The Small Farms update summarizes announcements, resources, opportunities and upcoming events relevant to small farms. Please feel free to share this information in newsletters, email lists, etc. If you would like to submit an item for an upcoming issue,
please visit our new online form. Subscribe here.
Thank you again for your interest and support of small farms in New York.
Anu Rangarajan,
Director, Cornell Small Farms Program
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| Small Farms Program Highlights |
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Silvopasture to be Released June 21
Our own Steve Gabriel has authored a new book! In "Silvopasture", Steve explores the philosophy and techniques behind silvopasture. This system not only holds the key to restoring overgrown or neglected land, but also provides an economical livelihood and even the ability to farm extensively while buffering some of the effects of a changing climate: increased rainfall, longer droughts, and more intense storm events.
Pre-order the book now!
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Veteran in New York? Farming?
The Cornell Small Farms Program would like to remind Veterans in New York that scholarships are available to attend workshops and online courses through our 'Farm Ops' Program. 'Farm Ops' also offers intensive trainings and regional networking opportunities. To receive news about specific opportunities, sign up for our Veterans-in-Ag Listserve or contact Project Manager
Dean Koyanagi. Learn more about the project by clicking
here.
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Registration Now Open for First Annual NYS Soil Summit
The first New York Soil Summit, organized by the New York Soil Health project, is for farmers, researchers, agriculture service providers, government agencies, non-profits and policy-makers interested in advancing soil health efforts across the state. The summit is Wednesday, July 18. Topics include: local experts/grower panel, research and policies relevant to soil health, and Soil Health Roadmap breakout sessions. Registration, summit agenda, and other details can be found
here.
More information about the project can be found
here.
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| Sign-up Period for Farm Credit East Winery Benchmarks Program Now Open
This unique programs allows wineries in the northeast to see how they measure up to their peers. Farm Credit East will host a meeting for benchmark participants at Ventosa Vineyards in Geneva, NY, on Tuesday August 7, 2018, which is included in the cost of the program. The meeting will cover several topics, including "Managing your wholesale relationship" presented by Sandy Waters. For most of her career, Sandy has represented Northeast wines for various distributors. Registration for the 2018 benchmark is currently underway. Data will be required no later than June 29. If you are a past participant or new to the program, please contact your local Farm Credit East office to learn more. You can also contact the program's director, Gregg McConnell, at [email protected].
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Attention Berry Growers!
Cornell has begun issuing the first of the season's Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) alerts. Numbers are still low, but will be increasing as female flies arrive and strawberries fruit and ripen. Be vigilant in your trap and fruit monitoring, weeding, and irrigation/drainage, and employ a spraying routine that works with your picking schedule. A list of insecticides can be found here.
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FREE Webinar: How to Build an Effective Team for Your Farm or Food-Based Business
June 19, Lunchtime. Online.
Join TASTE NY, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County and Dr. Richard Stup, of the Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development program, to discuss how to build effective teams based on open communication and leadership practices. Learn employee management practices to help your farm or food-based business grow effectively and meet wholesale market demands without sacrificing quality of your product. Dr. Stup will discuss tools and resources for building your team and the importance of communication in a team. Register online
here.
On Farm Safety Class with Spanish Translation
June 21, 5:00 pm- 7:00pm. Hudson Valley Foie Fras, 80 Brooks Road, Ferndale, NY.
Nearly 100 agricultural workers are injured on the job daily. Farm business owners and managers are encouraged to attend this free class hosted by the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County (CCESC). Jim Carrabba of NYCAMH will present the importance of chemical safety and Wanda V. Cruz, healthy communities coordinator of CCESC, will provide Spanish translation and materials in both English and Spanish will be provided.
Register online
here
or by emailing
[email protected]
or by calling 845-292-6180 ext. 100.
here
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Open Farm Day
July 28, 10:00 am- 4:00pm. Madison County, NY.
