An “agvocate” – a portmanteau of “agriculture” and “advocate” – is a person who represents and promotes both the industry and his own farm operation in a positive way to the public. In an age heavily influenced by social media and a public largely ignorant of farming, “agvocating” becomes more impor...

The New York Beef Producers’ Association Annual Winter Conference featured an array of workshops covering all aspects of beef farming. One of the three conference tracks featured Cornell PRO-DAIRY and other dairy farming experts leading workshops on raising crossbred dairy/beef calves for the emergi...

The Pennsylvania Dairy Summit, hosted annually by the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania and the Center for Dairy Excellence, draws dairy farmers from throughout the Northeast and provides an opportunity for engagement with fellow producers and agribusiness professionals. This year’s two-da...

Reports of cow flatulence leading to global warming are rampant, with some sectors of the public demanding moves such as “Meatless Monday” to curb the problem. U.C. Davis researcher, air quality specialist and professor Dr. Frank Mitloehner wants to set the record straight. When he learned that “Liv...

The contributions of anyone who works the land for the benefit of any society or civilization cannot be overstated. Their efforts make virtually all other pursuits possible. Mothers, sisters and daughters alike have always shared in the toils and challenges that farm life continuously presents. The ...

A day-long conference sponsored by the North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development, a non-profit focused on natural resource use in the agricultural sector, attracted a significant number of New Jersey farmers. Aside from NJRC&D presenters, however, the speakers were all from Pennsylvania. Pe...

About 10 years ago, a renewed interest in molasses supplementation occurred as certified organic corn became scarce and prices rose. Seeking to add energy to the diet, many farmers began experimenting with molasses. Some farmers were claiming fantastic results by substituting molasses at one-third o...

Another suitable title for this conversation might be “Eminent domain challenges to Pennsylvania farmland,” particularly in light of Farmland Preservation exercises that have been making inroads in saving valuable acreage in recent years. “If I put up some signs that say ‘No Trespassing’ on my prope...

Soil health happens in a cumulative manner, year after year, when attention is paid to sequestering carbon. Carbon helps to add stability to soil aggregates, and to enhance soil water retention and soil nutrient retention, and is part of a healthy ecosystem for soil microbiota. When using no till in...