19th century , the station director during the 1920s The New York State Agricultural Experiment Station was established by an Act of the
New York State Legislature on June 26, 1880. More than 100 locations were considered, but a 125-acre parcel in Geneva was eventually chosen. In 1882, the State purchased the land, an
Italianate villa, and all outbuildings from Nehemiah and Louisa Denton for $25,000. The villa was converted into the Station headquarters, now known as
Parrott Hall. The new institution became operative on March 1, 1882. It would become known colloquially as the Geneva Experiment Station. An 1883 Report of the Board of Control of the NYSAES to the
New York State Assembly stated that there were immediate and dire threats state agricultural output caused by insect pests, bovine diseases, drought, soil nutrient exhaustion, and outward labor migration, and that an organization dedicated to staving off these threats was needed. Originally, farmers wanted the station to serve as a model farm. However, the first director, E. Lewis Sturtevant, immediately established the policy that the station was to conduct
agricultural science research and to establish experimental plots, both of which would have little resemblance to commercial
agriculture. Nevertheless, the primary mission of the Station has always been to serve those who produce and consume New York's agricultural products. In its early days, Station scientists, who were few in number, concentrated their efforts on
dairy,
horticulture, and evaluation of varieties of
vegetables and
field crops. In 1887, the program was broadened to include work on
beef cattle,
swine, and evaluation of
fruit varieties. During this period, the station also began playing its continuing active role in the state's agricultural law enforcement program. Still later, research activities were added in the fields of
bacteriology,
dairy science, fruit
horticulture,
chemistry,
plant pathology, and
insect and
mite species.
20th century At the beginning of the 20th century, a fundamental philosophy was developed regarding activities of the station that is still, basically, in effect today. This philosophy stated that research done at the station should be conducted on principles underlying agricultural practices and, further, that agricultural research should be the full-time responsibility of the staff without it having to also play a teaching role. This was a marked departure from the role played by staff at other agricultural experiment stations throughout the country. Originally an independent unit of the state, the Station became part of
Cornell University in 1923. Research was expanded to include studies on
canning crops,
nursery plants, and disease and insect
pests of
rubes. At the end of
World War II, all
animal research was moved to the
Ithaca campus of Cornell University and the Geneva Station became a true horticultural research institute. Since then, it has been the center for research in New York on the production, protection, and utilization of fruit and vegetable crops, an industry that is today valued in excess of $2 billion. ==Campus==