Peru, N.Y.; June 30, 2023.  Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) joined members of the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) at Adirondack Farms in Peru, New York today to discuss a 2022 project that assessed the economic feasibility of co-digestion of dairy manure and food waste to produce energy. Jones is a strong supporter of the farmer driven NNYADP and has secured over $1,500,000 in state funding for the organization since 2019.

“Many do not realize that innovative agricultural research is happening right here in the North Country,” said Jones. “As dairy farmers across the country continue to face challenges, the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program’s projects provide vital data and insights to help our local agricultural industry not only adapt the most recent green technologies, but also be a leader in groundbreaking research. I am proud to have repeatedly secured funding for this program so that they can continue to lead the way in developing agricultural technology and methodology throughout the state.”

“The research done by Lauren Ray and other researchers with funding from NNYADP, is very beneficial to North Country Agriculture,” said Jon Rulfs, co-chair of NNYADP and owner of Adirondack Farms. “Through manure digestion, we can be part of the solution in our nation’s response to climate change. Through this research, we are working to bring carbon neutral farming to our region and the state. We are very grateful for the support from Assemblyman Billy Jones for helping to secure funding for the program.”

“Farming has changed so much even in the past five years that you cannot even imagine,” said Joe Giroux, co-chair of NNYADP. “Northern New York Agricultural Development Program allows our region to be competitive with the rest of the state and nation and provides an opportunity to show ourselves what we have done the last forty years since the program started. From tile drainage to water quality to the air we breathe – our projects do not just benefit local farmers but are a great benefit for the North Country.”

This study is in response to the national dairy industry’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2050 and a New York State law that went into effect in early 2022 that requires food waste producers of more than 2 tons/week to divert that waste from landfills if there are accepted options within 25 miles for fees not exceeding 10 percent above the landfill tipping rate.

Adirondack Farms is home to an anaerobic digester system that converts dairy manure to biogas that can be used like natural gas to heat homes, power buses, or run cooling systems. the solid digestate produced is separated further resulting in a dry material used as soft bedding for the farm’s cows and a nutrient-rich liquid used to fertilize the fields.

Anaerobic digestion and co-digestion systems are manure management systems that can achieve net negative greenhouse gas emissions; they use a series of processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen to capture biogas for energy generation. Cornell University Agricultural Sustainability and Energy Engineering Specialist Lauren E. Ray and Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY Agricultural Engineer Peter E. Wright applied a small grant from the NNYADP to develop two case studies: one re: a farm digester converting dairy manure into electrical energy with the capacity to add food waste for co-digestion, and one re: installation of a new anaerobic co-digestion system to generate renewable natural gas energy. The case studies evaluated information on regional food waste sources, tipping fees, and data from Clarkson University research on micro-anaerobic co-digestion as well as system needs and cost.

The study found that co-digestion systems are economically feasible and a good investment especially considering the 30 percent federal investment tax credit and the ability to sell the renewable natural gas to a third party. Additionally, researchers discovered that the electricity generation and revenue continue to be a challenge in New York due to low export value and extreme grid capacity limitations. This could lead to substantial upgrade costs for co-digestion systems. However, the study has drawn attention from farmers throughout the state, which has leveraged additional funding to evaluate opportunities for smaller farms and further research into types of food waste sources and other economic variables.
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Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Legislature through the New York State Assembly and administrated by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Photos: Visual difference between corn damaged by Western bean cutworm and corn protected by VIP3A endotoxin. Photos: Allen Wilder/Miner Institute

Chazy, New York; June 28, 2023.  The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) has announced the results of research investigating the impact of Western bean cutworm (WBC) damage on the nutritional quality of corn silage. This is little existing research about this correlation.

WBC moths begin laying their eggs on corn crops in northern New York in July. The populations of this moth, first discovered in New York State in 2009, have grown exponentially across the state. While this pest is known to cause significant economic and quality losses in field corn grain, less research has been conducted on its impact on corn silage.

With a small grant from the farmer-driven NNYADP, Allen Wilder, a forage agronomist with the W.H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, Chazy, New York, compared silage yield and 25 quality metrics of corn silage made from two corn hybrids that differed only by their genetic insect damage-protection traits. One hybrid included VIP3A endotoxin to resist WBC damage; one did not.

