Events - month view
earlier monthsDecember 2021
Farm Financial Records for Decision Making and Tax Management
December 2, 2021
7pm - 9pm
Online via Zoom
A primer for beginning farmers, or a tune-up for those already in production, on recording income and annual expenses, capital expenditures and depreciation with additional information covering loans & credit card or revolving loan payments, sales of business assets, and deducting losses.
Managing Organic Milk Quality on the Farm - Virtual Workshop
December 16, 2021
10 am - 3 pm
Virtual
This hybrid course will introduce attendees to the key raw milk parameters that influence organic dairy product quality & shelf-life and how to control these parameters at the farm. In the self-paced module of this course, attendees will learn about the four raw milk parameters that impact processed product quality: somatic cells, total bacteria, spore-forming bacteria, and flavor & odor profiles of raw milk. Attendees will then learn, in-depth, how to control these parameters through best practices for farm management from our instructors during our live virtual workshop on December 16.
January 2022
Tax Management for Beginning and Small Farm Businesses
January 18, 2022
7pm - 9pm
Online via Zoom
A one-night virtual meeting for beginning and part-time farmers that provides useful tax information enabling participants to be make better tax decisions for their business. Federal and state income taxes will be covered. Tax regulations specific to NYS will be covered as well.
Onboarding Webinar Series for Farm Employers
January 21, 2022
February 4, 2022
February 18, 2022
11am - 12pm
Virtual meeting
The first days and weeks on the job set the course for a new farm employee. Given the tight labor market, a successful onboarding program can be an essential tool to help reduce employee turnover, increase employee safety and productivity, and contribute to a farm's success. The three-session Onboarding Zoom Series focuses on navigating employment requirements and improving human resource management practices, including enhancing training skills.
Farm Specific Tax Code Benefits
January 25, 2022
7pm - 8:30pm
Online via Zoom
For farm businesses of all shapes and sizes, tune in to learn more about the tax advantages available for farms. This workshop will include information for the current tax season.
Winter 2022 - Dairy Manager Discussion Group Meetings -Part 1 of 3
January 27, 2022 : Winter 2022 - Dairy Manager Discussion Group Meetings
12:00 - 1:30 pm
Virtual Meeting Via Zoom
Jan 27 - DMC & DRP: Navigating the options, with Chris Wolf, Cornell University & KC Slade, Crop Growers
Have you heard about the changes to DMC? Are you interested in DRP but don't know where to start? This meeting will go over the basics of both programs for dairy farms and presenters will be live to lead discussion and answer questions!
Winter Crop Meeting 2022 - A Virtual Weekly Meeting Series
January 14, 2022
January 21, 2022
January 28, 2022
February 4, 2022
March 23, 2022
: 2022 Winter Crop Meeting - Virtual Weekly Series
1:00 - 2:00pm
Virtual / Zoom Video Conference
Sessions are on Friday, except March 23 (Wednesday)
Week 1: Methane's Role in Global Warming & Current and Future Opportunities to Decrease Enteric Methane
Week 2: Corn Silage Hybrid Trials 2021 Update & Management Tips
Week 3: The Value of Manure told with Five Stories
Week 4: Carbon Markets - A Realistic Outlook
Week 5: Net 0 and Sustainability - What it Means for the Dairy Industry
$15 for series PER PERSON (Full 5 sessions for $15 per individual); CCA credits available for all sessions
February 2022
NYCO Meeting - Winter 2022
February 8, 2022
10 am - 2 pm
Virtual or J Martin Auctions
Waterloo , NY
The NY Certified Organic (NYCO) Discussion Meetings are back for just one meeting this winter and another this spring. The planning committee felt that we could have a safe winter meeting at J Martin Auctions due to the size of the facility which allows for personal spacing, for those who feel comfortable and wish to attend in-person. We will also have a zoom link for those that would like to attend virtually.
