Stinky Corpse Plant Ready to Bloom at Cornell

Titan arum

The so-called corpse plant at Cornell University is getting ready to bloom.

The full name of the plant is titan arum. The corpse flower and plants “emits a powerful scent that smells like rotting meat to attract carrion flies and other insects that spread pollen to other Titan Arums,” according to Cornell.

For updates on what the plant is doing and even watch a livestream, go to
http://conservatory.cals.cornell.edu/

Wee Stinky Blooming Tonight

A Cornell photo of Wee Stinky

Wee Stinky, the corpse flower at Cornell University, is set to open and bloom tonight (Dec. 14).

Cornell officials states that about 1 p.m. Dec. 14, "Wee Stinky’s spathe started pulling back from the spadix, the earliest onset for any of our flowerings here at Cornell. So tonight is the night if you want to get a whiff up close."

The full name of the plant is titan arum. The corpse flower and plants “emits a powerful scent that smells like rotting meat to attract carrion flies and other insects that spread pollen to other Titan Arums,” according to Cornell.

For more information, go to http://cornellalumnimagazine.com/meet-wee-stinky/ to read more about Wee Stinky.

Cornell Stinky Corpse Plant To Bloom Soon Outdoors

One of Cornell University's stinky "corpse plants" (Titan arum) is going to bloom soon.

Check out the story in the Cornell Chronicle by https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2017/07/huge-stinky-corpse-flower-bloom-outdoors going to this link.

Hoard's: New York Manure Lawsuit is A Pile of Poo

Interesting story from Hoard's Dairyman.

Check it out at http://hoards.com/article-21219-New-York-manure-lawsuit-is-a-pile-of-poo.html this link.

Genesee Valley Research, Promotion Projects Receive State Money

From Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office:

More than $1 million for seven research, promotion and development projects to strengthen New York state's diverse agricultural industry and spur economic growth across the state was announced June 1 by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The money, approved by the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority, supports the continuation of malting barley research, enhances the processing capacity at a regional food hub, and assists with renovations to the New York Wine and Culinary Center, among other initiatives.

 

“Agriculture remains a core pillar of New York’s economy, and the greater Genesee Valley region is one of our most vibrant agricultural areas, supporting thousands of farms and agribusinesses,” Cuomo said. 

“These strategic investments in research, facilities, and training are a key part of the Finger Lakes Forward and Southern Tier Soaring blueprints and are essential to the success of the agricultural industry and its future growth,” Cuomo said.
 
The Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority, in cooperation with the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, solicits applications each year to assist in the development of agriculture and agriculture-related businesses in nine counties in the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions: Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates. 

Agriculture supports thousands of jobs in the Genesee Valley, and is one of the key areas of investment in both the Southern Tier Soaring and Finger Lakes Forward regional economic development plans.  
 
The authority has awarded more than $7.5 million to 67 projects in the Genesee Valley through the Agriculture Development Grant Program since 2011.
The Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority Board of Directors has voted to fund the following projects in 2017:

• Cornell University’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station - $260,000:  to support the continuation of a multi-year research plan focused on malting barley in New York State, which is critical to advancing the state’s craft beverage industry.

• New York Wine & Culinary Center - $250,000:  for the promotion of local food and beverages and facility renovations.

• New York Wine & Grape Foundation - $200,000: to support the NY Drinks NY program, a promotional effort showcasing New York’s wine and grape industries.

• Foodlink - $200,000: to purchase machinery and equipment and make renovations that will enhance value-added processing operations at the regional food hub.

• Cornell Agriculture and Food Technology Park Corporation (The Technology Farm) - $84,527:  to expand and renovate space at the facility to increase capacity and efficiency of the Technology Farm’s operations.

• Northeastern Juice Cooperative - $50,000:  to develop a business plan, including marketing analysis and food safety certifications, for an apple juice processing facility.

• Western NY Maple Producers - $37,323:  for training and to purchase equipment to test processes for new products.  

 

Commission Formed To Look At Food, Nutrition Security

By MATT HAYES
Cornell University
 
With the world facing a vast array of food and nutrition security challenges that pose significant humanitarian, environmental and national security risks, a national commission that included leaders from Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences announced May 16 a comprehensive, coordinated effort to solve these problems.
 
The Challenge of Change Commission comprises prominent university, government, nongovernmental organization and business leaders.
 
The report from the commission — which includes Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Mike Hoffmann, executive director of the Cornell Institute for Climate Smart Solutions and professor of entomology; and Per Pinstrup-Anderson, professor emeritus in nutrition and economics — emphasized a transdisciplinary approach leveraging the role of public research universities to solve food security issues.
 
Max Pfeffer, international professor of development sociology and CALS senior associate dean, served as an invited expert on the commission.
 
“Food insecurity is one of the most daunting issues that we face today. The challenges will only intensify without coordinated efforts by public and private partners,” said Boor. 

“Harnessing food systems expertise at Cornell and other land-grant universities will enable bold action to protect the health and well-being of people around the globe. The steps outlined by the commission provide a path forward for scientists and policy experts as we work together to achieve food and nutrition security,” Boor said.
 
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, launched the commission in 2016.
 
The commission’s report recommends four key steps:
 
** Create a major, sustained effort by the more than 230 public research universities and university systems in the U.S., Canada and Mexico that comprise APLU, including further developing recommendations to reduce institutional barriers to cross-disciplinary research.
 
