The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has announced 27 farm research projects for 2015.
The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program received $600,000 in State funding for the projects that cover a wide range of agricultural interests from evaluating emerging mastitis pathogens in dairy herds and early warning crop scouting for perennial and emerging diseases to Juneberry ‘superfruit’ production, and potential new high value crops for Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.
Farmers are cooperating with researchers from Cornell University, Miner Institute, Quality Milk Production Services, and Cornell Cooperative Extension to evaluate opportunities to enhance dairy calf health; and advance the production of crops from alfalfa, legumes, corn and oats to beef, birch syrup, edamame, apples, cold-hardy grapes, and amelanchier, also known as Juneberry, and other berries.
‘Every year we hear more and more reports from farmers that they are substantially saving on costs, time and labor as a direct result of the insights, information, and innovations produced by Northern New York Agricultural Development Program projects,’ says Program Co-Chair Joe Giroux, a dairy owner in Plattsburgh, Clinton County.
‘Northern New York Agricultural Development Program research supports the needs of our unique regional growing conditions, soils, and microclimates. The agricultural and environmental insight and results developed here benefit the economy both locally and statewide,’ said Program Co-Chair Jon Greenwood, a St. Lawrence County dairy farmer.
‘The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program produces a tremendous amount of information for the well-diversified agricultural interests across the region, from fruit to dairy to crops production and all aspects of farming with benefits to farms of all sizes,’ says Program Co-Chair Jon Rulfs, a partner in dairy and orchard businesses in Clinton County.
More than 130 farmers participate as committee members with the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program. The most recent Census data shows a total value of NNY farm products in excess of $752.8 million.
Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by New York State Senate leadership and is administered through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Click here and scroll down for a complete list of NNYADP 2015 projects