When it comes to youth operating farm equipment, many adults will say, “I did it when I was a kid and nothing happened to me.” But that isn’t the story for everyone. This past summer, in Lancaster County, PA, two boys, ages 14 and 6, were together in a skid steer cleaning a barn. As the 14-year-old ...

The New York Beef Council (NYBC) is proud to announce that Troy Bishopp of Deansboro, NY, has been named the 2025 Beef Promoter of the Year. This award recognizes producers who go above and beyond raising beef to actively educate consumers, engage communities and promote the industry across New York...

If you’ve ever made maple syrup you’re aware of the enormous amount of input necessary to make it. But you also know the sweet and sticky result is well worth it – especially on hot blueberry waffles. Some maple producers have upped their game by certifying their process as organic. One may think, “...

“Field research is a lot like fishing,” said Dr. Carl Heeder, DVM, at the 2025 Kemin Intestinal Health Symposium, a discussion on the direction of current research and a presentation on the state of the broiler industry. “You have to be willing to show up and be okay with disappointment. You have to...

Afew changes are in store for farmers who employ others. New York State Department of Labor Representative Mary Slattery, who directs the Division of Compliance & Education (DOCE), and Kristin Hibbit, a member of the field staff, presented at the recent Labor Road Show in Geneva, hosted by Cornell A...

Happy International Year of the Woman Farmer, farm family! If someone had told me a decade ago that there would be an International Year of the Woman Farmer, I likely would have said something to the effect of, “Well, that’s the most unnecessary, gender-discriminatory thing I’ve ever heard of.” Some...

My first contact with herbicide residue injuring field crops came in the 1970s, as an agronomy Extension agent. A farmer had me examine his alfalfa seeding that had a weird mortality pattern. He had planted corn two years earlier, fallowed the piece in question the next year, planting a legume seedi...

There’s more to building a farm than obtaining acreage, lumber, fencing and equipment. Some of the first steps for new and beginning farmers include gathering information and obtaining a loan. “First is your state’s land grant Extension service,” said Chris Laughton, director of knowledge exchange, ...

TRUXTON, NY – At its simplest form, bale grazing is a way to feed animals on the land. However, farmers are known to tinker with such practices and make them their own. Depending on a farm’s context, goals and the tools to implement, it’s rarely a “cookie/hay cutter” approach. A capacity crowd of fa...

When your grass-fed dairy dials in their foraging programs, the results can be surprising. Don Burkard, a cow forage expert with Cows Come First, discussed how feeding a few premium grasses, alfalfa and corn silage to Bessie the right way can make a world of difference for her and your farm. Top-Not...

Immigration law should be of interest to any farmer using H-2A workers. Attorney Michael Sciotti with law firm Barclay Damon, LLP in Syracuse presented the topic at the recent Labor Road Show hosted by Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, NY. Barclay Damon also operates offices in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Ne...

Up till a decade and a half ago I served as an advisor to the high school vocational ag program in Milford, NY, which was part of the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). This ag program was physically centered in a barn which housed goats, sheep, layer hens, rabbits, pigs, dairy heife...

Calf illness often starts out invisible. By the time it’s noticed, the calf is significantly ill – requiring more man hours and medication – and it often dies. In a presentation by the Dairy Calf & Heifer Association, Dr. Leonardo Bringhenti, DVM, Ph.D., AHV International, discussed the ongoing chal...

What do you do when a federal or state inspector comes to your farm regarding labor laws? At the recent Labor Roadshow hosted by Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development (CAWD), Emma Swarthout of American Dairy Association North East and Lucas Smith and Richard Stup with CAWD presented two skits o...

‘Tis the season for winter’s cold and chill! Indoors, we’re able to throw another log on the fire, cozy up with some hot cocoa or tea and wear warm layers. When we go out and brave the frigid temperatures, we add a warm coat, hat, scarf, mittens and boots. But what about our horses? Many people use ...