** Encourage multiple federal departments and public agencies to work to achieve domestic and global food security by mobilizing private sector and foundation resources to address the challenges.
 
** Urge governments of the U.S., Mexico and Canada to together sponsor collaborative research partnerships with universities and their partners to advance the report’s recommendations.
 
** Encourage public universities and their partners to identify challenges and related activities they might 
undertake, including partnering with public and private entities in agriculture, public health, nutrition and health care.
 
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities said food security problems — hunger, obesity, malnutrition, low crop yields, inadequate food storage, poor sanitation, and the political instability they create — are poised to intensify unless there is a deliberate effort to create true global food and nutrition security. 

The report calls for the academic, research and leadership capabilities of public research universities to address food and nutrition security.
 
“Public universities possess enormous capacity across many disciplines — from plant breeding to the social sciences — to respond to global challenges,” said Hoffmann.
 
The commission defined seven challenges: increase yields, profitability and environmental sustainability simultaneously; develop varieties and breeds needed for sustainable food systems; decrease food loss and waste through more efficient distribution systems; create and share resources that serve all populations; ensure inclusive and equitable food systems; address undernutrition and obesity to ensure full human potential; and ensure a safe and secure food supply that protects and improves public health.
 
Cornell researchers took part in interdisciplinary groups to provide subject expertise for the report. Rachel Bezner Kerr, associate professor in the Department of Development Sociology, joined with the Sustainable Production Systems working group to identify ways to increase plant and animal agricultural production yields, enhance and maintain soil health, and use water sustainably and efficiently.
 
Miguel Gómez, associate professor at the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, focused on challenges across the food supply chain domestically and globally as part of the working group Supply Chains, Distribution, Loss and Waste in Food Systems.
 
Pinstrup-Anderson, the 2001 World Food Prize winner, said: “Universities are uniquely positioned to provide the science-based knowledge required to guide public and private sector action to help assure healthy diets for all. Scientific discoveries combined with enlightened policies for our food systems can make nutrient deficiencies and obesity a thing of the past.”

Cornell Professor Wins Food, Plant Genetics Award

From Cornell University:

Edward Buckler and Dean Kathryn Boor

Plant geneticist Edward Buckler of Cornell University received the inaugural Food and Agriculture Sciences Prize from the National Academy of Sciences April 30 in Washington D.C. 

The award recognizes his transformative research on agricultural crops crucial to global food security.

Buckler, a research geneticist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service and adjunct professor of plant breeding and genetics at the Institute for Genomic Diversity at Cornell University, is a pioneer in genomics and statistical genetics to improve the resiliency and nutritional value of agricultural crops. 

The $100,000 prize recognizes research by a midcareer scientist at a U.S. institution who has made an extraordinary contribution to agriculture or to the understanding of the biology of a species fundamentally important to agriculture or food production.

The prize was established to elevate food and agriculture research in the scientific arena and highlight the critical need for scientists working toward more productive, sustainable agriculture and better health through nutritious food.

“My scientific ambition has been to improve human lives and reduce the environmental impact of agriculture by creating better crops,” said Buckler. “This award reflects the vital work conducted by teams of scientists as we harness powerful tools to explore the natural diversity of crops, and work to ensure food security across the globe.”

Buckler’s lab uses statistical genetics to spearhead genome-wide association studies in crops such as maize, cassava, grapes and biofuel grasses. 

For the past two decades, his cutting-edge research has been key in identifying genes responsible for variation in some of the world’s most important crops. His findings have made it possible for plant breeders to more efficiently select for traits like yield and the nutritional value in crops vital to human health.

Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, said, “Agricultural research has never been more vital as our rapidly expanding human population confronts the environmental disruption caused by climate change. The work of Ed Buckler is bolstering agricultural crops and advancing scientific discovery essential to the lives of billions of people.”

His landmark explorations of the maize genome have uncovered ways to use the natural genetic diversity to improve productivity, sustainability and nutrition. 

In one study, Buckler and his team identified natural variation key for making maize varieties with 15 times more vitamin-A. The findings are helping to address a key driver of global malnutrition in developing countries.

He and his group also focus on other critical issues related to global food security, such as hybrid vigor, local adaptation, drought tolerance and disease resistance.

Due to its affordability and effectiveness, Buckler’s approach to analyzing natural genomic diversity has reached far beyond his lab. His methods are used to research more than 1,000 different species and have influenced how the human genome is studied. 

To make their work even more accessible to the scientific community, he and his group also developed original open-source software now used by thousands of research groups around the world.

The NAS Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences is endowed through gifts from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Cornell Dairy Supporter Wants to Bring Grazing Program to North Country

Read about this http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/news03/cornell-dairy-supporter-promotes-grazing-apprenticeship--20170420 at this link.

Cornell University Receives Money for Students Studying Agriculture

Check out the story https://ithacavoice.com/2017/03/cornell-receives-280k-students-studying-agriculture/ at this link.

Help is Here for Farms Dealing With Winter Storm Stella

From Cornell University:

Keith Tidball, director of the Extension Disaster Education Network, put together some a list of resources and actions steps to assist farmers with dealing with Winter Storm Stella. 

As the recent winter storm loses steam and thoughts turn towards digging out, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Disaster Education Network (NY EDEN - http://eden.cce.cornell.edu) continues to assist the citizens of New York state with helpful resources.  

