The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has posted its 2018 grant announcement and application at www.nnyagdev.org.

Proposals are sought for projects to address the agricultural challenges and opportunities unique to the six northernmost counties of New York State. A list of farmer-generated research ideas focused on field crops, dairy, horticulture, livestock, local foods, and maple production is posted with the grant application.

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The 2017-2018 State Budget provides $600,000 for NNYADP projects in 2018.

The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program provides research and technical assistance to farmers in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Past projects funded by the program have helped regional farmers enhance production efficiency, reduce costs, develop new product and marketing opportunities, and support the sustainability of farm businesses, local economies, and agricultural environmental stewardship. The results of past research projects are posted on this website.

Note: The application form was updated at 10 am on August 31, 2017; please use the links below to prepare for application.
RFP: Request for Proposals Grant Information
Application Form with Budget due by Oct 23, 2017
Research Ideas (doc) (PDF)

 

 

NNYADP-Funded Research Evaluates Summer Heat Relief for Dairy Cows

Chazy, NY.  Summer heat in New York State has been estimated to cost the dairy industry $23 million a year in total economic losses that include decreased milk production, decreased milk components, and impact on animal health and reproduction.

The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program funded research by the William  H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, Chazy, NY, to assess ways to help cows adjust to the hottest days of the year. The final report on different types of heat abatement systems for dairy cows is posted at www.nnyagdev.org.

“Our investigation evaluated the impact of different heat abatement systems on the cows and milk production under Northern New York summer climate conditions for insight on the best ways to keep cows comfortable and healthy and to maintain milk yield in times of heat stress,” said Miner Institute Director of Research Katie Ballard.

The project worked with three groups of Holstein cows at Minter Institute from June 10 through August 28, 2016. The types of heat abatement systems evaluated included the use of fans, an evaporative cooling system with water nozzles attached to fans, and different bedding types.

The cooling measures were applied in different settings, including barns, feed alleys and milking parlors.

The research team recorded temperature and humidity for each group every 15 minutes, wind speed in feed alleys and bedding areas, the amount of time the cows were standing and lying, and milk production for each cow. Milk samples were analyzed for fat, protein and other components which draw premium income.

“The higher producing cows appear to be more sensitive to heat stress. Providing maximum heat abatement measures over stalls and feed alleys helped keep the cows more comfortable, hold milk production steadier, and maintain milk fat percentage,” Ballard noted.

The results of the project will be presented at the 2018 American Dairy Science Association meeting in Knoxville, TN.  Results of the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded dairy calf heat stress relief research conducted by Miner Institute were presented at the 2017 American Dairy Science Association meeting.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded research on heat stress and its impact on dairy cattle performance continues in 2017 on four commercial dairies in Clinton and Franklin counties.

The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program provides research and technical assistance to farmers in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Western Bean Cutworm, an emerging pest of field and sweet corn in the Eastern U.S, prompted the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program to fund field research in 2016. The results of those trials are now posted at www.nnyagdev.org as the work continues in cornfields this summer.

In 2016, Northern New York farms had the highest trap counts for Western Bean Cutworm (WBC), according to scouting reports by Cornell Cooperative Extension field crops specialists and the statewide NYS Integrated Pest Management (IPM) WBC monitoring network. Nine of the top 10 highest trap count sites for WBC moths in 2016 were in St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Franklin, and Lewis counties.

While no economically-significant infestations have yet been recorded, corn growers are concerned that kernel feeding damage by the WBC larvae present an opportunity for mold and pathogen growth that would impact feed quality, animal health, and milk production.

The 2016 field research on working farms in Northern New York evaluated the effectiveness of corn seed modified to include a Bt trait developed to manage WBC. The research was prompted by reports that some Bt corn was not adequately managing WBC.

“The 2016 research trials evaluating Bt corn with the Cry1F and Vip3A traits side-by-side showed failure of the Cry1F trait to adequately control Western Bean Cutworm. The Vip3A trait has worked well in Northern New York,” said Cornell University Cooperative Extension North Country Regional Agriculture Team Field Crops Specialist Michael Hunter.

Hunter and Cornell University Cooperative Extension North Country Regional Agriculture Team Field Crops and Soils Specialist Kitty O’Neil conducted the 2016 field trials in cooperation with Cornell University entomology, plant pathology, and IPM specialists.

The WBC research continues with new funding from the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program in 2017. As of late July, two cornfields in Jefferson County were found to have enough WBC egg masses and newly-hatched larva to require an insecticide treatment.

Female WBC moths look for pre-tassel corn to lay eggs. The eggs hatch and growing larvae eat tassels and make their way down the plant to the ear where they eat silks and, eventually, developing kernels underneath the husks. Peak population numbers occur in late July and early August.

“This year, because the corn tasseling is later than normal, Western Bean Cutworm damage may be partly avoided. The larva do not eat corn leaves so if there is no tassel for the larva to feed on, they will starve to death,” O’Neil explained.

The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program provides research and technical assistance to farmers in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Lowville, NY.  The results of the first-ever survey of bee colony health in Northern New York will be presented along with an assessment of the impact of parasites, pathogens and pesticides on bee colonies statewide at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Lewis County office in Lowville on Tuesday, August 1 from 6 to 8 pm. Cost is $5 per person. Pre-registration is requested by July 27 at 315-376-5270 or http://ccelewis.org.

Cornell University Honey Bee Extension Associate Emma Mullen will talk about the factors that stress bee colonies and can reduce honey production. Mullen will present information on the levels of mites and viruses in colonies locally and statewide and suggest ways beekeepers can keep their bees healthy.

Mullen served as project leader for the Northern New York bee health survey project funded by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program. The survey was the first of its kind for the northern region of New York state. The survey documented seasonal colony losses and the levels of key parasites and viruses in both commercial-scale and hobby bee colonies. The complete survey report is on this website under Horticulture: Beekeeping.

The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program provides research and technical assistance to farmers in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Visitors to the Willsboro Research Farm this Thursday will learn research updates on several projects funded by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program. . .

The Cornell University Willsboro Research Farm will hold an open house on Thursday, July 13 from 1:30pm to 4:00pm.  A tour of the facilities and research plots will leave the main office at 48 Sayward Lane, Willsboro at 2:00pm.  Light refreshments will be provided.

Research topics featured at this year’s open house include corn silage variety trials, nitrogen management for forage sorghum, warm season forage variety trials, juneberry nursery and production trials, Aronia variety plantings, cover crop seeding demonstration plots, a high tunnel cherry tomato pruning study, greenhouse pepper production under field and high tunnel conditions, adaptive nitrogen management for corn and incorporating cover crops into the adaptive management model, and field trials of farmer selected organic spring wheat breeding lines.

In 1982 E. Vreeland Baker, a Willsboro farmer and entrepreneur, donated his 352 acre farm to Cornell University for agricultural research and demonstration.  The facility serves to connect Cornell faculty in Ithaca with the challenges and issues facing North Country farmers.  Willsboro Research Farm is managed by the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station.

This event is free and open to the public.  For more information call 518-963-7492.