First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will visit the campus of Cornell University on July 31 as part of her upstate New York swing to explore running for the U.S. Senate. The visit, hosted by Cornell's New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, will be a "listen-in" discussion on farming and agriculture issues.

Cornell is New York state's land grant university and a leader in the field of agriculture and agricultural research. Food and agriculture are a $20-billion-plus industry in New York.

"We're pleased that Mrs. Clinton has asked Cornell to host this event," said Henrik N. Dullea, vice president for university relations. "A discussion of agriculture issues is important to Cornell and important to the people of New York state. This form of public service is part of our land-grant mission. We regularly host such events for political candidates and public officials, regardless of their political affiliation."

The panel discussion and audience participation will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Biotechnology Building on campus. It is expected to last until 11:30 a.m. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has invited approximately 40 area people from the agriculture industry, including farmers, to participate in this event. Participation is by invitation only.

Clinton and Daryl B. Lund, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the college, will be two of six panelists to open the event. The other panelists have not yet been confirmed.

The visit is part of Clinton's swing through the Southern Tier. She also is visiting Elmira and Bath on this trip. Her exploratory committee is considering whether Clinton will run for the U.S. Senate from New York in 2000, to replace retiring Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

This is her third visit to the Cornell campus.