New York Farm Show Kicks Off Feb. 25

From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine:

By DEBRA J. GROOM

The New York Farm Show kicks off its 31st year in late February with three days filled with everything new and innovative for New York state farmers.
 
More than 225,000 square feet of exhibition space indoors in six buildings at the New York State Fairgrounds will be filled with farm equipment, booths with helpful information, demonstrations, seminars and workshops and, of course, the ever-popular toy auction and sale.
 
The show runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 25, 26 and 27 at the fairgrounds Admission is $5 at the door and free for those less than age 18. Parking is free and shuttle buses are available for various buildings.
 
Tickets are available from many Northeast equipment outlets or by writing to New York Farm Show, P.O. Box 3470, Syracuse, NY  13220 (include a self-addressed stamped envelope with request by Feb. 15).
 
Visitors can shop and compare the latest equipment and technology and then buy the items to help make their farms more efficient. Show Director Scott Grigor said everyone should visit the show website (www.newyorkfarmshow.com) to see a full list of new products, workshops and seminars.
 
Many organizations will offer workshops and presentations, including the New York Beef Industry Council, forest management workshops and agricultural safety program.
 
“These organizations have dedicated a lot of time and effort to provide high quality programs for the show visitors,” Grigor said.
 
A popular highlight each year is the Robert Watson Memorial Toy Auction, which begins at 5 p.m. Feb. 26 in the Empire Room of the Arts and Homes Building.
 
Nearly 200 farm toys will be sold to the highest bidder, with all proceeds benefitting the New York FFA.
 
Visitors can view farm toys at the toy show in the Art & Homes building before the auction.
 
PRECISION Agriculture workshop
 
A highlight of the farm show this year is a new program called “Precision Agriculture: Decision Making for a Profitable Future,” from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Arts and Home Center building.
 
Developed by the New York Farm Viability Institute, the program will include discussions about precision agriculture, the hardware and software needed for precision agriculture (such as harvest technology, planting and crop care and transforming yield data to management decisions) and optimizing variable rate seeding technology. 
 
There also will be a panel discussion with a mix of farmer experience and ag industry expertise.
 
David Grusenmeyer, managing director of the New York Farm Viability Institute, said precision agriculture allows farmers to collect the data they need to make decisions on which crops to plant in certain soils and how much nutrients and fertilizer is needed for that soil and crop.
 
The goal is to optimize the amount of money made over the amount of money spent in growing the crops.
 
“There can be six to eight different soil types or topographies Nin one field on one farm,” Grusenmeyer said. “Crops grow differently in one soil from another and nutrients are used differently (in different soils).
 
“We need to manage our farms not just as one big field.”
 
As an example, he said a farmer who has a field monitor on his combine knows exactly what his crop yield is for various sections of his field. If there is a wide variety in yield from one part of the field to the next, the farmer can make adjustments to maximize yield in the lower-producing areas.
 
“What we have to do is control those variations and profit from it,” Grusenmeyer said.
 
Some things that can be done to manage the yields is change the seeding rate, change the seeding depth, change to a different seed variety and keep tighter control on fertilizer use.
 
This is exactly what Todd DuMond does at his farm in Union Springs, Cayuga County.
 
DuMond, who grows about 5,000 acres of soybeans, corn and other grains, uses precision agriculture in his production. He said it comes down to crop optimization and machine optimization to ensure he is obtaining the most he can get out of his soil.
 
He uses a machine that has an autotrack systme on it, so it always follows the same tracks in the soil when planting or harvesting. He said this allows for less overlap between rows.
 
The machine and the data he receives from his computerized equipment also gives him the ability to apply seed, fertilizer or other nutrients in the proper amount.
 
“We started gathering data in 2006 and began application in 2010,” DuMond said. “The real value is from the data. We use the data to put everything (seed, fertilizer) wher it can be utilized.”
 
