The New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets is kicking off a statewide listening tour on the challenges facing new and beginning farmers. Joined by great partners from across the state, the Department will host these sessions to provide  information about existing resources available and provide participants an opportunity to share feedback and raise additional issues. To register for an event near you,  please click here.  Events are free and open to the public.

The Suffolk County Purchasing Office, on behalf of the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development & Planning, invites proposals from qualified companies for the use of underutilized parcels of land at the Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank and operation of the meat processing facility. The Department is looking for proposals that include an integrated use of both parcels, but will alternatively accept proposals that include use of only the Farmlands or the Facility separately. Technical questions are due by  August 18th , an optional farmland and facility tour will be held  August 8th at 3:00pm , and proposals will be due  September 15th, 2017 by 3:30pm . Email  tom.malanga@suffolkcountyny.gov for more information.

Are you a food producer in New York State? The  Cornell Institute for Food Safety is asking all farmers, food processors, food packers, and food aggregators in the region to take this survey. Responses to this survey will help direct resources to best enhance fundamental food safety knowledge and help small farmers and processors comply with applicable Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations. Survey participation is voluntary and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. After completing the survey, you may elect to enter your personal information to be entered in a raffle for one of 20-$100.00 gift cards. Your answers will remain anonymous and confidential.

Turn the Oven Off! Prepare No-Cook Summer Meals with Natural Contents! Food enthusiasts can join Natural Contents in the Catskills Kitchen on Friday, August 11, 2017 for a Farmers' Market Clean Eating workshop on No-Cook Summer Meals, using fresh, local ingredients. Each attendee will receive their own copy of Natural Contents' new cookbook, "Good Food for Everyone: Farm Fresh Clean Eating." Cost is $25 per person. Registration can be completed by calling CCESC at 845-292-6180, emailing sullivan@cornell.edu, or visiting here. The event will take place on Friday, August 11, 2017 from 6-9pm at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Catskills Education Center on 65 Ferndale-Loomis Road in Liberty.

Are you looking at alternative ways to transition into organic dairying?Tom Bonofski of  Vision-Hope Dairy  is planning to return to dairy production by transitioning heifers and rebuilding milking facilities to be strategically placed. Attend this field day to join a farm tour, hear alternative ideas from season inspector and Dairy Transitions Project leader Robert Perry, and learn about Tom's strategy based on a slow systems approach, without expecting transition incentives. This event is produced by NOFA-NY with support from the New York Farm Viability Institute.  The event will take place August 17, 2017 at 6:00-8:30pm.  Vision-Hope Dairy is located at 46 Springbrook Road, Pulaski, NY 13142 (Oswego County). Learn more here.

Intersted in learning more about forest ecology and management? Join this three day short course with Farming the Woods co-author Steve Gabriel and renowned elder forester Mike Demunn. Visit local old growth and heritage forests and farms and practice tree ID, stand assessment, marking, and felling techniques. Leave the course more confident in your ability to assess and manage woodlots. Topics covered include history of forest exploitation, principles in woodland stewardship, and more. The short course will take place August 18th-20th, 2017. Learn more and register here.

Join this free field day to learn about assessing soil health, developing a farm design, and building your own dairy. Jim and Anne Phillips of Triple 3 Livestock will share their farm story and provide a tour of their new facilities. Mark Kopecky, Organic Valley Agronomist, will discuss soil health as it pertains to crop production and pasture management. Fay Benson, Cornell University SCNY Regional Team, will bring the Soil Health Trailer to demonstrate variations in soil types and management systems. Fay will also share his knowledge of crop insurance options available in New York State. This event will take place August 21, 2017 at 1-4pm and is produced by NOFA-NY with support from Organic Valley Cropp Cooperative and the USDA-Risk Management Agency. The location is Triple 3 Livestock, 955 Parker St., Marathon, NY 13803 (Cortland County).

Are you looking to take over a farm within the next two to five years? Wayne County, NY -Genesee Land Trust-Peacework Farm, a certified organic vegetable operation on 116-acres owned by Genesee Land Trust, is seeking partner(s) to work with now who can take over the farm business in 2-5 years. The arrangement will include long-term rolling lease, a barn, greenhouse, packing shed with walk-in cooler, wells, and hoop houses. You can find more information here.

Are you a new  farm business or agritourism business in Delaware County looking for some funding support for your project? Delaware County Economic Development is offering a second round of funding for new farms or agritourism businesses through the Agricultural Microenterprise Program. Grants cap at $30,000 and require a 50:50 match. Your business must be in Delaware County and new (last 6 months preferred). The application deadine is September 15th, 2017. Contact Glenn Nealis at glenn.nealis@co.delaware.ny.us, or call 607.832.5123. For more info, please see the press release.

New York Sea Grant and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation have announced the availability of grants up to $25,000 for Great Lakes resilience projects. Eligible projects must use a complete ecosystem-based approach, incorporate stakeholder participation, and address key priorities in the New York Great Lakes Action Agenda to enhance community resiliency and ecosystem integrity through restoration, protection, and improved resource management. Proposals must be submitted by  September 22, 2017. Read more here.

New York State is partnering with Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and SUNY Morrisville to advance industrial hemp research in New York State. As part of the partnership, up to $1 million in grant funding is being made available to eligible producers who participate in New York's Industrial Hemp Research Initiative. Learn more and apply  here .

A merican Farmland Trust and Growing Food Connections has announced the publication of GROWING LOCAL: A Community Guide to Planning for Agriculture and Food Systems. The national guide showcases ways communities can strengthen their food systems through planning, policy and public investment. It includes the most comprehensive collection of local policies ever assembled to support local farms and ranches, improve access to healthy food, and develop needed distribution and infrastructure. Read more here, and download it here.

Autumn weather favors a long list of leafy greens and root crops, from spinach and kale to radishes and rutabagas. Planting fall crops may be the last thing on your mind during the dog days of summer, but growing a garden to maturity before cold weather sets in means getting started in mid- to late-summer, just as the first warm-weather crops start to peter out. Get tips on how here.

Sometimes local questions are best answered by your neighborhood Cornell Cooperative Extension agent. Check out our county-by-county listing of small farm agents here. You can also get to know our Cornell Small Farms Program  staff, or contact us. Just starting to farm? We have an extensive resources available in the " Plan Your Farm" section of our website.