Upcoming Events & Opportunities: Wednesday, April 16, 2025
General Contact Information, Administrative Assistants
Central New York Dairy and Field Crops
$300 per farm
Dates Available: April 29, 30, May 1, 2, and 5
Location: Your Farm
Special Requirements:
- Cattle Chute
- Safe Environment
- Must have access to water to properly clean when finished
- Livestock Specialist will be present to help weigh cattle.
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Creating and Pricing Consumer-Friendly Bulk Meat with MeatSuite
Free
Wednesday, April 23 | 6 PM EST
Zoom
This FREE webinar will include a demonstration of MeatSuite's newest tool, Bundle Builder. Bundle Builder allows you to easily assemble "bulk bundles" to utilize all of your cuts, and set profitable prices.
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Informacion sobre la prevencion de enfermedades del calor en espanol (link goes directly to Zoom meeting)
Heat Illness Prevention Webinar for the Hispanic Worker presented in Spanish
Free
23 de Abril | Noon - 1 PM EST
Organizado por Maria Lewis, Desarrollo de la Fuerza Laboral Agricola de Cornell y Anna Meyerhoff, Centro para la salud y medicina agricola de Nueva York (NYCAMH, por sus siglas en ingles)
Hosted by Maria Lewis, Cornell Agricultural Workfoce Development, and Anna Meyerhoff, New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH)
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Cover Crop & Soil Health Field Day
Free
Rain or shine on Thursday, April 24 | 2pm - 5pm
Thompson Research Farm, 133 Fall Creek Rd, Freeville 13068
Join for a field day featuring cutting edge cover crop and soil health research and resources
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$10 per person
Thursday, May 8 & May 15 | 5 - 7pm
Locations to choose from: CCE Saratoga County & CCE Herkimer County
Topics:
- Production Systems
- Breeds
- Health
- Nutrition
- Husbandry
Light refreshments provided.
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Free
Thursday, May 22 | 11:15 - 2:30 pm
Hessian Hill Farm, 611 Treadlemire Rd, Schoharie NY 12157
Topics:
- Pasture Evaluation - Jess Waltmyer, Cornell ProLivestock, Small Ruminant Specialist
- Hay Management - Dr. Adam Murray, Cornell ProLivestock, Beef Specialist
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Information about the HPAI Bird Flu is available and includes information on what to expect at the start of an outbreak, how it presents in poultry, guidance for farmworkers, recommendations for dairy producers, and guidance for hunters.
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Dung Beetles of New York State
Learn more about dung beetles in cattle and dairy pastures in New York State and how beneficial they are to the soil and pasture ecology.
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Microenterprise Grant Program - Herkimer County
To fill a void in helping micro existing companies or start-up companies by providing funding for fixtures, equipment, machinery, and furniture, while at the same time amplifying efforts to increase job opportunities for low-to-moderate income. Click here for more information.
$5,000 - $35,000: Must result in either the creation of at least one new job for individuals of low-to-moderate income, or company owner must be of low-to-moderate income.
Criteria: Involved in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, agriculture, high technology, research and development and traditional and innovative small business endeavors. Must be located within the County of Herkimer as Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Limited Liability, or Corporation.
Commercial enterprises that have 5 or fewer full-time employees, one or more of which owns the enterprise at the time of the application. Must complete approved entrepreneurial assistance or small business-training program.
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USDA Launches Assistance Network to Support Financially Distressed Farmers and Ranchers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the launch of the Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network, an initiative designed to provide personalized support to financially distressed farmers and ranchers across the nation. Through a series of Cooperative Agreements, this national network will connect distressed borrowers with individualized assistance to help them stabilize and regain financial footing
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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
How do I join?
Farmers can click here 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.
If you have any questions as you create your farm profile or products, please email Matt LeRoux at mnl28@cornell.edu
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NYSERDA's Agriculture Programs
Three programs :
- Agriculture Energy Audit Program (AEAP): This program offers NY state farmers no-cost energy audits to help identify energy efficiency opportunities on their farm.
- REAP Technical Assistance Program (RTAP): This program has been designed to assist farmers at no-cost to make applications to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). If awarded, farmers can receive up to 50% of the total project cost.
- Energy Best Practices for Agriculture: The best practices have been developed to help educate producers with energy-efficient technologies, how they function, the average cost, and the average payback in years.
To learn more about these programs and eligibility, click here.
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Video: Endangered Species Act and Pesticides: An Example
Bill Chism, chair of the Endangered Species Act Committee of the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA)'s acclaimed March 20, 2024 webinar on how pesticide labels may change to protect endangered species is now available on NYSIPM's YouTube channel.
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Video: Quebec Farmer Panel on Life After Neonics
Four years ago, neonicotinoid seed treatments were banned in Quebec (the provisions in NY's Birds and Bees Act are similar to this law).
Recently, UVM extension hosted a Quebec Farmer Panel on Transitioning Away From Neonic Treated Seeds.
The discussion was recorded and can be viewed for free and unedited.
Opinion article can be found here by Louis Robert.
NY Farm Bureau's statement on NY's Birds and Bees Act.
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Click here to sign up at the bottom of their webpage.
The Farm Hand e-newsletter is the newest monthly resource from NY FarmNet. Each month they will bring readers information, resources, and news about how NY FarmNet supports agriculture across NYS.
NY FarmNet's free, confidential services are available to all farmers, farm families, and agribusinesses operating in New York State, regardless of size or type. They help farmers with a variety of personal and financial issues - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. NY FarmNet can be contacted at 1-800-547-3276 or by email at nyfarmnet@cornell.edu
Dairy
Livestock
Forages
Grains
Upcoming Events
If I'm Not Here Tomorrow: Estate Planning for Young Farm Families with Children
November 5, 2025
Free webinar
Dairy Systems and Technology Showcase - Farm Tours
November 6, 2025 : Farm Tour - Creek Acres Farm
Amsterdam, NY
Free event, but registration required. Brand new freestall barn. All attendees must wear clean clothes and boots, and scrub and disinfect footwear upon arrival and before leaving.
November 6, 2025 : Farm Tour - Glenvue Dairy Farm
Fultonville, NY
Free event, but registration required. Under construction 10 robot farm. All attendees must wear clean clothes and boots, and scrub and disinfect footwear upon arrival and before leaving.
November 7, 2025 : Farm Tour - Indian Camp Farm & Dairy
Earlville, NY
Free event, but registration required. Four robot barn and new manure aeriation system. All attendees must wear clean clothes and boots, and scrub and disinfect footwear upon arrival and before leaving.
Seleccion y organizacion del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team, Taught in Spanish)
November 12, 2025
Course begins Wednesday, November 12. Live Zoom discussions: Tuesdays, Noon - 1PM EST beginning November 18 through December 23.
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.