SWNY Skilled and Modern Trained Butcher Roundtable Discussion



Event Details

Skilled and Modern Trained Butcher Roundtable Discussion

Date

September 16, 2024

Time

10am - 12pm

Location

Cutco Theater JCC Olean Campus
305 Barry St.
Olean, NY 14760

Host

Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

Amy Barkley
7166400844


Skilled and Modern Trained Butcher Roundtable Discussion



You are invited to attend a roundtable discussion on an issue that has posed a critical challenge to our region's farms, processing businesses, and local food buyers: a shortage in skilled and modern trained butchers. 

 

Roundtable Discussion

Skilled & Modern Trained Butchers: Impacts and Solutions to a Critical Workforce Shortage

 

Monday, September 16

10 am - Noon

Cutco Theater on the Olean campus of Jamestown Community College 

 

Are you a livestock or poultry producer, a processing business, a wholesale or institutional buyer impacted by a shortage of butchers?

 

Please join this open discussion with your peers and reps from workforce development, academic institutions, Cornell Cooperative Extension, ag and food system orgs, and economic development. Your input will help guide strategies to develop a talent pool of skilled tradespeople critical to a profitable local farm and food economy. 

 

Workforce shortages across skilled trades continue to pose challenges to local employers and often result in negative impacts to the regional economies. Often overlooked are labor shortages for jobs and career pathways in farm and agriculture businesses, many of which require specifically skilled tradespeople and can offer strong earning potential. As Southern Tier West and our partners have learned, a shortage of skilled butchers is negatively impacting the profitability of local farms, sustainability of local processing businesses, and disrupting the local food supply from meeting the continued strong demand for local food products. 

 

We've studied the historical and trending circumstances that have contributed to this workforce deficit, interviewed diverse stakeholders, asked volumes of questions, and have brainstormed some creative solutions. Now it's time to broaden the discussion, expand understanding, and advance a collective response to develop a skilled talent pool. Please join us for this roundtable discussion with the goal to better frame our understanding of the impacts faced by food system businesses and generate solutions that support profitable farms, profitable businesses, and profitable agriculture careers. 

 

Please let us know if you have any questions or if we can help register you and your guests to attend. All are welcome!

 

Kimberly LaMendola

klamendola@southerntierwest.org

716-945-5301 x2211

 

or

 

Amy Barkley

amb544@cornell.edu 

716-640-0844


You can also RSVP and register HERE



The flexible agenda:

  • 10 am - 11 am: Discussion and reflective responses with a participant panel toward framing an understanding of this workforce shortage and its subsequent impacts throughout the food system and solutions toward alleviating the situation. 
  • 11 am - 11:30 am: Pathway to Butcher Apprenticeship Program: Amy Hadfield, Apprenticeship Training Field Supervisor, NYS Dept. of Labor. Amy will present an overview of steps involved to establish a new butcher apprenticeship program 
  • 11:30 am - Noon: open discussion and question / responses

Noon - all are welcome to stay for light refreshments and networking






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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!

Document and Share Storm Damage

Mother nature has really been difficult over the last few days. Significant damage has been seen throughout NYS. Please let us know what types of damage your farm may have sustained during this time. This could be in the form of property damage, lost power, milk dump due to lost power, loss of livestock, loss of stored feed or growing crops.

Farms are encouraged to DOCUMENT AND SHARE any impacts the weather may have had on their home or business. This could include structure damage, crop loss, inventory loss due to power outages, damage to equipment or fencing, and more.

If your farm experienced any sort of damage, please reach out to any of the folks listed below (or all of them). The more impact information that is collected, the greater the likelihood of a disaster declaration which can bring vital emergency support and awareness. The CNYDLFC Team will continue to collect detail and submit to NYSDAM and the EDEN network.

Reporting Weather Related Impacts (For your home or farm business)

  • First, ensure that all the people and animals on your farm are safe, and that there aren't any unsafe working conditions created because of the weather (check your structures!). If there's an emergency, call 911 - don't try to manage it all on your own.
  • Second, document all negative weather impacts for your farm and their estimated financial cost. Take photos, make estimates, and put it all in a safe place.
  • Reach out to your insurance providers - farm, vehicle, crop, etc. to initiate the claim process as needed.
  • Then, share your farm's damage with any (or all) of the ag support agencies listed below. We all work together to collect storm damage information and funnel it up to Ag and Markets which can initiate a natural disaster declaration.
Your local Cornell Cooperative Extension Association Office.
  • Chenango: 607-334-5841
  • Fulton/Montgomery: 518-853-2135
  • Herkimer: 315-866-7920
  • Madison: 315-684-3001
  • Otsego: 607-547-2536
  • Schoharie: 518-234-4303
  • Saratoga: 518-885-8995
Any of our CNYDLFC Team members (calls/emails/texts/site visit requests all ok)
  • Erik Smith: 315-219-7786
  • Daniela Gonzalez: 315-749-3486
  • Ashley McFarland- 315-604-2156

Your county USDA/FSA service center.
  • Chenango: 607-334-3231
  • Fulton/Montgomery: 518-853-4015
  • Herkimer: 315-866-2520
  • Madison:315-824-9076
  • Otsego: 607-547-8131
  • Schoharie: 518-295-8600
  • Saratoga: 518-692-9940

Your county farm bureau manager

  • Region 3: Bailey Coon: 518-937-0566
  • Region 5: John Wagner: 315-761-9770
  • Region 6: Natally Batiston: 518-937-0269
  • Region 7: Todd Heyn: 518-431-9338

Please let us know how we can help you.


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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.


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CCE Livestock Program Work Team

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