Examples of evidence-based resources being distributed throughout the state before, during, and after the storm via the Cooperative Extension System include:

• Farmstead Recovery Checklist: Snow Load & Barn Collapse​ 
• Roof Ice Damming and Attic Condensation Problems  
• Preparing for the Thaw​ 
• Heavy Snow Loads and Agricultural Buildings
• Do’s and Don’ts for Barn Snow Removal

Also note that the Cornell Cooperative Extension Disaster Education Network hosts an active Twitter account where timely information is posted beyond the resources above, as well as updates and situation reports as incidents unfold. Find the Twitter account at https://twitter.com/CCE_Disaster

Apple Freeze Probability

Here's something cool from Cornell University.

It helps predict temperature changes so one can predict damage to items like fruit or take precautions so fruit isn't damaged.

Go to http://climatesmartfarming.org/tools/csf-apple-freeze-probability/ to check it out.

Cornell Study Shows How Valuable Hispanic Dairy Workers are in NY

From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine

By JOE LEATHERSICH

ITHACA — A recent study at Cornell University surveyed New York’s Hispanic dairy workers about how valuable they are to the industry.
 
They survey aims to update a similar study done in 2005 to see how the demographics have changed.
 
In the newer study, 205 Hispanic dairy workers and 36 dairy farm managers gave on-farm, in-person interviews. They included workers from nine different counties, including six farms in Genesee County; eight farms in Wyoming County; and four farms in Livingston County.
 
The workers surveyed came from Mexico and Guatemala, with 80 percent of the workers from the former.
 
The total amount workers on the farms — meaning locals and immigrants — varies from four full-time employees up to 40.
 
But slightly less than 70 percent of farms said their Hispanic employees make up between 50 and 100 percent of their labor.
 
Twenty-five percent of farms said 25 to 49 percent of their labor comes from Hispanic workers; 5.6 percent said less than 25 percent of employees are Hispanic workers.
 
The age of Hispanic employees ranges form 16 to 77 years old, with an average age of 30.
 
A total of 48.8 percent of the Hispanic workers surveyed were between 22 and 30 years old. The next largest chunk was 21 percent of the workers ranging from 31 to 40; 16.6 percent are 16 to 21 years old; and the remaining 13.6 percent are 41 to 77 years old.
 
Most of the workers come to America — specifically New York — in their early 20s which is represented by the fact that the average age for 72 of the workers who have been in America between 2 to 5 years is about 26 years old.
 
Similarly, 63 of the workers who have been working 6 to 10 years have an average age of 32 years old. The trend is that the older someone is, the longer they’ve worked; not that they come to America to work later in life.
 
There also is not a lot of movement between farms for Hispanic workers; 60 percent say they’ve had one to two employers and 28 percent say they’ve had three to five.
 
Education wise, more than 50 percent reported they have between 9 and 12 years of education and another 31 percent have 6 to 8 years. Slightly more than 12 percent have 0 to 5 years of education and less than 5 percent have over 13 years.
 
And despite most of the workers having many years of education, there were multiple reasons why they came to America to work.
 
When asked their reasons for coming to the farm they work at — workers could give multiple answers — 34 percent said it was to follow friends and family while 21 percent said they could earn a higher wage.
 
Nearly 60 percent of Hispanic workers said “other” when asked their reason for working on that farm. Of those respondents, 8 percent said they took the work to help their family escape poverty.
 
As for the work itself, more than half of employers reported that milking occurs in 12-hour shifts, which the survey states comes at the request of the workers to get more hours. Nearly 90 percent of workers work six days a week, as well.
 
On average, workers see the amount of hours they request, which is about 67 hours per week. Only 1 percent of workers reported working less than 40 hours per week.
 
Workers on average received an hourly wage of $10.30, with range of $8.50 to 18.00.
 
Workers and employers alike were asked about benefits offered and both gave consistent answers. About 80 percent of employers cover housing costs for their employees and roughly 78 percent said they pay utilities.
 
About half of employers pay for cable television, internet and transportation for workers.
 
Another common benefit offered by employers is a bonus/incentive program — which more than 80 percent offer — and garden space, which 72 percent offer.
 
Despite the long hours, more than 50 percent of those questioned reported enjoying the job.
 
Slightly less than half of all employees said their job was not difficult and everything was good with the work. Also about half of the workers said there wasn’t anything their boss to could to improve the job and that everything was good.
 
Similarly, 53 percent said they were happy with their boss and used phrases such as “He’s friendly,” “treats us well,” “has a good heart,” according to the report.
 
More than 60 percent have plans to return to their home country.
 
The survey concluded by highlighting the importance of Hispanic workers to farms and specifically dairy farms.
 
According to the survey, U.S. dairy farmers cannot fill these jobs, which often consist of hard manual labor, with local workers and that Hispanic workers are willing and able to do the job.
 
It continued to say how farmers are concerned with losing their Hispanic workers because they feel it would be “difficult if not impossible,” the survey states, to complete the duties.
 
Because of this, U.S. dairy farmers are actively seeking immigration reform to allow current undocumented immigrants to achieve legal citizenship and to allow for a year-round guest worker program, the survey stated.
 
The report can be found online through Cornell University’s Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management website.

New York Farm Show Opens Feb. 23 st State Fairgrounds

The 2017 New York Farm Show is the place to visit this winter for information on new innovative farm and woodlot products and equipment.
 
The 32nd edition of the show runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 23, 24 and 25 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Geddes, west of Syracuse.
 
