Time Warner Cable News reporter Brian Dwyer visited the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program meeting to learn more about the NNY Regional Food Hub project funded in part by the NNYADP. He talked with NNYADP Co-Chair Jon Greenwood and project leader Anita Deming. Click here to see the story.

NNY Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report Shows Opportunities, Value of Regional Research

Northern NY. The recently-released Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report indicates growth opportunities and the value of localized on-farm research that benefits not only the diverse agricultural sectors in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, but often has a positive impact on farms statewide.

The report offers project highlights and economic indicators under the headings of Apples, Beef, Crops, Dairy, Disease and Pest Control, Environmental Stewardship, Food Hub, Food Product Innovation, New Business Development, Maple and Birch Syrup, and Young Farmers.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report posted at www.nnyagdev.org/index.php/about-us/nnyadp-impact-2/ is accompanied by NNYADP “Quotables” with comments on the value of the regional research and technical assistance program from farmers, researchers, agricultural specialists, and business owners. More than 100 farmers serve on the NNYADP steering committee.

NNYADP Co-Chair Jon Greenwood, a dairy farmer in St. Lawrence County, comments, “Farmers across the region look to the proactive research and survey work prioritized by the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program for the results and insights that they can apply in a practical way on their farms and that strengthen the agricultural industries that support our communities.”

NNYADP Co-Chair Joe Giroux, a dairy farmer in Clinton County, adds, “The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program projects in the past two years are more great examples of how the research work done here often serves as a sentinel alerting regional farmers to new field and livestock challenges, first wave opportunities for management response, and control solutions that may benefit farms here and beyond.”

NNYADP Co-Chair Jon Rulfs, a dairy and orchard owner in Clinton County, “The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program combines the on-the-ground knowledge of regional farmers, the academic expertise of the best researchers from Cornell University, Miner Institute, SUNY and others, and funding support from the New York State Senate to meet needs and develop opportunities to grow the regional farming industry in practical, timely and sound ways.”

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. Economic impact reports for 2012-2015, project reports, resource links, and NNY events are posted on nnyagdev.org.

NNYADP Economic Impact Highlights
AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Under the heading of New Business Development, the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report notes that in 2015 five agribusiness services serving five of the six northern counties offered the custom application of nematodes proven by NNYADP research as a snout beetle management control. A Franklin County farm family that runs a seeds and spray service plans to start its own nematode-rearing lab in 2016.

AGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report indicates opportunities to advance agricultural environmental stewardship with the results of field trials providing critical localized data on the impact of tile drainage on reducing erosion and the runoff of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. The results of this research project have been presented at farm industry meetings in California, Iowa, and New York.

BEEF PRODUCTION: 96 Percent Strong
Ninety-six percent of beef producers responding to a Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded survey of the regional beef industry said they plan to expand or maintain the current size of their farm business.

CROP PRODUCTION: Corn, Alfalfa, Forage
The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report lists 2015 projects that evaluated why some northern NY cornfields exceed projected yield expectations, analyzed corn silage hybrids under NNY growing conditions, addressed winter season survival of alfalfa, and assessed opportunities to improve forage production for dairy cows and other livestock.

CROP PESTS AND DISEASE ALERT
The NNY Crop Pest and Disease Survey project revealed no new challenges during the 2015 growing season, following identification in 2014 of head smut not seen in New York State cornfields since the 1980s and northern stem canker identified in New York State for the first time in 2014 in the region. Program leaders note that northern NY often serves as a sentinel alerting farmers statewide to pest or disease concerns and management responses.

DAIRY PRODUCTION: Mastitis Research, Water Quality
The second year of a Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded investigation into the lesser-known causes of dairy mastitis led by Quality Milk Production Services, Canton, NY, provided more critical insight in support of the $486 million regional dairy industry. The results of this work to date have been requested at meetings of dairy operators and veterinarians in Louisiana, Vermont, and New York, and the National Mastitis Council.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report notes that other dairy research conducted on NNY farms in 2015 suggests that the number of factors impacting water quality on a farm may lead to lost milk production of 5.5 to 14.2 lbs. of milk per cow per day.

