climate Change Will Shape the Future of Farming in New York State

• Session Chair: Tara Rainstrom, NYSERDA

Climate Friendly Farming; Ron Khosla, Grow Climate Friendly

Designing Markets for Carbon Offsets: Opportunities and Challenges for the Agricultural Sector; Antonio Bento, Cornell University

Challenges and Opportunities for New York Farmers in a Changing Climate; David W. Wolfe, Cornell University

Coffee Break

Concurent Sessions (2:45 - 3:15 p.m. break)

Session A: Renewable Fuels Roadmap

• Session Chair: Judy Jarnefeld

Overview of Renewable Fuels Roadmap and Sustainable Biomass Feedstock Study for New York; Nathan L. Rudgers, Farm Credit of Western New York

Total Fuel Cycle Analysis for Biofuels in the State of New York; James J. Winebrake, RIT and Energy and Environmental Research Associates, LLC

Biomass Sustainability: What’s the Definition?; Tim Volk, SUNY ESF

Status of Switchgrass as an Emerging Crop for Bioenergy; Hilary Mayton, Cornell University

Session B: Current Controlled Environment Agriculture Projects in NYS

• Session Chair: Bill Reinhardt

Regional CEA Expansion through Centralizing Critical Operations &
Distributing Grow-Out Production on Sites with Energy Benefits; Bob
La Due, Challenge Industries

Demonstration of an Aquaponics CEA System; Benjamin Ballard, SUNY Morrisville

Sustainable Urban CEA; Viraj Puri, Gotham Greens

Sustainable Urban Agriculture: Confirming Viable Scenarios for Production; Kubi Ackerman, Columbia University

Session C: Anaerobic Digesters Today and Tomorrow

• Session Chair: Tom Fiesinger

NY Farm Digesters – Status and Lessons Learned; Curt Gooch and Jenny Pronto, Cornell and PRO-DAIRY

Net Metering and Renewable Portfolio Standard Funding Issues; Tom
Fiesinger and Kathleen O’Connor, NYSERDA

NY Dairy Power Summit Action Plans – Next Steps; Richard C. Naczi, Executive VP - Strategic Industry Analysis and Evaluation, Dairy Management, Inc.

Federal and State Incentives and Legislation

• Session Chair: Jessica Zweig

Energy Audits: The First Step to Improve Energy Efficiency for Dairy and Greenhouse Operations; Dick Peterson, Northeast Agriculture Technology Corp

New Federal Tax Incentives and USDA Grant Recipients; Scott Collins, USDA

NYS Legislation Related to Agriculture; John Tauzel, NY Farm Bureau

Innovative Greenhouse Practices in the Netherlands

(Martin Looije, Looije Agro Technics) Independent consultants for the greenhouse industry, consultant to: Saratoga Biogas, LLC and Saratoga Cheese Corporation; Albany, New York

Concurrent Sessions (2:45 - 3:15 p.m. break)

Session A: Bioheat

• Session Chair: Nathan Russell

Biomass Market Overview; Gabe Vincelette, Independent Consultant

Emissions Characterization of a High Efficiency Gasification Type Wood Pellet Boilers; James Laing, Clarkson

Application of a Mobile Biomass Pelletizer; Joe Heller and Libby Murphy, Hudson Valley Grass Energy

Grass Combustion Applications Issues; Jerry Cherney, Cornell University

Session B: Best Practices in Greenhouses

• Session Chair: Bill Reinhardt

High Tunnels and Productivity Improvements in NYS; Chris Wien, Cornell University

Towards Zero Energy Greenhouses: Insolation, Insulation, Mass & Smart Controls; Larry Kinney, Synergistic Building Technologies

Low Carbon Footprint and Urban Agriculture; Jennifer Nelkin, Gotham Greens

High-Tech Controlled Environment Agriculture, Using Controls and Sensors to Optimize Output; Lou Albright, Cornell University

Cost Sharing Incentive Programs
>Energy Efficiency Improvements
>Innovations in Agriculture Brochure
>CEA Program