No other event gives you the opportunity to connect to local farms like Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County's Open Farm Day! The annual event, now in its eighth year, invites the public to tour farms of all kinds for a day of agricultural fun that's sure to offer something for everyone. Throughout Madison County, over 30 farms are graciously opening their gates to visitors to share with them their unique farm operations, giving guests the opportunity to interact with working farms. Find out more
here
and download the Open Farm Day Passport
here.
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Reduced Tillage in Organic Systems Field Day
July 31, 9:00 am-3:00pm. Cornell
Willsboro Research Farm, 48 Sayward Lane, Willsboro, NY
This Field Day will feature in-field demonstrations of equipment and discussions with speakers and growers. The event is open and free of cost to all, with lunch included. The first 50 attendees will receive a free program resource booklet (which will then be available to all online after the event). More information, including specific topics to be covered and speakers, can be found
here.
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MANY MORE EVENTS at our Statewide Events Calendar.
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Career, Etc. Opportunities
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Certified Milk Inspector School
The Department of Food Science at Cornell University in collaboration with NY State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Division of Milk Control, is again offering the annual Certified Milk Inspectors School. The course covers the basics of raw milk quality and safety and is required for all NY State Certified Milk Inspectors (CMI), but may also be useful to producers, laboratory personnel and others involved in farm milk quality, sanitation, and safety.
Registration and payment of $125 is due July 2nd and can be found
The course takes place July 16-19th at Cornell University. Contact Louise Felker at
[email protected] or 607-255-7098 for more information, questions, and/or a draft agenda for the school.
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Hudson Valley Farm & Food Funding Accelerator Program
Launched in 2016 with a class of nine Peers, this second FFFA program will be a six to eight month curriculum beginning in November 2018, and culminating with participants having the opportunity to pitch potential funders in spring 2019.
Applications for this exclusive program will close September 15. Accepted applicants will be notified in October. In order to be eligible, applicants must be a farm, food, fiber or agriculture-dependent business having their home office, farm or production facility in the Hudson Valley, and sourcing the majority of their product ingredients from the region, as well as the majority of their labor force. They must be able to make a commitment to the time and resources required of the training program and be able to commit the same to future FFFA participants as a peer or mentor. More information and the application can be found
here.
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Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture Program Manager
This position will serve as the Agriculture Program Manager for Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Jefferson County and will implement Dairy and Livestock educational programming for a menu of existing Agriculture programs in accordance with established program parameters. This position will teach the Agriculture programs in the area of Dairy and Livestock in group and/or individual settings, both on and off the farm, utilizing a variety of delivery methods. This position is also responsible for implementing educational programming in support of alternative animal agriculture, including sheep, goats, beef, bison, pork and poultry etc., including all aspects of production and marketing. The already-established Agriculture educational programs will be provided to program participants using a variety of delivery methods to include, but not limited to: workshops, seminars, demonstrations, interest groups, newsletters, farm visits, and mass media. For more information and to apply visit
here.
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Cornell Cooperative Extension Food Business Development Director
The Food Business Development Director will provide assessment, development, delivery, evaluation, research, and direction / management of educational programming that focuses on Food Business Management in the Southern Tier (Tompkins, Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben Counties), to include farm-based and factory-based food and beverage manufacturers. This position will focus on strengthening an entrepreneurial ecosystem for the food sector, and developing a Finger Lakes regional identity with a reputation as a strongly supportive environment for food sector businesses, with an aim to expand to other counties in the region in future years. Program goals will focus on assisting existing businesses to expand, and create good jobs and careers with increased income opportunities for low-income people, and increased business investment in this rural region. For more information and to apply visit
here.
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Conference Business Support Cultivator
The Pennsylvania Sustainable Agriculture Association is seeking a Conference Business Support Cultivator for their Winter 2019 Annual Conference. The primary responsibility of the Conference Business Support Cultivator (a contract position) is to raise revenue for the conference through sponsorships, trade show exhibiting, and several forms of advertising. The revenue raised through these various ways of supporting the conference is expected to be over $150,000. This person will oversee the relationships with their supporters from ask to acknowledgement; this includes the management of the trade show. For a complete job description and information to apply, see this link
.