The annual show hosts more than 400 exhibitors in six heated buildings, including the Arts and Home Center, Center of Progress, Dairy, Horticulture, and Science Buildings, and International Pavilion.
 
  “It’s a spring planning show,” New York Farm Show manager Scott Grigor said. “It gets people out of the house. The economy is off a little, and it helps people enjoy life a little bit.”
 
The show had 406 confirmed exhibitors as of Jan. 11 with more expected, Grigor said.  There are 13 new exhibitors this year, including Yanmar Tractor of Georgia

Exhibit area covers more than 222,000 square feet of space.

Topics covered by seminars includes: beef, forestry, and health and safety. There also will be the popular FFA toy auction and 4-H members will again be selling hitch pins as a county fundraiser. 
They are offering Tisco 6-by-¾-inch hitch pins at $5 each or five for $20. They will be located at the main entrance doors of the Center of Progress, Dairy and Horticulture buildings.
 
The New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health will offer information on ROPS (rollover protective structures), safe skid steer operation, blood pressure screenings and youth safety activities.
 
The center also will again have its farm hazards display board set up to help people identify hazardous situations on the farm. It will supply information on PPE (personal protective equipment) selection and catalogs and applications for the John May Farm Safety Fund, and roadway safety tips in conjunction with the state troopers.
 
BEEF SEMINARS
Here are some of the beef seminars from the New York Beef Council to be held in the beef area of the Toyota Building:
 
Daily presentations beginning at 10 a.m. will feature:10 a.m.: ABCs of EPDs - Phil Trowbridge, Trowbridge Angus11 a.m.: Trace Minerals - Its role on the Cattle Immune System, Dr. Bob Gentry, MultiminNoon: Quality - The Consumer Expectations, Jean O’Toole/ Katherine Bronson, NYBC - ThursdayNoon: Beef Up Your Marketing, Jean O’Toole/ Katherine Bronson, NYBC - Friday1 p.m.: Johne’s - What it is and Programs Available, Dr. Melanie Hemenway, NYSCHAP 2 p.m.: Unraveling Official Identification, Dr Jane Lewis, USDA Ag. And Markets3 p.m.: Beef showmanship clinic,  Robert Groom/ Jeanne White-  Thursday3 p.m.: Fitting clinic, Robert Groom - Friday
 
Saturday will be dedicated to youth doing the presentations on different related beef topics. Grab a seat on the bleachers as these young individuals demonstrate their experiences and knowledge of the beef industry. Jean O’Toole, the new executive director of the New York Beef Council, and Katherine Bronson will open the presentations. 
10 a.m.: How to Master “Agvocacy,” Jean O’Toole/ Katherine Bronson, NYBC11 a.m.: Our National Livestock Judging Experience in Louisville, KY- By Melissa Keller, NY Junior Beef Producer11 a.m.: Three Ways to get Involved with the Beef Industry, Megan Cranwell, NY Junior Beef ProducerNoon: What I Learned about NYBC (NY Beef Council) through C2C (Cattlemen to Consumers) Program, Jala Murphy, NY Junior Beef Producer12:30 p.m.: What Telling our Story Means and Why We Should, By Sam and Sarah Birdsall, NY Junior Beef Producers1 p.m.: Small Steps to Becoming Socially Savvy in our Beef Industry, By Anna King, NY Junior Beef Producer1:30 p.m.: Important Factors When Doing a Project Beef Animal for Sales at County Fairs - Feed, Nutrition, Record-keeping, Animal Care, Marketing, etc., By Daisy Trowbridge and Jordin Radley, NY Junior Beef Producers2 p.m.: Primal and Retail Beef Cuts, By Loretta and Suzie Lippert, NY Junior Beef Producers 
As you attend the presentations enjoy a hot beef sundae served up daily by the New York Beef Producers, starting at 11 a.m.
 
The New York Beef Council will have a face-to-face presence at this year’s NY Farm Show! Stop by to “Beef Together” with the NYBC’s innovative marketing initiatives to promote YOU, our farmers, and the quality beef you produce.
 
A live beef cattle display representing numerous beef breeds will enhance our Beef Area, including breed information to take home.
 
Engage with the “Face of Our Farmers.” Beef Farmers have filled out questioners to help you get to know them better. Engage in a conversation with beef producers, see their likes, dislikes and ask them beef related questions. 
 
Pick up a Scavenger Hunt paper at the Beef Gazebo and then read our “Face of our Farmers” posters to get your answers and win a prize.
 
Beef recipes and beef related information also will be available in the beef area for attendees to take home and enjoy.
 
FOREST SEMINARS
 
Free programs to help landowners get more benefits from their woodlots will be presented by the New York Forest Owners Association each day of the New York Farm Show.
 
Visitors to the show can meet with a forester from the State Department of Environmental Conservation or speak with a Cornell trained volunteer.
 
Visitors are encouraged to bring their questions and pause at the booth area before or after attending a seminar program. The DEC foresters and trained volunteers are there to help with resource materials, displays and expert advice.

 “Learn More, Earn More” seminars are free and open to all. Topics include federal cost sharing for woodlot improvements, working with foresters, improving bird habitat, heating with wood, and forest farming. Programs start on the hour and allow time for questions and discussion.
 
The booth is on the main corridor of the Arts and Home Center, and the seminars are held in the Somerset Room just steps away on the lower level of the building.
 
