Event Details

Date

November 6, 2014

Time

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Location

NYS State Fairgrounds
581 State Fair Blvd.
Syracuse, NY 13209

Host

Cornell Small Farms Program

607-255-9227

Pre-Registration Deadline: October 26, 2014

NY Veterans in Agriculture Summit

November 6, 2014


About the Veterans in Ag Summit
The Veterans Summit will offer an opportunity to meet others interested in supporting veterans getting into agriculture; better understand the support services available to veterans and those interested in agriculture; and design programs and pathways to help veterans enter agriculture.

About the Organizers
The Summit is presented by a diverse team of collaborators:
  •  Cornell Small Farms Program
  •  NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
  •  Division of Veterans Affairs
  •  Farmer Veteran Coalition
  •  New York Farm Viability Institute 
  •  National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)
  •  Cornell Cooperative Extension: Jefferson, Monroe & Erie Counties

Agenda

The day will begin with 'lightning' introductions from organizations in NY that serve farmer veterans.

Featured speaker Jamie Critelli will describe the rewards of entering farming after serving in the military. Critelli will touch on the unique skill sets of veterans that compliment farming, highlight the challenges of reintegration into communities and outline basic strategies to improve support of veterans who want to start farming.

Following the morning presentations, attendees will be invited to participate in two of four 'working groups' to engage in facilitated discussion around the following topics:
  •  Veterans Starting Farms 
  •  Veterans Employed on Farms
  •  Communication and Outreach Strategies to reach NY Veterans
  •  Training for Service Providers
These working group discussions will build the foundation for generating a NYS Work Plan for Veterans in Agriculture and a NY Veterans in Agriculture Task Force. 

Who Should Attend? 
If you live in New York State and you...
  •  Are a veteran who is farming in NY and want to help other veterans to do the same
  •  Are a veteran who wants to farm or work in agriculture
  •  Currently work with veterans who are interested in starting farms or working in agriculture
  •  Want to employ veterans in your agriculture business

The meeting is FREE and lunch  will be provided.






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Dairy

Dairy

Livestock

Livestock

Forages

Forages

Grains

Grains

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Announcements

Sign Up for Our Weekly E-Newsletter

We send out a bi-weekly e-newsletter that has announcements, upcoming programs, and opportunities for you!  Registration is quick, easy, and free.  Click here to sign up today!

Farmers Can Join MeatSuite For Free!

MeatSuite.com is a free resource provided by Cornell University where NY meat farmers can create a farm profile and list their bulk (wholes, halves, quarters) and bundled (i.e. Grilling Bundle) meat products.

Why should farmers join?

1. It's free and easy!
2. Connect with more local customers. In the past year the MeatSuite.com farm directory had 8,300 visits from New York consumers. Farm profiles get as many as 25 views per month from potential local customers. We also spotlight MeatSuite farms on social media and bring attention and purchases to farms through highlights and giveaways.

How do I join?

Farmers can visit https://www.meatsuite.com/farmers/ to create a free farm profile. You must list at least one product for your farm's profile to go live. You'll also have access to Cornell's free Meat Price Calculator, a helpful tool for pricing your meat to make a profit.

While you're on MeatSuite, check out the "Creating Consumer-Friendly Bulk Meats" publication on the log-in page. It has tips on how to create bulk meat products that are easier for first-time buyers to say "yes" to.

If you have any questions as you create your farm profile or products, we're here to help! Please email Matt LeRoux at mnl28@cornell.edu.


Spotted Lanternfly

Lycorma delicatula, or Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), is an invasive plant hopper from Asia and is an agricultural pest. In the United States, it was first found in Pennsylvania in 2014. Spotted Lanternfly has been found in New York State on Staten Island, all New York City boroughs, Long Island, Port Jervis, Sloatsburg, Orangeburg, Ithaca, Binghamton, Middletown, Newburgh, Highland, and the Buffalo area. SLF threatens the agriculture and forestry industries, and is also a nuisance pest. The nymphs and adults feed on over 70 different plants, but is especially detrimental to grapes, a black walnut, hops, maple trees and apples. New York State Ag and Markets supported CCE efforts to help bring awareness to communities and we developed this Public Service Announcement and would appreciate you sharing it with your member lists. 



CCE Livestock Program Work Team

See the Livestock Program Work Team website for news, upcoming programs, and NYS Slaughterhouse Map.