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ARE YOU HIRING? If you have a job opportunity that you would like to submit to the Small Farms Bi-Monthly Update, please write a detailed 125 word description and submit it
here
!
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Funding for Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced up to $80 million in funding for integrated projects to increase sustainable production of food and agricultural products.
Applications are solicited for projects focused on increasing agricultural productivity; optimizing water and nitrogen use efficiency; protecting yield losses from stresses, diseases and pests; reducing food-borne diseases; and advancing development of biobased fuels, chemicals, and coproducts.
Eligible applicants include colleges and universities, 1994 Land-Grant Institutions, and Hispanic serving agricultural colleges and universities. NIFA reviews all proposals accepted in NIFA's competitive grant programs through an external peer review process. Specific details on panel meetings, review formats, and evaluation criteria may vary among programs.
A letter of intent is a prerequisite for the submission of an application.
The deadline to submit a letter of intent is June 27, 2018. More information can be found
here.
The deadline for applications is Oct. 10, 2018.
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Deadline Extended for the USDA Dairy Margin Protection Program
The new and improved program protects participating dairy producers when the margin - the difference between the price of milk and feed costs - falls below levels of protection selected by the applicant. USDA has already issued more than $89 million for margins triggered in February, March, and April, and USDA offices are continuing to process remaining payments daily.
The re-enrollment deadline was previously extended through June 8, 2018 and is now extended to June 22, 2018. The deadline is being extended a second time to ensure that dairy producers are given every opportunity to make a calculated decision and enroll in the program if they choose. This will be the last opportunity for producers to take advantage of key adjustments Congress made to provisions of the MPP program under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 to strengthen its support of dairy producers. USDA encourages producers contemplating enrollment to use the online web resource at
www.fsa.usda.gov/mpptool
to calculate the best levels of coverage for their dairy operation.To learn more about the Margin Protection Program for dairy, contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency county office at offices.usda.gov or visit the webpage at www.fsa.usda.gov.
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 Nutrient Cycling in Pastures
This publication looks at the pathways and drivers that move nutrients into, out of, and within pasture systems. It attempts to provide a clear, holistic understanding of how nutrients cycle through pastures and what the producer can do to enhance the processes to create productive, regenerative, and resilient farm and ranch systems. Effective management of nutrient cycling in pastures is simply understanding how nature cycles nutrients in natural grasslands and then mimicking those processes.
Access the publication for free
here.
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Safety Videos for New Dairy Workers
The New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) is promoting a series of on-boarding safety training videos for new dairy workers. These free videos were created by the High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health & Safety (HICAHS) and are a valuable resource for dairy farmers looking to train new workers quickly and efficiently about safety from day one of employment.
These videos are available for free on the HICAHS website, the NYCAMH website and on the U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers YouTube Channel. All videos are narrated in English and Spanish. Pre and post tests are also available, to assess workers knowledge of the safety concepts described in the videos.
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Beekeeping: Considerations for the Ecological Beekeeper
This presentation is targeted toward novice and intermediate level beekeepers, beekeepers located in areas with regular pesticide use and/or farmers that would like to save on the cost of migratory pollination. Topics include the greatest challenges facing today's beekeeper, avoiding the downward spiral that may lead to colony death, IPM and sustainable management, and requirements for good bee health. Access the presentation
here under "Popular and Updated Publications."
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Nonprofit Boot Camp Webinar Series
strengthening the fundamentals and organizational effectiveness of food-focused, non-profit, community-based organizations. Each lessons has been recorded in the series. To access, request a
free
membership to the
Food Systems Leadership Network
. Then, visit 'Courses' in the 'Opportunities' menu of the site. Each membership must be approved, so it will likely take a few days for membership to go into effect after completing the registration.
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Need personal help?
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.
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The Small Farms Update is intended as a resource for farmers and agricultural service providers in New York and the Northeast, and is provided to you by Cornell Small Farms Program. We envision a future where diverse and vibrant urban and rural farms build human capacity, revitalize communities, supply regional food systems, and foster ecological resilience in a changing world. The Cornell Small Farm Program is a joint effort of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
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