A FOOD HUB for NNY: Farmers, Consumers, Food buyers Survey
Projects related to developing northern NY regional foods opportunities in the January 2016 Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report include a survey of farmer, consumer and buyer interest in a regional food hub. Sixty-six percent of the NNY market growers surveyed sell 75 to 100 percent of their products within the NNY region.

FOOD PRODUCT INNOVATION: Edamame, Birch Syrup
Food product innovation projects noted in the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report highlight opportunities to produce edamame: green soybeans prized as a healthy snack food, and to produce syrup from the sap of birch trees.

 

FRUIT PRODUCTION: Grapes, Juneberries
The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report notes that research in 2015 added to the knowledge base for the regional production of cold hardy grape varieties, and juneberries. The first juneberry nursery and production research center in New York State was established with NNYADP funding at the Cornell Willsboro Research Farm in Willsboro, NY.

FRUIT PRODUCTION: Apples
The $46.9 million apple industry in northern New York is benefiting from NNYADP research that is helping growers to identify key orchard pests to better target management strategies.

SEASON EXTENSION: Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs
The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report cites price per square foot research on the opportunity for increasing numbers of high tunnel growers to reap the economic benefit of crops not traditionally grown in high tunnels. Basil, for example, was evaluated as an excellent economic option at a value of $4.52/sq. ft. of high tunnel space, while ginger can sell for as much as $16 per pound

SMALL LIVESTOCK: Sheep, Goats
The NNYADP is funding field trials of birdsfoot trefoil, a forage species growing in the region many years ago, on regional sheep and goat farms. Results from 2015 are under scrutiny as a means of controlling parasites in small livestock. The 2012 Census of Agriculture reports $645,000 in NNY regional sales of sheep and goats.

YOUNG FARMERS
Results of a survey on how to reach the young farmers in northern NY will be available soon. The region has nearly 300 younger operators of farms.

 

Left to right: Kate Wehrle, District Manager for NYS Assemblywoman Addie Russell; NNYADP Co-Chair Jon Greenwood; Michael Schenk, Deputy District Director for NYS Senator Patty Ritchie; Jim Durkish, Lewis County Constituent Representative for NYS Senator Joseph Griffo.

Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) Co-Chair Jon Greenwood opened the meeting and introduced legislative representatives in attendance. Michael Schenk, Deputy District Director for New York State Senator Patty Ritchie, noted that the Senator, who Chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, is fighting to restore funding for agricultural research in the 2016-17 State Budget.

Jim Dierkes, Lewis County Constituent Representative for NYS Senator Joe Griffo, noted the Senator’s interest in keeping North Country agriculture strong with a particular focus on supporting the growth of the Kraft processing plant in Lowville.

Kate Wehrle, District Manager for NYS Assemblywoman Addie Russell, noted the Assemblywoman’s support of agriculture in NNY and her special interest in supporting Farm to School opportunities.

A REGIONAL FOOD HUB for NORTHERN NEW YORK
Anita Deming (below at NNYADP meeting in Chazy), Adirondack Harvest and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County Executive Director, presented a summary of the Northern New York Regional Food Hub Project. The project surveyed farmers, consumers and food buyers, and was funded in part by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and a USDA NIFA Specialty Crops grants (fruit, vegetable, maple, honey, herbs, etc.). Funding from the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program covering the commodity crops of milk, cheese, eggs, meat, and grains.

Deming noted that the smaller growers in the regional express interested in expanding their markets through small, ‘localized’ food hub opportunities.

“National data suggests that a food hub needs to move $1 million worth of product to be sustainable. Northern New York does not currently have that much capacity. We will need some subsidy to get rolling and grow big enough to be self-sustaining,” Deming noted. “Four or five smaller growers could go together to start a small hub that can grow into a larger force in the market.”

Deming made note that Community Supported Agriculture has proven to be a profitable model for direct marketing farms and small, independently-owned grocers have been very supportive of local growers. She added that high tunnel and vegetable sector research funded by the NNYADP is helping regional farmers develop production efficiencies that support market demand.

