Please click HERE to visit the CCE of Genesee County Agriculture Site!
Ag Districts
Farmland Protection
Smart Growth Plan
Manure Management Guidelines for Limestone Bedrock/Karst Areas of Genesee County, NY.
Practices for Risk Reduction
2011
Cornell University Animal Science Publication Series No. 240
Jan Beglinger, Agriculture Outreach Coordinator
Phone: 585-343-3040 ext. 132
E-mail: jmb374@cornell.edu
Barb Sturm, 4-H Youth Development Ag In The Classroom Educator
Phone: 585-343-3040 ext. 122
E-mail: bbs28@cornell.edu
Or stop by Cornell Cooerative Extension of Genesee County at 420 East Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
NYS food banks reimburse farmers for cost of harvesting donated produce
New York’s fruit and vegetable farmers can be reimbursed for the harvesting costs of produce that is donated to a food bank in the state.
Farmers may be reimbursed for their labor costs in harvesting and packing produce, as well as packaging materials, when produce is donated to food banks. A new initiative, Glean NY, hopes to increase the donation of food from the farm, including produce that might not otherwise have been harvested, produce culled from packing lines and storage, and more.
Glean NY is a partnership of New York State’s eight regional food banks, Cornell University, Cornell Cooperative Extension, New York Farm Bureau, and farmers.
Occasionally, farms have produce that cannot be sold due to cosmetic blemishes, lack of market, or similar conditions. Food-safe produce can be donated to food banks. Donations do not have to be washed, sorted, graded, or packaged as for retail.
In many cases, the food banks’ trucks can pickup produce at the farm. In some regions, food banks have produce crates that can be dropped off at the farm; otherwise farm crates can be returned to the farm.
New York State’s food banks provide food for over 3 million people annually. Food is distributed through more than 5,000 local food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other programs.
New York farmers donated more than 8.5 million pounds of produce, meat, milk, eggs, and other items to food banks in 2012, according to the American Farm Bureau Harvest for All project.
To make a donation, or for more information, call your regional food bank, or call the Food Bank Association of New York State at (518) 433-4505.
On the web: www.gleanny.org
Farm Service Agency County Committee
Nomination Period Begins June 17
WASHINGTON, June 4, 2013 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees begins on Monday, June 17.
"I encourage all eligible farmers and ranchers to participate in this year's county committee elections by nominating candidates by the August 1 deadline," said Vilsack. "County committees are a vital link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provide an opportunity to farmers and ranchers for their opinions and ideas to be heard. We have been seeing an increase in the number of nominations of women and minority candidates and I hope that trend continues.”
To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.
Farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or others, and organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available online at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2013 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 1, 2013. Elections will take place this fall.
While FSA county committees do not approve or deny farm ownership or operating loans, they make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms. Nationwide, there are about 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three to 11 members that are elected by eligible producers.
FSA will mail ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 4. The voted ballots are due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 2. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office on Jan. 1, 2014.
NOTE: FSA news releases and media advisories are available on the Web at www.fsa.usda.gov.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).
A note for farmers, recyclers, educators, agricultural plastics suppliers and manufacturers, and others:
The Recycling Agricultural Plastics Project (RAPP) can assist with recycling many of the plastics discarded after use in agriculture. RAPP has markets and guidelines for recycling maple tubing and irrigation drip tape, as well as dairy films, boat wrap, nursery pots, agricultural chemical containers, and more.
Check out RAPP's new facebook page to learn just about anything you might want to know about agricultural plastics, recycling, and the New York State Recycling Agricultural Plastics Project (RAPP).
Simply search on facebook for <Recycling Agricultural Plastics Project> or enter the url <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycling-Agricultural-Plastics-Project-RAPP/439750762770779>
Click 'Like' from your facebook page to stay in touch.
Agriculture Information Service
To help support our local agriculture industry and to provide producers with expert information, Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension offers an annual “Ag Enrollment”. The NWNY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops team provides the latest research based knowledge to the dairy, livestock and field crop industries. The Cornell Vegetable Team specialists provide up-to-date information regarding vegetable production and storage as well as pest control and food safety. Both teams offer newsletters with timely production information, farm visits, research opportunities and educational programs. If you or someone you know may benefit from this program, please see the brochure or contact Brandie Schultz at bls238@cornell.edu
Dairy Foods Certificate Program
Cornell Dairy Foods Extension is now offering curriculum based certificates in the areas of fluid milk processing for quality & safety; yogurt & fermented dairy foods; and cheese manufacture. Required courses for the certificate programs are listed in the Extension Calendar along with other training and meeting opportunities.
Visit the Cornell University Dairy Foods Extension website for training programs: http://foodscience.cornell.edu/cals/foodsci/extension/dairy-foods-extension-programs.cfm