WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chairman Frank Lucas issued the following statement Jan. 29 after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Agricultural Act of 2014 by a vote of 251-166. “I am pleased a majority of my House colleagues joined me in supporting a five-year, comprehensive farm bill. I appreciate ...

FAIRLEE, VT— The menu at this year’s 18th annual Vermont Grazing and Livestock Conference had over 300 farmers from around the Northeast munching on grazing, soil health, financial and life goal entrees rich in practical knowledge. Complementing the enthusiasm for this whole farm decision-making foc...

REO virus is a malady that appears and goes away, only to re-appear now and then, here and there, seemingly defying any pattern of severity or species. It is so hard to spot that often only vigilant farmers and/or veterinarians who conduct more than cursory examinations are likely to become suspicio...

The tractors lining the arena looked like a testimony to mid-20th century farming. Brand names included Case, Allis-Chalmers, Minneapolis Moline, Massey-Harris and lots of John Deere, many restored to use after being discarded in favor of new models. And if it weren’t for the polished paint and shin...

Producing wool doesn’t start with shearing the sheep; it begins well before birth. Two primary factors which affect wool quality are genetics and nutrition. Dr. Nancy Irlbeck, of the University of Colorado — a sheep farmer herself — discussed the importance of nutrition in fiber development, offerin...

LIVERPOOL, NY — With its focus on youth, the future was clearly on the agenda at the New York State Agricultural Society’s 182nd annual meeting and forum Jan. 8-9 at the Holiday Inn near Syracuse. The keynote speaker on Jan. 9, Dr. Robert Milligan of Dairy Strategies LLC, gave an address titled, “Mi...

Do you want to share variety trial results, on-farm experiment results or great new equipment with fellow farmers? One great way is to invite fellow farmers or researchers over for a field visit. You might combine it with other topics and speakers for a four to six hour field day. Charlie White of P...

HARRISBURG, PA — Three generations arrived at the Pennsylvania Farm Show on Monday, Jan. 6 to assist a 12 year old boy while he competed for the first time with his team of miniature horses in the horse pulls. After unloading the supplies in subzero temperatures, Dale Long stood in line with all of ...

LIVERPOOL, NY — Richard Ball’s fruit and vegetable farm in Schoharie County seems to give him a good view of the landscape of both upstate and downstate New York. The Town of Schoharie is situated in the Southern Tier, south of Canajoharie and east of Schenectady. More significantly, Schoharie Valle...

Despite record cold temperatures the opening day of the 2014 Keystone Farm Show, farmers from across the Mid-Atlantic region headed to the York Fair Grounds in York, PA for this year’s 17th annual event, Jan. 7-9. The Keystone Farm Show, often described as “The farm show for farmers,” is an event de...

Native warm season grasses are playing a growing role in pasture management. These multi-use grasses are a primary way of establishing and maintaining wildlife habitat, are used for biofuel, and are being promoted for use under drought conditions. Recent research at the University of Tennessee’s Cen...

For decades there has been a strong difference of opinion among various vested groups regarding the merits of adding antibiotics to animal feeds for the purpose of increasing feed efficiency and minimizing the effects of possible low grade infections especially in young growing animals. Animal scien...

The phrase ‘mommy bloggers unite’ will probably never be uttered because they’re a group that’s already as united as they could be. But who are mommy bloggers, and why should farmers care about what they think? According to the social media site Mashable, the average mommy blogger age is 37, has at ...

Savvy businesspeople know that happy customers return and spend more money. Smart farmers ask loyal CSA, farmers market and restaurant customers what they liked. Smart businesspeople seek customer suggestions for the future. Engaged customers are loyal customers. Always greet your customers personal...

In an effort to help dairy farmers understand new regulations becoming effective this year, a ‘work group’ including the Soil & Water Conservation District, NY Farm Bureau, Cornell Cooperative Extension and the New York Center for Agriculture and Medicine are hosting informational meetings concernin...