These programs are presented by the New York Forest Owners Association in cooperation with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Cornell Cooperative Extension and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.



Seminar topics and speakers for each day include:
 
Thursday, Feb. 23

11 a.m.: DEC Can Help Family Forest Owners, by Matt Swayze, state Department of Environmental Conservation
1 p.m.: Assessing Impacts from Deer, by Kristie Sullivan, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University
2 p.m.: Legacy Planning for Your Property, by Shorna Allred, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University
3 p.m.: Getting Federal Aid for Woodlot Improvements, by Michael Fournier, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service 

Friday, Feb. 24

10 a.m.: Unwanted Vegetation in Your Woods, by Peter Smallidge, NYS Extension Forester, Cornell University
11 a.m.: Woodlot Inventory: How Many Trees Do You Have?, by Peter Smallidge, NYS Extension Forester, Cornell University
1 p.m.: Insects and Diseases that Threaten Your Woods, by Mark Whitmore, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University
2 p.m.: The Law: Rights and Responsibilities of Woodlot Owners, by Timothy Fratesch, Fratesch Law Firm, Syracuse
3 p.m.: Getting Federal Aid for Woodlot Improvements, by Michael Fournier, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service
 
Saturday, Feb. 25

10 a.m.: Heat with Wood While Growing Timber, Michael Kelleher, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
11 a.m.: Improve Bird Habitat with Smart Timber Management, by Suzanne Treyger, Forest Program Manager, Audubon New York
1 p.m.: Working with Consulting Foresters, by Rene Germain, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
2 p.m.: Wilhelm Farm: A Case Study in Agroforestry, by Ann Wilhelm & Bill Bentley, woodlot owners
3 p.m.: Woodlots and Income Taxes, by Hugh Canham, Emeritus Professor, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
 
Visit the New York Forest Owners Association website (www.nyfoa.org for more information.

New York Certified Organic Sets Dates for Winter Meetings

New York Certified Organic has set the dates for its Winter 2017 meetings, bringing grain and dairy farmers together with guest speakers on the organic crops and dairy production. 

The 2017 dates are Jan. 10, Feb. 14 and March 13. Each program begins at 10 a.m. in Jordan Hall, 630 W. North St. at the New York State Agricultural Experimental Station, Geneva.

There is no cost or need to register to attend the meetings; participants are asked to bring a dish to pass at the potluck lunch. 

Roundtable discussions after lunch provide farmers the opportunity to ask questions and hear from the combined experience of the group. These sessions help advance organic production in New York and have been helpful to new and transitioning farmers as well as long-time organic producers.

A brief description of how crop insurance can benefit organic farmers will be included at each of the meetings.

The Jan. 10 meeting will feature presentations by Bob Quinn of the Quinn Organic Research Center, Big Sandy, Montana; Mark Sorrells of the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future at Cornell University; organic producer Tim Christensen of Penn Yan; and Sandra Wayman with the Cornell Sustainable Cropping System Lab.

Quinn's organic research center includes a 2,800-acre farm in Big Sandy. The fourth generation farm transitioned to organic production in 1986. Work on organic grain varieties led to the redevelopment of Kamut, an ancient grain grown by the Egyptians. The farm also grows soft white wheat, durum wheat, buckwheat, lentils, peas, sweet clover, and flax.

Quinn, a sought-after speaker on marketing and development of organic grains, will present his vision of where organic markets are going and how New York’s producers can prepare for the future at the January 10 NYCO meeting.

As part of a research team there, Mark Sorrells worked on the ‘Accelerating Production of Organic Grains in Western NY’ project sponsored by the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority and Wegmans, the family-owned supermarket chain. Sorrells will review the results of this study conducted at the Cornell University Musgrave Research Farm in Aurora.

Tim Christensen farms with his father, Guy in Penn Yan and has been experimenting with different cover crops in his corn and small grain rotation. His decisions are based on the multi-layered objectives of protecting soil health, adding green manures, and qualifying for annual Conservation Stewardship Program payments. Christensen will share some of the success and failures he has had on his farm.

Cornell Sustainable Cropping System Lab Research Technician Sandra Wayman will review work with the newly-developed perennial grain Kernza.

The Feb. 14 NYCO meeting will focus on how to diversity farm business with organic poultry. The March 13 session will feature speakers on nutrient balancing, crop production and alternative forage production.

Producers, educators and agribusiness representatives are encouraged to mark calendars for these meetings. 

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

Information on past meetings is online at http://blogs.cornell.edu/organicdairyinitiative/.

Cornell University Team Wins Innovations in Food and Agricultural Science and Technology Competition

From the USDA
 
A team from Cornell University was one of four winners of the first Innovations in Food and Agricultural Science and Technology competition.
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the National Science Foundation announced the winners in the $200,000 prize competition. 

The Innovations in Food and Agricultural Science and Technology, called I-FAST, helps scientists and engineers broaden the impact of their research by encouraging collaboration between academia and industry to translate fundamental agricultural innovations into the marketplace.
 
“Innovation is an economic driver and a necessity in the agriculture industry,” said National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director Sonny Ramaswamy. “Through this new partnership with the National Science Foundation, we are able to help move ideas from the research lab to the marketplace, where they can provide real solutions as these teams intended.”
 
Each of the four winning teams receive $50,000 to start a business and move their innovation towards full commercialization. Team members will also participate in the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps, a six-month entrepreneurial immersion course to develop skills that help them commercialize their inventions and discoveries.
 
