Geneva, new York
October 23,  2001

By L. McCandless

Marc Smith has been appointed assistant director of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, in Geneva, NY, to serve as a member of the Station's administrative team, along with director James E. Hunter and associate director Robert Seem. His day-to-day activities will be to provide leadership for the field research unit, institute better policies for resource allocation, introduce 'best agricultural' practices in Station greenhouses, and chair the Station's safety committee. He will work on issues associated with Cornell's Agriculture & Food Tech Park, and farm use and acquisition. He will also work as the Station liaison with agricultural producers and organizations throughout the state. Smith replaces Roscoe 'Pat' Krauss, who retired as assistant to the director in 1995 but continued to serve on a casual appointment until December 2000.

"Marc brings to the job an excellent educational background, good administrative experience, and a broad knowledge of New York agriculture," said director Hunter. "He is committed to helping the Station function more effectively and improving the Station's relationship with external audiences."

Smith brings a varied agricultural background to his position. He grew up on a 2,500-acre, 900-cow dairy farm in York, graduated from Cornell in 1976 with a B.S. in ag economics, and served in the Peace Corps in Chile. He then spent two years in Australia, where he earned a master's degree in economics from the University of New England. In 1981, he returned to the farm in York, where he served as town supervisor in Livingston County and worked with Cornell's department of ag economics as a research support specialist.

In 1985, he set up an agricultural advisory council for Louise Slaughter, congresswoman from Rochester. That led to his political appointment as state executive director for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), from 1994 to 2001. The agency provides farm program money, disaster assistance, and institutes agricultural conservation policies. While there, Smith increased the agency's effectiveness in working with other agencies and organizations to serve New York agriculture.

"That position helped me establish the connections I have with growers, producers, legislators and state agricultural groups like the Hort Society, the NY Apple Association, the NYS Vegetable Growers, and the Farm Bureau," said Smith.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Linda McCandless, Director
Communications Services
NYS Agricultural Experiment Station
Jordan Hall 360 North Street
Geneva, NY 14456-0462
E-mail: llm3@cornell.edu 
Cell: 607-227-5920
Fax: 315-787-2276
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/

Cornell U news release
N3899