Onboarding Webinar Series for Farm Employers
January 21, 2022
February 4, 2022
February 18, 2022
11am - 12pm
Virtual meeting
The first days and weeks on the job set the course for a new farm employee. Given the tight labor market, a successful onboarding program can be an essential tool to help reduce employee turnover, increase employee safety and productivity, and contribute to a farm's success. The three-session Onboarding Zoom Series focuses on navigating employment requirements and improving human resource management practices, including enhancing training skills.
Implementing Practical Genetics for the Commercial Dairy
February 16, 2022
February 23, 2022
March 2, 2022
March 9, 2022
March 16, 2022
March 30, 2022
(2/16) 12 pm - 1 pm, (2/23 - 3/16) 12 pm - 12:45 pm
Virtual Webinar with option for In-person Workshop
This webinar series will be presented by Dr. Heather Huson, Faculty, Dept. of Animal Science, Cornell University.
Based on Dr. Huson's Applied Genetics course this program will give participants an understanding of how to use genetic information to reach their herd goals. An optional in-person session will provide an opportunity for hands on practice with genetic analysis tools.
Option for in-person workshop at the conclusion of webinar series; choice between one of two dates/locations. Must attend final webinar session (3/16) to attend in-person workshop
Field Crop Weed Identification and Control Series 2022
February 2, 2022
February 16, 2022
February 23, 2022
March 2, 2022
March 9, 2022
March 16, 2022
12-1:00 pm
Virtual
Winter 2022 - Dairy Manager Discussion Group Meetings -Part 2 of 3
February 24, 2022 : Winter 2022 - Dairy Manager Discussion Group Meetings
12:00 - 1:30 pm
Virtual Meeting Via Zoom
Feb 24 - The Costs of Dairy Labor, with Jason Karzses, Cornell PRO-DAIRY
Labor is on top of many NY dairy farmers minds right now. Jason will go over the economics of labor in NY and lead discussion around what farmers have put in place in their own dairy businesses.
Upcoming Events
Dairy Feeder School - Host Farm: Twin Birch Dairy
October 31, 2024
Skaneateles, NY
One day on-farm training for dairy farm feeders; Offered in English and Spanish at each site; Stations with hands-on activities/demos
Topics Covered During Feeder School:
¨ Economics and importance of feeding and feed management
¨ Dry matter and feeder math basics: how to measure DM and refusals, and adjust ration
¨ Feed consistency and TMR audits
¨ Troubleshooting mixer wagons
¨ Bunk silo management, map out bunk, packing density and preservation, and feed out
¨ Safety
Dairy Feeder School - Host Farm: Walnut Ridge Dairy
November 12, 2024
Lansing, NY
One day on-farm training for dairy farm feeders; Offered in English and Spanish at each site; Stations with hands-on activities/demos
Topics Covered During Feeder School:
¨ Economics and importance of feeding and feed management
¨ Dry matter and feeder math basics: how to measure DM and refusals, and adjust ration
¨ Feed consistency and TMR audits
¨ Troubleshooting mixer wagons
¨ Bunk silo management, map out bunk, packing density and preservation, and feed out
¨ Safety
Announcements
Farm Participants Needed for Bale Grazing Grant!
Information on the Project:- Approximately 10 acres total needed to bale graze two different bale densities
- "Core" farms will graze two winters, "Demo" farms will graze one winter.
- Payments for both "Core" farms and "Demo" farms
- Baseline soil sampling by bale grazing team
- Forage measurements in early season by bale grazing team
- Late season clipping if residual not trampled down by farm
Cornell Cow Convos - New Podcast
On-going podcast, New episodes released on the last Thursday of the month.Guest speakers, CCE Dairy Specialists.
Housed on Soundcloud Channel is CCE Dairy Educators
- Preventative healthcare for cows
- The trend of beef on dairy
- What to look forward to in the new year for dairy
- Socially grouping or pair-housing calves
Dairy Acceleration Program Funds Available
- 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!
Follow us on Facebook
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
ProDairy Forage Management
Are you prepared to change your routine this spring?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.
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.For more information and the NYSERDA Agriculture Energy Audit Program Application click here