Teams also are eligible to apply for additional funding through the USDA Small Business Innovation Research Program, administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
 
The winning teams are:
 
** Cornell University, Ithaca – The team developed a micro electro-mechanical systems microtensiometer sensor that monitors minute-by-minute readings of both plant water and soil stresses to help producers optimize irrigation to improve the yield and quality of crops.
 
** University of Houston, Houston, Texas – The team developed a behavior-based affordable educational toolkit and augmented reality technology system to educate, monitor and improve employees’ fresh- and fresh-cut produce handling practices.
 
** University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Ill. – The team is bringing to market two software packages that make it possible for crop advisors to inexpensively run large-scale, on-farm agronomic trials and create strategies for profitable nitrogen fertilizer management.
 
** Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Mo. – The team developed a pathogen detection biotechnology test kit to determine if E. coli 0157:H7 is present in food to help lower the risk of contamination all along the food chain from the farm to the consumer.
  

New Strawberry Ready for NY Planting

From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine:

By MATT HAYES
Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
 
Strawberry fans, rejoice.
 
The newest Cornell strawberry variety concentrates intense flavor in a berry big enough to fill the palm of your hand.
 
Topping out at over 50 grams, Archer, the latest creation from Cornell berry breeder Courtney Weber, is comparable in size to a plum or small peach. But this behemoth stands out in ways beyond just its proportions: the flavor and aroma exceed what you’d expect from a strawberry of such unusual size.
 
“Archer is an extraordinarily high-flavored berry,” said Weber, associate professor in the horticulture section of the School of Integrative Plant Science. “It has an intense aroma, so when you bite into it you get a strong strawberry smell, and it’s very sweet, so you get a strong strawberry flavor that really makes an impact.”
 
Weber says the combination of large fruit and strong flavor hits the sweet spot for local growers who sell in farmers markets, u-pick sites and roadside stands. Archer ripens in June and holds its large size through multiple harvests for two to three weeks.
 
“Strawberries are the ultimate summertime fruit that signal the start of the summer season. People love that vivid flavor, and Archer delivers a complex, sunny aroma and taste that just screams summer,” said Weber. 

“Consumers have a real preference for large berries, and with fruits that can be as big as the palm of your hand, Archer really draws people’s attention and fills baskets quickly. It’s larger on average than any of the dozens of strawberry varieties we’ve tested over the years.”
 
And this big berry is no wimp: The cold-hardy variety is tough enough to withstand winters, making it suitable for growing in diverse climates throughout New York as well as in places like Michigan and Minnesota and along the Mid-Atlantic from Maryland into the Northeast.
 
Weber’s strawberries are bred to be hardy. He breeds in a perennial system without soil fumigation so that only the most robust varieties thrive. With a durable root system, this high-yield variety is tolerant to root rots and other common diseases.
 
Fruit breeding has a long history at Cornell, which has introduced more than 280 fruit varieties since 1880. The berry breeding program is the oldest of its kind in the U.S., and Archer is the 43rd strawberry variety released by the program, and the fifth by Weber, who joined Cornell in 1999.
 
Other recent releases include the Herriot strawberry, a high-yielding midseason variety, and the burgundy-colored Walker sold exclusively by Burpee Seed as Purple Wonder. 

Archer is the largest strawberry ever released at Cornell’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, Ontario County.
 
Weber selected Archer in 2001 from the first field he planted at the ag station, and it has been under field evaluation for many years. Final field testing was done on the farms of members of the New York State Berry Growers Association.

Matt Hayes is managing editor and social media officer for Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Wee Stinky Rotting Flesh Plant Ready to Bloom at Cornell

From Cornell University:

Wee Stinky

Wee Stinky, the lovely plant at Cornell University that smells like rotting flesh, is getting ready to bloom again.

Read more about it at http://titanarum.cals.cornell.edu/2016/10/05/cornells-titan-arum-wee-stinky-poised-to-flower-again/ this link.

Wee Stinky is one of two flowering-sized Titan arums in the living collection of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory at Cornell University.

Solar Farm Supplies Power To Ag Experiment Station

From Cornell University:

Cornell University’s Sutton Road Solar Farm is now operational and supplying power to the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva.

A 2-megawatt energy facility that will offset nearly 40 percent of the annual electricity demand at the experiment station, the solar farm in Seneca was built beginning last spring and is Cornell's second megawatt-scale solar project.

In September 2014, the university opened the Cornell Snyder Road Solar Farm with 6,778 photovoltaic panels on an 11-acre plot that adjoins the Tompkins County Regional Airport in Lansing, Tompkins County.  Adding the new Geneva array to the Lansing facility’s output, the university will produce about 5,700 megawatt-hours of electricity annually. 

“Our researchers are conducting basic and applied research to improve crops and make them more resilient to disease, drought and the worst effects of an uncertain climate as we chart a more sustainable agricultural future,” said Susan Brown, the Goichman Family Director of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. 

"Within our fruit and vegetable programs we’re studying the best way to harvest the sun, so it is only fitting that the energy powering our labs and greenhouses will do the same,” she said.

In September 2014, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced NY-Sun awards for large solar electric projects that will increase the solar energy capacity in the state by more than 214 megawatts, a 68 percent increase over the amount of solar installed. The NY-Sun Initiative strove to expand the state’s renewable energy market to bring down the costs of the technology.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority administers the NY-Sun awards, and it contributed about one-third of the project’s capital cost, while private developer Distributed Sun and Building Energy Asset Management LLC will own and operate the Geneva array. 