Here is a schedule of what will be discussd at the seminar:
** 3 p.m.: Learn what’s new in precision ag tech for field crops and horticultural systems, the greatest opportunity areas.
** 3:20 p.m.: Three commercial technology leaders tackle how to transform field and feed quality data into management decisions, how planting and crop care equipment technologies can be harnessed and how yield maps/data can improve operation efficiency.
 
Attendees will learn how to evaluate the data collected over the growing season (planting, soil testing, yield, application, Feed Quality from JD Harvest Lab) and interpret big data in desktop software setting to provide real information from which the grower can either streamline record keeping for insurance purposes and/or understand what practices are making a profit on their farm. 

Winter planning allows optimization of the crop season to best fit your agronomic and profit practices.
 
** 4 p.m.: This session covers auto-steer’s entry-point tech, costs and benefits, plus expected financial impacts.
** 4:20 p.m.: The New York Corn and Soybean Growers Association will present a variable-rate seeding model to be farm-tested this year.
** 4:40 p.m.: Farmer survey results will be shared on promising technologies, barriers to adoption, costs, labor concerns and more.
** 4:50 p.m.: Travis Torrey of Torrey Farms, Dan Shirley of North Harbor Dairy and Joe Brightly of Brightly Farms will share experiences with three different precision ag systems.
 
Dairy robotics
 
Robotic technology continues to be the biggest dairy game-changer for all farm sizes.
Learn what improvements are available at the Dairy Robotic Update Friday, Feb. 26. All four robotic manufacturers will present their latest changes and new products in 30-minute sessions in the Bistro Room.
 
Here’s the schedule:
** 1:30 p.m.: Lely will highlight examples of Lely’s “large herd concept” plus on-farm results of its Vector robotic feeding system.
** 2 p.m.; AMS Galaxy will introduce its Cow Health Monitoring system offered on the Astrea 20.20 robotic milking system.
** 2:30 p.m.: GEA will share key details on its Dairy ProQ robotic rotary parlor and the soon-to-arrive single-box robot.
** 3 p.m.: DeLaval will cover the latest upgrades to its Voluntary Milking System plus the new stand-alone teat spray robot.
 
Bring your notebook plus lots of questions. This is a rare opportunity to see the equipment and quiz experts.
 
New products
 
Farm machine and equipment manufacturers each year come out with new gadgets and machinery to make work easier on the farm.
 
Cazenovia Equipment Co., with stores in Cazenovia, Chittenango, Clinton, Cortland, LaFayette, Lowville, Oneonta, Sandy Creek and Watertown, will be on hand at the New York Farm show with a number of its new products and technology.
 
Some of the new items it will show include a L300 series new square baler, a 8000 series self-propelled forage harvester and a XUV590 corssover utility vehicle.
 
Cazenovia Equipment sells and services more than 30 brands, including John Deere, Frontier, Ariens, Honda, Stihl, Kuhn, Pottinger, H&S and Geringhoff. The company also offers renewable energy systems such as wind power, solar electricity, solar thermal, microhydro power, microgrids and hybrid systems.
 
“We’re happy to now provide wind turbine and solar panel leasing opportunities, which allow customers to acquire the benefits of renewable energy, with little or no money down,” a company official said. They also offer free site feasibility assessments.
 
Cazenovia Equipment is in booth 815.
 
Beef information
 
New this year, attendees can engage with the “Face of Our Farmers,” which allows those at the show to get to know some beef farmers. Talk with beef producers, see their likes, dislikes and ask them beef related questions. Pick up a Scavenger Hunt form at the Beef Gazebo, read our “Face of our Farmers” posters to get your answers and win a prize.
 
Those coming to the show also can sign up for the Protein Challenge. The 30 Day Protein Challenge is a fun, step-by-step way to help people get an optimal amount of protein throughout the day.
 
Research shows some people can lose and/or maintain a healthy weight, support a healthy metabolism, and age more vibrantly by consuming more high-quality protein. Participants in the 30 Day Protein Challenge will receive daily emails with goals, tips and inspiration to keep on track.
 
The beef area in the Toyota Building also will have numerous beef recipes and beef related information for attnedees.

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