The Cornell Institute for Food Systems (CIFS) is pleased to announce the launch of our new Industry Partnership Program (CIFS-IPP), a public-private partnership with a farm-to-fork focus, which engages with industry members throughout the food system. By working through the institute, CIFS-IPP makes available to industry members the ability to consult with over 60 Cornell University Faculty Fellows from more than a dozen disciplines.  Technical areas of expertise range from crop and soil sciences to animal science and food science, to a variety of engineering areas of expertise, and finally to corporate management and consumer behavior, thereby leveraging the unique synergy of our multidisciplinary perspectives. CIFS-IPP provides members with priority access to faculty and allows for easy engagement with students and facilities. Our CIFS-IPP members are afforded access to a variety of services geared to enhancing their interactions with our award-winning undergraduate and graduate student bodies. In addition, multiple facilities are available for product processing needs in the dairy and fruit and vegetable areas, as well as processing authority resources. CIFS-IPP launched at IFT and is actively engaged in enrolling new corporate members.

On December 8, 2014, CIFS will host the first annual Cornell Food Systems Global Summit at the recently renovated Stocking Hall on the Ithaca, New York Campus. This will be an opportunity to hear provocative, forward-thinking speakers address the value of progressive public-private partnerships in an era of constrained resources and the global need to feed 9 billion people by 2050.

In short, CIFS-IPP strives to find solutions to today’s food system challenges and to shape tomorrow’s discoveries through collaborative efforts. More information can be found by visiting our website at www.ipp.cifs.cornell.edu or calling Dr. Julie Stafford, Industry Liaison Officer, at 607-255-0860, jls653@cornell.edu.