Jeff Weiss ’79 is co-chairman and managing director at Distributed Sun. Cornell will purchase the solar farm’s electricity through an agreement with the company.

Will the Upstate Revitalization Initiative Really Help Agricultural Growth?

From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine

By DEBRA J. GROOM

Late last year, the state announced three regions of the state would receive $500 million each during the next five years to help jumpstart their economies and create jobs.
 
Each of these regions — Central New York, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier — as well as those regions that did not win the competition (North Country, Mohawk Valley, Capital Region, Mid-Hudson) included agricultural components in their proposals.
 
So just what do the three winning regions want to do with their money in the field of agriculture? And which of these ideas does an agricultural economics professor at Cornell University think will provide the biggest bang for the buck?
 
Associate Professor Todd Schmit said he couldn’t talk about specifics in the plans, but looked at them overall and had some observations.
 
Schmit said what jumped out at him first was the regions’ proposals for food processing and beverages, areas that are adding jobs in New York state. He also liked proposals for “food hubs” and different ways to transport fresh products to other areas.
 
“What I took away from it is the key areas I see that will be fitting with the economic impacts in these regions and statewide economies,” Schmit said.
 
Schmit, who received his doctorate in 2003 at Cornell and teaches in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, focuses his research and teaching on agribusiness development, agribusiness management, agricultural marketing and cooperatives.
 
He said his research has shown that at the state level, the strongest growth is in food manufacturing. In that area, there has been a 53-percent increase in output sales and a 16- percent increase in employment.
 
An example in the dairy industry is the explosion of yogurt manufacturing in the state. Although there is a “question on supply issues” in yogurt right now (an oversupply of yogurt) along with depressed milk prices, this still should be an area of growth.
 
(One yogurt plant, run by Muller in Batavia, recently closed due to poor production expectations). New York has been the top U.S. yogurt producer for several years because of the booming Greek yogurt sector. Other plants in the state are run by Chobani, Fage and Byrne.
 
Schmit also said the specialty beverage industry is booming.
 
“A good chunk of that is in the wineries and the growth in hard cider and craft brewers,” he said.
 
In 2008, there were about 240 wineries in New York state. Today, there are more than 400.
 
Fruit growers are not just selling fruit today. Many have expanded into fruit spirits (alcoholic beverages), such as Beak & Skiff’s 1911 distillery in LaFayette in Onondaga County, which uses apples to make gin, vodka and a number of hard-cider products. 

Apple Country Spirits in Williamson, Wayne County, also uses its apples and other fruits to make spirits and hard cider.
 
“All the investments in manufacturing will provide opportunities,” Schmit said. “There are strong multiplier effects with this manufacturing. I see that as encouraging.”
 
Schmit also was excited about infrastructure improvements, mostly to improve ways to transport New York grown and manufactured foods to areas that need it.
 
“We have to get foods to urban areas,” he said. “These types of investments are worthwhile.”
 
For example, one proposals in the Southern Tier plan lists the desire to develop and use new technology to transition the Southern Tier from a highly seasonal, occasional provider of food products to a reliable source of supply for the East Coast. 

The Central New York plan includes indoor agriculture, so vegetables and fruits can be provided to customers year-round instead of just in the summer and fall.
 
Lastly, Schmit said he likes the proposed investment for workforce development. He said workers should be trained for these food manufacturing and beverage jobs so when companies hire them, they stay and become invested in their workplace and what it is making.
 
“Right now, there isn’t a commitment or work ethic,” Schmit said. “With the right incentives, (which he said is more than just wages) people will have a commitment for what they do and are engaged with the organization.”
 
Here are the winning regions and what agricultural proposals are in their plans. Most of the wording is taken right from the plans:
 
SOUTHERN TIER
 
Transform the Food and Agriculture Industry
 
The Southern Tier will be a world-recognized leader in agriculture technology and serve as a key food supplier for the East Coast of the United States.
 
Leveraging the global reach and strengths of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, together with the region’s natural assets and strong private sector investment, a strategic mix of projects will transform and grow agriculture and food production, processing and distribution across the region, while also strengthening links to growing tourism and manufacturing industries.
 
** Develop and deploy new technology to transition the Southern Tier from a highly seasonal, occasional provider of food products to a reliable source of supply for the East Coast.
 
** Promote and leverage existing and new support structures for growers and producers in the region to help expand farms and increase their profitability.
 
** Increase the diversity of and access to food processing facilities around the region, including slaughterhouses, meat packing and poultry processing facilities, dairy processing facilities and aseptic packaging facilities for vegetables.
 
**Leverage our location at the crossroads of Upstate New York via the creation of a “food hub” network that facilitates market connections and distribution of food products for production centers in regions across the state.
 
** Pioneer workforce development programs designed to bolster food and agriculture industries.
 
The plan also states job creation for agriculture would be about 2,800, the average annual food and agriculture wage would go from $50,491 to $55,541 by the year 2020, the regional output of crops would increase 15 percent and the output in animal products would increase 5 percent.
 