The Cornell University Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management provided data analysis for this project.

NNY DAIRY RESEARCH: Enhancing Calf and Cow Health
Cornell Cooperative Extension NNY Regional Dairy Specialist Kimberley Morrill, left, presented information on the NNYADP-funded project focused on evaluating calf facility impact on calf health.

The project collected and analyzed one-day, calf-level snapshots of air quality factors, including humidity, temperature, air flow, microbial and ammonia levels, for 437 calves housed in hutches, individual or group pens on 29 farms. Ventilation systems consisted of natural air flow, natural air flow plus fans, and natural air flow with positive pressure tubing.

A respiratory health standard of less than 5 was set as the desired score. Approximately 13 percent of calves evaluated in NNY had a score of 5 or higher compared to a national average of 12.4 percent.

Morrill noted that project data indicated minimal difference in respiratory health due environmental factors.

“We need to now evaluate management practices,” Morrill said, “and develop a standard for consistently evaluating calf housing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Information was also presented on the NNYADP project evaluating lesser-known, ‘other Strep’ causes of mastitis. Dr. Jessica Scillieri-Smith, DVM (above, at the Chazy meeting, and left, at Hy-Light Farms), a veterinarian with Quality Milk Production Services, Canton, NY, led the research that tested 8.631 milk samples from 143 dairies in NNY in 2014 to more specifically identify the pathogen causing mastitis. The testing found infections caused by species that heretofore have not been considered pathogens in bovine mastitis. In some cases the Lactococcus genus was identified as the cause of more than 50 percent of mastitis cases.

Since Lactococcus is not currently identified using standard microbiology techniques, Quality Milk Production Services is enhancing testing techniques to provide farmers and veterinarians with more specific results for better targeting treatment decisions.

The results of the 2015 NNYADP project evaluating five farms with higher incidences of Lactococcus-based infections will be available soon on www.nnyagdev.org.

Results of the 2014 NNYADP project were requested for presentation at farmer and veterinarian meetings in NY, Vermont and Louisiana in 2015 and by the National Mastitis Council already in 2016.

TILE DRAINAGE RESEARCH UPDATE
Dr. Eric Young, left, research agronomist at W.H. Miner Institute, Chazy, NY, presented an update on tile drainage research trials funded by the NNYADP. Four plots are established at Lake Alice Wildlife Management Area near Chazy, NY. They were managed as reed canarygrass fields in 2012-2013, and then planted to corn in 2014.

The instrumentation in the plots captures real-time changes in surface and subsurface runoff, tracking phosphorus concentration and sediment over storm events. More phosphorus was lost in surface runoff from undrained fields under a snowmelt event in December 2014, a remarkable difference compared to the tile drained plots. However, Young said, more data is needed to support the opportunity to mitigate P loss in a major way under snowmelt conditions. The research is also evaluating the loss of immediately available P.

New funding from the NNYADP will support larger field trials of 10 acres or more at Rulfs Farms which has its own tiling machine. The trials will compare tile drainage vs. natural drainage and tie data to crop yield and economic factors.

“The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program funding has provided awesome support for tile drainage research which is really significant for North Country agriculture,” Young noted. “This research is particularly valuable to CAFO farms as they develop more and more efficient manure management to prevent runoff losses with and without tile.”

This regionally-based research is also significant as states refine their phosphorus management requirements for farms. The NNYADP project work is building a model based on sound data representative of actual field conditions in Northern New York.

The tile drainage research was supported by additional expertise from SUNY Plattsburgh.

USDA AVIAN FLU INFORMATION
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service representatives (below) John Harmer, DVM, and Jennifer McGuire of the USDA Agriculture Research Service shared avian flu (AV) information with an exhibit at the 2016 NNYADP meetings. Just a few weeks prior to the February 12 meeting a poultry producer in Indiana experienced a major outbreak of AV and his flocks had to be destroyed, resulting in a major economic loss.