“Few controlled studies have been done under northern New York conditions to examine how damage done by Western bean cutworm impacts the aerobic stability of corn silage that in turn influences the forage quality of the silage fed to dairy cows here,” Wilder said.

Western bean cutworm pressure was high during the trial with more than half of the WBC-susceptible plants showing signs of infestation in the ear tips of the corn. The hybrid with the VIP3A endotoxin showed negligible feeding by WBC larvae.

Ear tip feeding by WBC may result in higher populations of undesirable microorganisms, such as yeasts, in silage. The damaged corn in this trial showed dramatically higher levels of mold colony-forming units. The higher yeast count in the damaged corn may have influenced the data showing a significantly longer duration of heat development in the ensiled corn.

Wilder notes that although aerobic stability differences were not noticeable in this single trial, palatability differences may impact cow performance.

WBC damage also resulted in a yield difference between the two corn hybrids.

“The damaged corn in this trial measured lower yield of almost two tons less of as-fed silage per acre,” Wilder said.

Wilder’s complete project report is posted at www.nnyagdev.org under About: NNYADP Projects by Year: 2022.

Growers interested in tracking when and where various pests, including Western bean cutworm, appear in New York State can follow the Weekly Field Crops Pest Report updates by Cornell University IPM Field Crops and Livestock Coordinator Kenneth Wise at https://blogs.cornell.edu/ipmwpr/ .WBC reporting is expected to post from July to mid-August.

Wise notes, “If the flight of the Western bean cutworm is timed with pre-tasseled corn, growers should look for WBC eggs on corn leaves.”

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Legislature through the New York State Assembly and administrated by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Results: Horseweed control ratings were greater than 90% in eight of 12 treatments tested on-farm.

Watertown, New York; May 23, 2023.  The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has announced the results of on-farm field research trials identifying the effectiveness of different treatments for management of horseweed in soybean. The broadleaf weed, also known as marestail, has become increasingly resistant to the use of glyphosate as the primary seed control program for its management.

“Horseweed has made it necessary for soybean growers to use an effective soil-residual herbicide in tandem with their pre-planting herbicide treatment or as a separate application just prior to planting,” Cornell Cooperative Extension North Country Regional Field Crops Specialist Michael Hunter explains. The spread of horseweed across New York State over the last years has prompted farmers to consider changing their management approach. In 2019, horseweed was identified on several farms in northern New York. In 2020, uncontrolled resistant horseweed contributed to significant soybean yield losses on some farms.

Hunter’s research in 2021 and 2022 produced horseweed control ratings greater than 90 percent in eight of 12 treatments tested on farms that had horseweed populations with confirmed resistance to both glyphosate (Group 9) and ALS-inhibitors (Group 2). Horseweed resistant to multiple herbicides is becoming more common across much of New York State.

Hunter tested a dozen herbicides with different sites of action with the potential to help manage glyphosate-resistant horseweed in soybean. He tested the products alone or in a mix for the management of the weed prior to its emergence in the field.

A complete report and table of the products tested is found online at www.nnyagdev.org under About: NNYADP Projects by Year: 2022. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Legislature through the New York State Assembly and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
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May 19, 2023.  Hoard’s Dairyman , The National Dairy Farm Magazine, made note of the NNYADP kefir probiotic supplement research with dairy calves in its E-News Industry Buzz yesterday: https://hoards.com/article-33643-nnyadp-research-results-kefir-as-probiotic-for-neonatal-dairy-calves.html.

Last Month:
April 12, 2023. Click here: https://www.wwnytv.com/video/2023/04/12/ag-report-exploring-kefir-use-calves/ to see WWNY TV 7’s Ag Report by Emily Griffin on the NNYADP-funded research by Miner Institute  exploring the use of kefir as a probiotic for dairy calves. Emily interviewed project leader Cari Reynolds and NNYADP Co-Chair Jon Greenwood and visited Greenwood Dairy for the report. Thank you, all!

Click here to read the “Effects of Kefir Supplementation During the First 21 Days of Life on Growth, Diarrhea Incidence, and Antibiotic Use in Holstein Calves“ NNYADP 2022 project report.

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) is supported by the New York State Legislature through the New York State Assembly and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.