Engagement

The overall goal of Professor Gómez’s extension program is to increase market access and profitability of New York State (NYS) specialty crop industries including fruits, vegetables and ornamentals. He considers himself both an educator and an applied researcher helping inform decisions stakeholders must make to resolve marketing and distribution issues. His extension activities continue encompassing two areas under the umbrella of specialty crop Food Marketing & Distribution. The first is the Program for Specialty Crop Retailing & Marketing, geared toward NYS growers with retailing operations, primarily, wineries, greenhouses, nurseries and growers using direct channels. The second is the Program for Competitiveness & Sustainability of Specialty Crop Chains, designed to improve market access for NYS specialty crop supply chains, recognizing that they compete with national and global chains in multiple economic, social and environmental dimensions.