“We are encouraging attention to biosecurity practices in the poultry world from large farms to backyard flocks to prevent avian flu,” said Harmer, a veterinary medical officer with USDA APHIS, Albany, NY. “Our most important message is that if producers are seeing unusual deaths or higher mortality rates in a short time span, call us so we can evaluate what did or did not cause those deaths.”

 

 

 

 

 

“MEASURE” is MESSAGE from CROP NUTRIENT RESEARCH SPECIALIST
“Measure,” was the number one key for successful crop production suggested by Dr. Quirine Ketterings, left, Director of the Cornell University Nutrient Management Spear Program, at the 2016 NNYADP meetings. Dr. Ketterings, who has conducted crop production, nutrient management and agricultural environmental stewardship research in Northern New York for many years, presented the scope of her current research in the region with tips to encourage 2016 production success.

She first asked the farmers attending the NNYADP meeting how they define crop production success. Replies included profitability, quality, harvest yield sufficient to feed their dairy cows, milk production, sustainability, efficiency, and longevity.

“Northern New York has seen an upward trend in corn silage and grain production since World War II due to advances in plant breeding and production efficiencies. Challenging weather and field to field variability of soil, drainage and management all continue to limit production,” Ketterings noted.

Her number one tip was “measure yield. We need data to evaluate. Keep field-to-filed, year-to-year management records that can be analyzed to identify what might be enhancing or limited crop production.”

Dr. Ketterings’ recent and current projects in Northern New York include a corn yield potential study, evaluation of Greenseeker technology, considering winter cereal crop production to boost emergency forage supply, and, in 2016, a study of forage sorghum in rotation with winter cereals.

The corn yield study showed yields exceeding the expectations indicated by Cornell guidelines in 2013. In 2014, actual yields were 14 percent lower than expected. Preliminary yield indicators from 2015 are 5 percent higher. The three-year average equals the Cornell database. Research continues to explore factors that influence the variability.

Northern New York farms are participating in evaluating the use of crop sensors to determine optimal nitrogen application during the growing season. Early field results indicate the best window for use of the sensors as the V7 stage of growth.

In speaking about the winter cereals research, Dr. Ketterings commented, “In the last couple of years, crop rotation has been the way to increase yield per acre.” A general conclusion from her work analyzing return on investment is that double cropping properly managed can pay off on the right fields.

A new NNYADP-funded project in 2016 will evaluate the use of brachytic dwarf BMR forage sorghum as a shorter growing season option vs. corn silage. Questions include can the sorghum compete for yield, and can it be late planted or early harvested.

“Based on results to date, we think forage sorghum can compete with corn silage for yield and quality in dairy production systems in the Northeastern U.S.,” Ketterings said.

Data from three NNY sites in 2016 will be added to field trial results from eight sites in central and eastern NY.

Among her other tips for successful crop production, Ketterings suggested managing fields for soil conservation, organic matter, optimal fertility and pH; not basing decisions on just one year of data; using a whole farm perspective, and participating in NNYADP regional field trials.

“We get the most relevant data when we gather it in your backyard. With a whole farm perspective, we see opportunities for farms to improve nutrient mass balance on the field side, management side, and nutrition side,” Ketterings concluded. “Northern New York is sometimes driving the rest of the state with its research.”

NNYADP is FARMER-DRIVEN: BREAKOUT SESSIONS GENERATE NEW IDEAS
Breakout sessions allowed meeting participants to identify relevant projects for future funding. Input has also been received from farmers unable to attend the meetings due to farm obligations and winter weather. To share ideas with the NNYADP, contact Co-Chairs Jon Greenwood, 315.386.3231; Joe Giroux, 518.563.7523; Jon Rulfs, 518.572.1960; program coordinator Michele Ledoux, 315.376.5270; or publicist Kara Lynn Dunn, 315.465.7578.

Photos: Kara Lynn Dunn, Peggy Greb/USDA, Quirine Ketterings, Michele Ledoux, Miner Institute, Brian P. Whattam

 

 

The Shields Lab at Cornell University is asking farmers interested in ordering or applying the biocontrol nematodes proven successful for limiting the highly-destructive alfalfa snout beetle to contact the Lab at 607-591-1493 before April 29 if they are planning to apply the nematodes before July 1.

