Upcoming Events & Opportunities: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
General Contact Information, Administrative Assistants
Central New York Dairy and Field Crops
$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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Planning for Immigration Enforcement at Your Farm
Free
Tuesday, May 20 | Noon - 1PM EST
Zoom
Ramped-up immigration enforcement is spreading fear and resulting in family and workforce disruptions across the farm landscape. Farms and employees should take action by making a plan for what to do in case of an immigration enforcement action at your farm. Planning is critical to avoid the worst outcomes. Learn about available resources and hear from the experience of crisis support leaders! There is an opportunity to submit your questions for the panel in advance during registration. We highly encourage that you take advantage of this feature.
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Livestock Fencing 101: The Basics
$20/person Free for Veterans & Active Duty
Friday, May 30 | 10am - 3pm
Turrell Farms, 182 County Road 11, West Oneonta 13861
Lunch Included
Join for a hand-on livestock fencing workshop with morning and afternoon sessions.
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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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Ethics and Employment Regulations
$275 for NY State Residents, Scholarship Opportunity for Dairy Producers
Friday, June 20 - Thursday, July 31
Zoom
Registrations due June 25
The Agricultural Supervisory Leadership Certificate helps farm supervisors and managers learn and apply human resource management practices and leadership skills that foster rewarding workplaces and drive business results. Confident managers who thoughtfully apply leadership and management skills improve employee performance, develop teams, reduce employee turnover, and increase employee engagement.
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Transition to Supervisor (in Spanish)
$275 for NY State Residents, Scholarship Opportunity for Dairy Producers
Friday, June 20 - Thursday, July 31
Zoom
Registrations due June 25
The course covers a range of crucial topics, including making the transition to supervisor, improving communication, understanding differences, managing conflict, leading a multicultural team, and building strong relationships. It is designed not only for new managers but also for those looking to step into supervisory roles. Experienced managers can also benefit from the course, gaining fresh insights to enhance their leadership effectiveness and better manage teams in a dynamic, diverse work environment.
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Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex materials available
Video presentation and slides from April 30, 2025 workshop available.
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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
Livestock Fencing 101: The Basics
May 30, 2025
Oneonta , NY
Registration is required and space is limited
Agricultural Co-Ops for Small Farmers
June 11, 2025
Free webinar
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.
- 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
- 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.
Cash Rent and Custom Harvest Survey
To date, there is limited information available about rental rates and fees for crop harvesting. Farms can use this valuable information for their farm business planning to help improve decision making and profitability.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.