Especially in light of the pandemic, rural economies often struggle for stability during weather crises. Building resilience into the rural economy can help farms endure through tough times. Ronnie Coffman, professor of global development, international professor of plant breeding and genetics and d...

The New York Cattle Battle (NYCB) series is a beef cattle show that focuses on providing positive experiences for families. The NYCB was born from the lack of shows for kids in 2020 when COVID decimated their showing season. Kids were still in the barn with their projects but did not have any opport...

As pervasive labor shortages plague farms, many farmers investigate automation as a means of decreasing their need for labor; however, could this provide a long-term, sustainable and environmentally sound solution? As part of the 2021 Grow-NY Summit hosted by the Center of Excellence for Food and Ag...

There’s an official definition for agroforestry, but Richard Straight, lead agroforester for USDA’s National Agroforestry Center, narrows it down to “the intentional combining of agriculture and working trees to create sustainable farming and ranching systems.” Agroforestry can also be described as ...

Northwind Horse Farm in Wallkill, NY, was the place to be on Nov. 20. The Orange County 4-H Horse Program held a “Horse Fun Day” at the farm, with more than 150 boys and girls in attendance. Geared for ages 4 and up, the scores of children waiting on line to sign in could barely contain their excite...

After conducting the business of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) virtually last year, several hundred members met in person for the 71st annual meeting in Hershey, PA. One of the most important roles of all state Farm Bureaus is establishing policy on issues that affect agriculture and rural comm...

While much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic enjoyed a rather moderate autumn, winter – and all its frigidity and bluster – will be here soon. One of the many things farmers can do to prep now is check their fence lines. It’s much easier to be proactive in early December than it is to be reactive in...

In much the country, this summer was especially hot and humid. The increase in temperatures led to an increase in bulk tank somatic cell count and cases of clinical mastitis. If you are like most dairy producers, the weather gets blamed and we move on. While there is no doubt that the impact of hot,...

Farmers are the best in teaching consumers about where food comes from. That’s true even if the farmer is eight years old. Today, more and more children – even as young as kindergartners – are taking to the airwaves, speaking at special events and visiting with everyday folks to talk about what happ...

The 2022 Keystone Farm Show is shaping up to be as big or bigger than our last pre-pandemic show in 2020. Last year’s show was great despite having to work through a global pandemic, and a quality crowd of farmers attended and were able to see and talk to a terrific group of ag businesses. We’re hop...

Could improving the size and function of tie-stalls help your herd become happier and healthier? In a recent webinar hosted by Dairy Cattle Welfare Council, Elsa Vasseur explored the topic, sharing her organization’s research. She is an associate professor at McGill University in the Department of A...

Mike Ghia, the Vermont field agent at Land For Good, gave an overview of best practices in developing sugarbush leases in a recent webinar. His presentation drew off leasing resources developed by University of Vermont Extension as well as his direct experience assisting sugarmakers and landowners i...

It’s easy to forget – or just ignore – health, safety and PPE (personal protective equipment) during harvest. But Ellen Duysen, outreach specialist and coordinator, Agriculture Safety and Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said ignoring risk during this busy time can be deadly. Bef...

Data collected in 2015 by the USDA indicated that 7,398 farms in the U.S. sold products directly to consumers through a community supported agriculture (CSA) arrangement. In that year, CSAs accounted for $226 million (or 7%) of the $3 billion in direct-to-consumer sales by farms. Anecdotally, that n...

It’s easy to put off retirement planning, but Tracy Garofalo, an accountant with Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s MST business services, said retirement planning should not be ignored. Garofalo said the biggest issues for most are when to start, structuring a plan and determining the tax implications. “Th...