The price of eggs has prompted many to consider raising chickens at home, but before starting a flock, would-be poultry owners should understand basic chicken first aid. Dr. Jonathan Moyle, University of Maryland poultry specialist, encourages new chicken owners to establish a relationship with a ve...

Raising livestock means dealing with parasites. Although parasites cannot be completely eliminated, good treatment protocols keep them at bay. “We know parasite burdens have a large impact on production,” said veterinarian Dr. Carling Matejka . “They truly are silent profit thieves. Having a large p...

Snakes aren’t at the top of most people’s “favorite animal” list. But they have a purpose and can be useful in rodent control on farms. Anna Wiker, outreach coordinator with the Kentucky Master Naturalist Volunteer Program , is aware that many people aren’t fond of snakes. “Snakes can be an environm...

Hello, farm family! I know you’ve been there. You run into a fellow farmer at the hardware store or the local diner. You exchange comments about the weather, tariffs and the family. Then, you notice that something is off. It might be something explicit. A catch in his voice. A tear in her eye. A sta...

During 63 months as an agronomy/livestock Extension agent in Central New York, I learned the “correct” term for winter small grains planted in early autumn: cover crops. After leaving Extension for a career in ag sales in 1978, I continued referring to such crops as cover crops. Then I began resurre...

Organic agriculture is a vital aspect of the ag sector’s bottom line, and the industry is working to ensure continued efficiency. Scott Rice, senior director of regulatory affairs for the Organic Trade Association (OTA), described updates to the organic rule at the recent USDA Ag Outlook Forum. “ St...

“Many farmers tend to invest in assets instead of showing or paying themselves wages, utilizing the tax code to reflect as little taxable income as possible – but they run the risk of not qualifying for retirement benefits,” Jodi Gauker, business development Extension educator with Penn State Extens...

According to Katelyn Miller, Western New York field crops and forage specialist, a relatively new disease threatens NY corn production – tar spot. This plant disease originated in Central America and was first reported in the U.S. in 2015. The first significant yield-reducing tar spot event was obse...

Safety is one of many reasons to include appropriate signage for farms engaging in agritourism, explained Laura Biasillo, an agricultural economic development specialist at CCE Broome. “It’s your way of setting expectations for customers as to what can and should or should not happen on the farm. It...