About Program
The South Central NY Dairy & Field Crops Program provides educational opportunities and technical assistance to help the industry with emerging issues, production bottlenecks, and new technologies. Our primary audiences are dairy and field crop producers as well as agri-service providers with secondary audiences of the media, non-farm residents and consumers. We focus on areas that will help improve farm profitability within the region since farm financial success is a key to maintaining a viable dairy and field crops industry. Our program's education helps our industry respond to both internal and external forces that help it keep pace in a rapidly changing world.The dairy and field crops sector brings significant economic activity to the region ($411 M in milk income alone). Dollars produced from agriculture have one of the largest multiplier effects. Farms make a significant contribution to the local tax base and have been found in several cost of service studies to demand less in services than they pay in taxes compared to residences (1). Farms maintain open space which provides the community with beautiful landscapes and recreational land.
(1) Cost of Community Services Studies
American Farmland Trust; Northampton, MA: American Farmland Trust; FIC Fact Sheet and Technical Memo; page(s) 6; 2010; National; Fact Sheets and Technical Memos Cost of Community Services Studies.
Our Mission:
This program is supported by Cornell University and the Cornell Cooperative Extension Associations of Broome, Chemung, Cortland, Onondaga, Tioga & Tompkins Counties
- Enhance the profitability of farmers to maintain a strong regional dairy industry,
- Create greater awareness of trends and options to help producers achieve family and business goals,
- Maintain environmentally responsible agricultural practices, and
- Encourage a better understanding of agriculture by the general community.
This program is supported by Cornell University and the Cornell Cooperative Extension Associations of Broome, Chemung, Cortland, Onondaga, Tioga & Tompkins Counties
The South Central New York Dairy & Field Crops is supported, in part, by
six
county Cornell Cooperative Extensions including:
Broome, Chemung, Cortland,
Onondaga, Tioga and Tompkins Counties.
To visit one of these Cornell Cooperative Extension's web sites,
simply click on a county within the map.
Dairy
Livestock
Grazing
Forages
Grains
Upcoming Events
Info Session on the Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act
November 21, 2019
1:00-2:00pm
Binghamton, NY
This free info session will provide details about the Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act, which takes effect on January 1, 2020. Representatives from NYSDOL will be present to answer questions and discuss how the changes will affect scheduling, payment of wages, and recordkeeping for ag employers.
Cow Comfort Program - Freestall
December 3, 2019
9:30am - 3:00pm
Preble, NY
One day cow comfort program for freestall barns, featuring Dr Rick Grant from Miner Institute as guest speaker.- Economics
- Stall design, bedding management
- Stocking density
- Heat abatement
- Assessment w/ host farm walkthrough
Speakers funded by NY Farm Viability Institute
Workshop Lunch sponsored by Cargill
2019 Feed Dealers' Seminar
December 9, 2019
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Cortland, NY
The Feed Dealer Seminars are specifically targeted for nutritionists, veterinarians, crop and management consultants, extension educators, and dairy producers with specific interest in nutrition-oriented topics.Announcements
New York Labor Roadshow III, November 18-22, 2019
Major changes are coming for farm employment laws in New York. The Ag Workforce Development Council is organizing Labor Roadshow III to help farms learn about the changes and adapt their businesses for success. Find a flyer with details here: Labor Roadshow III Flyer. Cost is $55 per person, payable at the door.Dates and Locations
November 18. Genesee Community College-Batavia Campus, One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020-9704. Room T119 Lecture Hall, Conable Technology Building.
November 19. The Lodge at Hidden Valley Animal Adventure, 2887 Royce Rd, Varysburg, NY 14167.
November 20. Ramada by Wyndham, 21000 NY State Rt 3, Watertown, NY 13601
November 21. Hilton Garden Inn Clifton Park, 30 Clifton Country Road, Clifton Park, NY, 12065
November 22. Cayuga‐Onondaga BOCES, 1879 West Genesee Street Rd, Auburn, NY 13021. Conference Room 1, 2, 3.
Featured Topics
Compliance with Wage and Hour Laws: Overtime and Day-of-Rest Requirements
Understanding Unions and Labor Organizing
Managing the Collective Bargaining Process
The Increasing Importance of Farm Supervisors
Sexual Harassment Prevention: Updates to the NY Law
Compliance Priorities and Enforcement Plans for 2020, NYS Department of Labor
Industry Quality Assurance Program Updates
Insurance Update: Disability, Paid Family Leave, and Employment Practices Liability, What is Available?
Register Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdE2Y4JqwHzahTkkFHQAOCwJ4oTqsWcU9kvBFs_RzWLYPTzMg/viewform
HEMP GROWER'S EXCHANGE BOARD
To: Interested Parties
From: Maire R. Ullrich
Subject: CCE Hemp Exchange Board Information
Dear Hemp Growers & Processors,
Our exchange board has its first postings; plenty of interest in selling and purchasing.
