The Center will have
- an Organic dairy herd of 70 cows
- a Conventional dairy herd of 70 cows
- Organic vegetable production
- Organic commodity crop production (growing crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat and hay)
- Farm-based alternative energy production
The Center will be located on the existing 750 acres that make up the Alfred State College Farm.
The Center will be a public teaching and research facility, but it will be operated as if it was a private, for-profit farm so that knowledge gleaned from the Center can be directly and easily transferred to the private sector.
Key attributes of the Center will include the following:
- Teaching facilities for classes at Alfred State College and for other local educational institutions teaching about agriculture, sustainability, engineering technology, applied technology, business management, and culinary arts.
- The Center will also include applied research facilities for faculty and students conducting practical, applied studies in profitable natural resource management. The results from applied research trials at Alfred State will be transferred to the public through symposiums, websites, publications and direct tours.
- This Center will engage local communities in its activities. Local farmers and community leaders partnered with Alfred State College to develop the concept for this Center, and those same groups will continue to play a major role in its operations. In addition, we hope other colleges, high schools, and community organizations will use this Center as a teaching and research partnership opportunity for their programs.