The Farm of the Future must be shaped by research-based insights if it is to sustainably achieve climate-change miti gation, environmental integrity, and other key goals. Our multidisciplinary team of researchers, extension specialists, and educators from Cornell University and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff proposes the Cornell Agricultural Systems Testbed and Demonstration Site (CAST), a cluster of three farms in NY State that will host data-driven research, extension, and education under the aegis of the Cornell Institute for Digital Agriculture. CAST will advance data-driven solutions for food systems, integrating both commercially available and in-the-pipeline technologies and transformative practices. A stakeholder network, the CAST Network for Extension and Teaching, will involve farmers, manufacturers, consultants, academic experts, and others in problem identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Full educational use will be made of the rich opportunities for experiential learning provided by CAST.

AIM 1: Research. Demonstrate the value of integrating existing and emerging data-driven technologies and practices under commercial-farm-like conditions. Our four Research Thrust areas are (1) Innovation in Technology and Farm Practices, (2) Data Integration, (3) Data Analytics and Decision Support, and (4) Impact Assessment.

AIM 2: Extension. Exchange knowledge between CAST and stakeholders for harnessing technology to build more sustainable, resilient, and equitable farms and communities.

AIM 3: Education. Provide real-world, hands-on educational experiences to the next generation of agricultural leaders, scientists, and professionals.

This proposal fulfills the FotF program’s vision of a rural testbed supporting research, extension, and education in precision agriculture, smart automation, and data connectivity.