You can check it out at https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.cce.cornell.edu/attachments/35708/2.1.19.pdf?1549045091
If you are interested in posting an ad, please fill out the survey at
https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e35Eb3pNfpWkqhv
Complete the survey and submit. We will then download all of the entries weekly and post online.
*The NY Hemp Exchange Board is posted for your information and research purposes. Cornell Cooperative Extension does not endorse or recommend any product, service, individual, business or other entity. All "Hemp Exchanges" are posted at the discretion of CCE. "Hemp Exchanges" requests may be denied or removed at any time for any reason
Maire Ullrich, MBA
Agriculture Program Leader
Eastern New York Horticulture Team - Vegetables
Cornell University Cooperative Extension Orange County
WEBINAR: CROP INSURANCE FOR CORN AND SOYBEANS
Focus on Risk for Dairy Farmers:Now available to watch online replay:
Webinar Presentation from Cornell University Crop Insurance and Risk Management and Education Program and Pro Dairy
https://youtu.be/oIfVcI5vDfw
New York's Dairy Farmers deal with risks all the time. Risks such as weather, labor, environmental, etc. Most farmers would agree that their largest risk is milk price. This has certainly been the case for the past four years. The USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) has developed tools to help dairy farmers deal with milk price risks with varying success such as the Milk Income Loss Contract program (MILC), Dairy Margin Protection Plan (DMPP), and the improved DMPP of this year. USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) has also had tools to help dairy farmers not as popular since there needs to be communication between a crop insurance agent and the farm and there is usually a higher cost associated with these policies but the protection is also higher.
Originally recorded on Thursday January 24th, this webinar features dairy farmer Ron Robbins of North Harbor Dairy in Sackets Harbor NY. And Ed Gallagher, President of DFA Risk Management.
Ron has used many tools to manage milk price risks on his dairy over the years including those from FSA and RMA and also buying contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. During the webinar he will relay some of these experiences and which tools he uses now for his farm's milk protection.
Ed Gallagher will review RMA's new "Dairy Revenue Protection" policy. This is a new policy developed with the help of the American Farm Bureau. It is closer to the crop insurances offered for field crops and has helped that industry manage risks for a number of years.
New Paraquat Certified Applicator Training Available
Paraquat Certified Applicator Training to Prevent Poisonings Now Available | US EPA
www.epa.gov
Dairy Acceleration Program Funds Available
Funds available for the
- organization of financial records/benchmarking up to $1,000
- continued business planning (for farms awarded in a previous year) up to $2,500
- business planning up to $5,000
2018 Drug Residue Prevention Manual
For more than 30 years, the U.S. dairy industry has focused educational efforts on the judicious use of antibiotics through the annual publication of a Best Practices Manual. The 2018 edition of the National Dairy FARM Program: Farmers Assuring Responsible Management? Milk and Dairy Beef Drug Residue Prevention Manual is the primary educational tool for dairy farm managers throughout the country on the judicious and responsible use of antibiotics, including avoidance of drug residues in milk and meat.The manual is a quick resource to review those antibiotics approved for dairy animals and can also be used as an educational tool and resource for farm managers as they develop on-farm best management practices necessary to avoid milk and meat residues. Visit the Manual and Form Library to download copies of this important tool!
ProDairy Forage Management
Are you prepared to change your routine this spring?By: Joe Lawrence, Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY and Ron Kuck, Cornell Cooperative Extension North Country Regional Ag Team
While spring tasks vary by farm, there are many "rites of spring," and they are often completed in a fairly rigid sequence. Depending on the farm, these often include fixing fence, spreading manure, planting new seedings, planting corn and harvesting first cutting, and are often performed in this order.
We are optimistic that the upcoming turn in weather will allow these task to be accomplished in a timely manner, but at this point it is time to ask yourself: Are you willing to change your spring routine?
In addition to adverse weather it is no secret that everyone is facing extremely tight economic times, and dealing with forage inventories of poor digestibility forages from 2017. This combination of factors makes it more critical than ever to be ready to tackle the task that will have the most impact on your business at the proper time.
Recent reference articles on dealing with tough times:
• Key Opportunities to Optimize 2018 Crop Production Efficiency
• Resources for Dealing with Spring Weather Delays
First Cutting
The number one focus should be on timely harvest of first cutting.
