A groundbreaking Cornell-led pilot program has helped dozens of New York farmers adopt sustainable agriculture practices, yielding major environmental benefits and reshaping how conservation efforts are financed.
Launched by the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, the New York Outcomes Fund enrolled 23 farmers across 14 counties in western and central New York. Together, they implemented regenerative practices—such as planting cover crops and reducing tillage—on nearly 10,000 acres. In just one year, the initiative cut nitrogen runoff by an estimated 117,000 pounds, phosphorus runoff by 6,800 pounds, and sequestered over 6,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.
Tom Corcoran, co-owner of T&D Corcoran Farms & Son in Caledonia, credited the program with enabling him to expand cover cropping to 400 acres of leased land. “It was the shot in the arm I needed,” said Corcoran, who leads the New York Corn and Soybean Growers Association. “This was an extra catalyst to get us to do it on all of our acres.”
The program provided farmers with payments before implementation to offset the cost of transitioning, which participants and organizers say was key. “Our growers are always looking to improve,” said Colleen Klein, executive director of NYCSGA. “But it has to be economical. This program provided an immediate path to do both.”
Funded by the Great Lakes Protection Fund and global food giant Cargill, the project sought to test how finance can accelerate environmental outcomes. Alan Martinez, the project lead and climate finance expert at Cornell Atkinson, said it wasn’t just about the money. “We built community, we built trust,” he said. “This was an investment in relationships, in landscapes and knowledge.”
Originally aiming to enroll 1,000 acres, Martinez and his team received interest from farmers representing more than 60,000 acres after introducing the concept at a single NYCSGA meeting. That overwhelming demand led to expanded funding and the program’s 60% growth in its second year.
Representatives from Cornell Cooperative Extension and third-party validators worked directly with farmers to verify practices and support their transition. Corcoran said that support helped reduce hesitation for farmers wary of risking yields or investing in new techniques.
As the pilot concludes in April, Cornell Atkinson is already sharing its success as a model. Martinez is in talks with partners across the country to replicate the program. “We want to have a program that influences how others do their work,” he said. “This isn’t just about subsidies. It’s about stewardship.”
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