The Shields Lab is also interested in talking with anyone interested in rearing the biocontrol nematodes as a business enterprise.

Farmers have the option to purchase a shipment of the biocontrol nematodes from the Shields Lab or to request assistance in rearing the nematodes themselves.

The cost to purchase the biocontrol nematodes from the Shields Lab is $26 per acre. Growers using their own labor to rear the biocontrol nematodes may reduce the cost to approximately $15 per acre.

Approximately five agribusinesses in the region provided custom application of the nematodes in 2015.

Applications must be made by September 1. The April 29 ordering date from the Lab includes the opportunity for a ten percent discount for delivery for application by June 15. A ten percent discount will be provided to participants paying upon delivery.

The Shields Lab recommends applying the nematodes to alfalfa fields in the seeding or first production year for best economic impact.

If farmers choose to apply the biocontrol nematodes to more established alfalfa fields, the nematodes will establish and attack snout beetle larvae present in the fields, but will not assist with stand retention.

The Shields Lab plans to discontinue its rearing of the nematodes by 2021. Cornell entomologist Elson Shields says, “Alfalfa snout beetle will remain a potential threat as long as alfalfa is grown in the region, so we are also very interested in assisting anyone interested in rearing these biocontrol nematodes as a business enterprise so this control agent remains available to Northern New York farmers after 2021.”

With long-term funding by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program, Shields and Cornell University Research Support Specialist Tony Testa developed a complete understanding of the life cycle of alfalfa snout beetle and created the science-based, field-tested protocol for using a combination of two species of native New York nematodes to control the beetle. Their guide to rearing and applying the biocontrol nematodes is online at www.nnyagdev.org.

In 2015, with cost-sharing assistance from the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program, 22 farms applied the biocontrol nematodes for the first time. To date, 77 farms have applied the biocontrol nematodes, protecting a total of 14,000 acres.

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. Economic impact reports for 2012-2015, project reports, resource links, and NNY events are posted on nnyagdev.org.

MORE INFO:
Click here to learn more about the NNY agribusinesses that assisted nematode applications in 2015: www.nnyagdev.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/NNYADPASBagbusinessPR.pdf

Click here for more info: including critical ordering and application timelines.

Innovative Mastitis Research Data to be Presented Feb. 5 in Chazy, Feb. 12 in Watertown

The results of Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded research into the lesser-known causes of mastitis in dairy cows will be presented at the NNYADP annual meetings on February 5 at Miner Institute in Chazy and February 12 at the Ramada Inn in Watertown. The meetings are open to all farmers, agribusiness operators and the public. Registration for the meetings is not required. For more information, contact 315.376.5270.

Project leader Dr. Jessica Scillieri Smith, a veterinarian with the Cornell University Quality Milk Production Services (QMPS) laboratory at Canton, NY, will report on testing that focused on five dairy herds identified in the first year of the NNYADP-funded project in 2014 with higher numbers of cows with mastitis caused by the Lactococci species of bacteria.

Lactococci organisms represented more than 23 percent of the cause of nearly 500 ‘other Strep’ infections diagnosed in milk samples from 143 farms in NNY in the 2014 phase of this NNYADP project, and was identified as the cause of more than 50 percent of mastitis cases on some farms.

The NNYADP funding supported development by QMPS of enhanced laboratory testing methods to help farmers and veterinarians accurately identify Lactococcus infections in milk samples. Prior to this project in NNY, Lactococcus had not previously been identified using standard microbiology techniques in testing labs.

“Success with new testing methods will lead to more accurate diagnosis and better informed management decisions by dairy herd managers, and supports the opportunity to better understand mastitis and improve management decisions,” says Smith.

Smith has presented this research at veterinary and dairy meetings in New York, Vermont and Louisiana and at the National Mastitis Council meeting last week.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program provides small grants for on-farm research and technical assistance projects in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Learn more at www.nnyagdev.org. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.