Certified Organic Meeting Focuses on Hemp, Forage

The last of the 2017 New York Certified Organic winter meetings is scheduled for Monday, March 13 at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva.

The meeting will include an update on organic hemp production trials plus presentations on nutrient balancing, crop production, and alternative forage production for organic farming systems. 
Presenters include Cornell University and University of Vermont faculty and a New York organic dairy farmer.

The meeting will start promptly at 10 am in Jordan Hall. There is no cost or need to register to attend the New York Certified Organic meetings; participants are asked to bring a dish for potluck lunch.

Heather Darby, an agronomic and soils specialist with the University of Vermont, will review field trials conducted at the University research farm on organic hemp production in the Northeast and narrow row organic spring grain production.

Quirine Ketterings of the Cornel University Nutrient Management Spear Program and Cornell PRO-DAIRY Program Senior Extension Associate Karl Czymmek will show how doing annual whole farm mass balance assessments can help farmers understand the long-term capacity to support optimum yields, identify management strategies that will optimize farm nutrient imports and exports, quantify a farm’s footprint and track how it is changing over time, and summarize and evaluate the farm as a whole system.

Organic dairy farmer Tim Demeree from Little Falls, Herkimer County, will talk about his experience with growing annuals, including sudangrass, millet and sorghum for forage and how they fit in his crop rotation. 

Demeree will also share a comparison of the ensiling profiles of baleage using different preservatives. Nutritionist Adam McFarland of Agriking worked with Demeree to develop this comparison.

Round table discussions after lunch provide farmers the opportunity to ask questions and hear from the combined experience of the group that includes new and transitioning farmers and long-time organic producers.

The March 13 meeting also includes a brief description of how crop insurance can benefit organic farmers.

The New York Crop Insurance Education Team and Cornell Cooperative Extension provide support for the New York Certified Organic meetings. 

For more details, contact Fay Benson at (607) 391-2699 or at afb3@cornell.edu

Benson is an educator with the Cornell University SCNY Regional Team, project manager for the NY Organic Dairy Program, coordinator of the NY Soil Health Trailer, and a member of the New York Crop Insurance Team.