Shelby Benjamin from Chenango County was crowned the 2021-22 New York State Dairy Princess on Feb. 16 during a virtual ceremony that was livestreamed from Syracuse, NY. Selected from among 11 county dairy princesses who have served since the spring of 2020, Benjamin will devote an additional year to...

Consumer whims and trends can affect how they purchase farm goods. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven a major influence in how people shop. Martha Hilton, who manages produce merchandising at Rochester, NY-based Wegmans Food Markets, presented “Changing Consumers Through COVID” at the recent virtual N...

Providing fresh water to livestock on pasture when temperatures are below freezing can be challenging. During the recent Vermont Grazing and Livestock Conference, a panel of three grazers shared how they’ve made winter watering less of a hassle. Bruce Hennessey of Maple Wind Farm, Matt Garcia of Tas...

The 2020 Young Cooperator’s Leadership & Development Program, from the National Milk Producers Federation, aimed to put young dairy farmers on the path so success. Amber Roberts, ag business management Extension educator, University of Minnesota, discussed dairy farm resiliency. Roberts shared data ...

Some farmers are experimenters – they start with raw materials and an idea and test a method. If their hypothesis works, success! If it doesn’t, they tweak the formula and try again. Other farmers prefer to follow a tried-and-true template to help them achieve their goals. Offering a template for sh...

Farmers all are too familiar with what’s left over after harvest – the corn stubble that pokes up through the snow all winter. It may not seem useful, but corn residue can actually be a valuable resource. The leaves, husks, kernels and cobs can serve as food to grazing cattle. And, when properly man...

When farmers are planning new livestock facilities, the intended water source should be a top priority. Drinking water problems can lead to low milk production, and in some cases, affect animal health. The more common problems are aesthetic issues, such as chloride that makes water taste salty but d...

Many times, inquiries come in to Country Folks from concerned farmers seeking an investigation into an agricultural matter. Just after the 2021 New York State elections and the Assembly and Senate committee appointments, a tip came in which mysteriously asked, “Do you really know who is on our ag co...

What is more effective than stopping corn pests before they even start? Not much, according to Jaime Cummings, field crops and livestock IPM coordinator with Cornell University. She presented “Evaluating Seed Treatments for Seedcorn Maggot Protection in Corn: Will Neonic Alternatives Be a Good Subst...

I have the privilege and the pleasure of having a vet for a wife so what I know and what I do is from her knowledge and skill. From time to time people drop off an orphan or down calf needing some support. Many beef cows are on a low nutritional plane, even in the last trimester. This can put the ca...

Bigger is better for corn yields, especially during periods when corn experiences price spikes. Producers need to make the most of their possibilities for profits and maximize their yield. Tony J. Vyn, from Purdue University’s Agronomy Department, presented “Tricky Keys to Big Corn: Bigger Plants, M...

Is 2020 in the rearview mirror? Dr. Mark Stephenson, director of dairy policy analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said maybe. In early spring 2020, when the dairy industry was struggling with “what to do,” supply chains were disrupted. “We’ve learned a little better how to live with it ...

Just as people need to care for their feet if they want to continue walking or running, farmers need to tend to the feet of their cows. Injuries, sores and diseases can make movement difficult for animals weighing hundreds of pounds, and a cow that can’t move well is a liability. Karl Burgi of the D...

Finishing beef on grass to achieve a USDA Choice grading (or the equivalent eating experience without grading) is possible with high-quality feed, enough time to finish and excellent winter management, said Rod Ofte of the Wisconsin Grass-fed Beef Cooperative. Although the cooperative does not offic...

If any word typified agriculture in 2020, it was “resilience.” Tom Facer, president of Farm Fresh First LLC in Oakfield, NY, spoke on resilience in agriculture for his keynote speech at the recent New York State Agricultural Meeting hosted online this year. He acknowledged the challenging times for ...