• Park the corn planter when a field of first cutting is ready for harvest.
o Monitoring 1st cut harvest timing
• Approach harvest by the acre, not by the field. Be ready to skip over a field that has passed its optimum harvest stage.
o Dynamic Harvest Schedules
• Strategically plan feed storage to best utilize forage inventories for the right group of animals.
o Strategic Forage Storage Planning
o When More is Better
Corn Planting
The window for planting for silage is generally wider than for grain, which is why first cutting can and should take priority over corn planting. However, in the event of extreme delays in planting corn, performance will diminish with late plantings. If corn planting progresses into late May or early June, begin to consider alternative options for those acres. Previous research from Cornell and Penn State suggest a 0.5 to 1 ton/acre per week decline in silage yield for planting after mid to late May.
Multi-Tasking
First and foremost during a time of year that can be very busy and stressful, taking every precaution to keep your team safe is critical.
The idea of fitting all of this work into a condensed time period, and still getting key tasks completed before critical deadlines can seem impossible, but year after year many find unique ways to get it all done. Consider working with neighbors, custom operators or renting equipment to accomplish these key tasks on time.
If you currently utilize custom operators, now is a good time to set up a time to meet with them and make sure you are on the same page to get tasks accomplished in the time-frame needed. Make sure that your expectations and goals are clearly defined. They will also be under stress to fit their work into a condensed period and meet their customers' expectations, so defining expectations and pre-planning how to most efficiently get the work accomplished when the custom operator arrives can go a long way to increase the chances for success.
While spring tasks vary by farm, there are many "rites of spring," and they are often completed in a fairly rigid sequence. Depending on the farm, these often include fixing fence, spreading manure, planting new seedings, planting corn and harvesting first cutting, and are often performed in this order.
We are optimistic that the upcoming turn in weather will allow these task to be accomplished in a timely manner, but at this point it is time to ask yourself: Are you willing to change your spring routine?
In addition to adverse weather it is no secret that everyone is facing extremely tight economic times, and dealing with forage inventories of poor digestibility forages from 2017. This combination of factors makes it more critical than ever to be ready to tackle the task that will have the most impact on your business at the proper time.
Recent reference articles on dealing with tough times:
• Key Opportunities to Optimize 2018 Crop Production Efficiency
• Resources for Dealing with Spring Weather Delays
First Cutting
The number one focus should be on timely harvest of first cutting.
• Park the corn planter when a field of first cutting is ready for harvest.
o Monitoring 1st cut harvest timing
• Approach harvest by the acre, not by the field. Be ready to skip over a field that has passed its optimum harvest stage.
o Dynamic Harvest Schedules
• Strategically plan feed storage to best utilize forage inventories for the right group of animals.
o Strategic Forage Storage Planning
o When More is Better
Corn Planting
The window for planting for silage is generally wider than for grain, which is why first cutting can and should take priority over corn planting. However, in the event of extreme delays in planting corn, performance will diminish with late plantings. If corn planting progresses into late May or early June, begin to consider alternative options for those acres. Previous research from Cornell and Penn State suggest a 0.5 to 1 ton/acre per week decline in silage yield for planting after mid to late May.
Multi-Tasking
First and foremost during a time of year that can be very busy and stressful, taking every precaution to keep your team safe is critical.
The idea of fitting all of this work into a condensed time period, and still getting key tasks completed before critical deadlines can seem impossible, but year after year many find unique ways to get it all done. Consider working with neighbors, custom operators or renting equipment to accomplish these key tasks on time.
If you currently utilize custom operators, now is a good time to set up a time to meet with them and make sure you are on the same page to get tasks accomplished in the time-frame needed. Make sure that your expectations and goals are clearly defined. They will also be under stress to fit their work into a condensed period and meet their customers' expectations, so defining expectations and pre-planning how to most efficiently get the work accomplished when the custom operator arrives can go a long way to increase the chances for success.
Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship
Western New York Dairy Farmers Kim Shaklee and Janice Brown make the news with their successful Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship match. Kim and Janice are Master Graizers, and they are working hard with their Apprentice, Travis Belmore and preparing Lauren La Mar for an official Apprenticeship.
NYSERDA Agriculture Energy Audit Program
NYSERDA offers energy audits to help eligible farms and on-farm producers identify ways to save energy and money on utility bills. Reports include recommendations for energy efficiency measures.Eligibility
Eligible farms include but are not limited to dairies, orchards, greenhouses, vegetables, vineyards, grain dryers, and poultry/egg. The farms must also be customers of New York State investor-owned utilities and contribute to the System Benefits Charge (SBC). Please check your farm’s current utility bills to see if your farm pays the SBC.
Energy Audit Options
You can request the level of energy audit that best fits your farm’s needs. NYSERDA will assign a Flexible Technical Assistance Program Consultant to visit your farm and perform an energy audit at no cost to you.
For more information and the NYSERDA Agriculture Energy Audit Program Application click here
For more information and the NYSERDA Agriculture Energy Audit Program Application click here
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The team updates our facebook page frequently - follow us to be updated on our events, see some fun videos and get local area updates!facebook.com/SCNYDairyandFieldCropsTeam