Game-changing investments
 
** Plant Science Innovation and Business Development Center at Cornell University
 
** Southern Tier Agriculture and Food Development Cooperative
 
** Southern Tier Agriculture Development Fund, which will provide support to pioneering workforce development programs, with a focus on regional residents, hard-to-place workers and veterans
 
** Southern Tier Agriculture Education Fund
 
** Beef and Cattle Research Program
 
** Groundswell Farmer Incubator Capacity Improvement and Regional Expansion
 
** Basic infrastructure projects necessary to support expansion of food processing facilities such as the Waverly WWTF update to support the expansion of Leprino Cheese and the Village of Walton Biogas Project to support Kraft Food
 
** New construction or expansion of processing facilities for dairy, value-added foods, slaughter and meat packing, aseptic packaging and ultra-premium wine and beverages
 
** Investments in crop production such as the Vineyard Reclamation and Replacement Program
 
n Network of distribution hubs
 
FINGER LAKES
 
Further investment in the Finger Lakes region’s food ecosystem will help spur growth and create jobs. Examples of potential upcoming projects include:
 
AquaTerRen, a controlled environment agriculture start-up, is planning to build a hydroponic/recirculating aquaculture facility at Eastman Business Park in Rochester. The facility will produce fish, organic vegetables and organic fertilizer using renewable energy from anaerobic biodigestion.
 
This sustainable system would use shared utilities at the park and leverage state funding with a $250 million private investment, creating 400 jobs.
 
The New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva in Ontario County plans to add a high-pressure processing (HPP) safety testing machine at its facility. HPP is a rapidly expanding technology and the equipment would be the only Hiperbaric testing machine in the U.S. 
 
This collaboration between New York state, Cornell University, LiDestri Foods, Wegmans Food Markets and others will enhance the ability of the ag experiment station to serve as a hub for product safety testing in the U.S., and will attract food start-ups and entrepreneurs.
 
The Organic Grain Farming Conversion Initiative will help farmers convert to growing organic grain and position the Finger Lakes region as the organic food capital of the eastern U.S. and spur further investments by food manufacturers. Organic breads from heritage grains and organic meat using organic grain for feed will be produced from the grain grown in the Finger Lakes region.
 
A cross-region wine marketing strategy and campaign, expanding and coalescing existing efforts into a unified plan, will substantially increase tourism to the region.
 
North American Breweries has proposed an Eco-Brewery District that would create a destination for marketing and enhance the quality and perception of New York state beer. The project will expand the Genesee Brew House concept and create a brewery incubator, beer education center and a museum.
 
Working in collaboration with Monroe Community College, the district would also support workforce development for the beer industry. In addition, the district would be marketed as a tourist attraction that aligns with Greentopia’s EcoDistrict plans for the High Falls district. The project is situated in the low-income El Camino neighborhood and would contribute to its revitalization.
 
A Sustainable Food Production Initiative will strengthen and expand the food production industry through applied research around the development of new technology, tools, skill sets, innovations and information necessary to address the most critical industry-wide challenges, including energy, water usage, waste and overall resilience.
 
A focused effort on sustainable food production will require collaboration between food production companies, research institutions including the ag experiment station and the Technology Farm, community colleges and economic development organizations. 

The initiative will be led by Rochester Institute of Technology’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability and builds upon the existing Finger Lakes Food Production Cluster Initiative to further increase job and revenue growth in regional food cluster companies. 

Investments would focus on high-promise, applied research and development opportunities with the potential to drive innovation across large numbers of existing food production firms in the region.
 
CENTRAL NEW YORK
 
The ag initiatives in Central New York’s plan are titled New York-Grown, New York-Certified — Safe and Market-Ready. Region officials want to establish a strong consumer preference for Central New York agricultural products grown locally and certified as safe and nutritious to respond to growing domestic and international demands for nutrition and food safety.
 
They also want to build a powerful brand identity — within the region to around the globe — utilizing the region’s natural resources and innovative technology to strengthen the state’s dairy, fruit and vegetable industries and enhance the region’s overall rural economy. These efforts will result in increased food production and processing, rapid sales growth and job creation.
 
Central New York’s OpportunityAgriculture has been a cornerstone of the Central New York and Upstate economy for more than 200 years. It has maintained the vitality of the region’s rural communities, provided food for urban and metropolitan areas and offered tourism opportunities for visitors.
 
Within Central New York are more than 3,500 farms and over than 200 food processing companies employing nearly 4,000 people.
 
On a global scale, the food and beverage industry has witnessed significant growth over the past five years. This trend is expected to continue, reaching about $5.8 trillion in 2017 with a compounded annual growth rate of 5 percent in the next five years.
 
Many experts consider the challenge of feeding the world’s population as one of the most critical in the 21st century and estimate humans will need to produce more food in the next 40 years than has been produced in the previous 10,000 years put together.
 
With its natural resources, proximity to the world’s largest consumer markets, new investments in logistics and transportation assets, education and research base and supportive technology and industry sectors, agribusiness within Central New York is positioned to build off its historic strengths by investing in major agricultural growth opportunities through Controlled Environment Agriculture (indoor) and aseptic/extended shelf life products.
 
These opportunities are driven by compelling factors such as: 
 
** The rise of the global middle class and increasing demand for protein-rich, nutritious and safe U.S.-produced food. The lack of widespread refrigeration in emerging markets means that most of these food products have to be processed, packaged and delivered in a way that keeps them fresh and safe. This can be accomplished through aseptic packaging processes;
 
** New York state’s position as a national dairy center and a leading producer of fluid milk in the United States. Dairy is the largest category (54 percent) for aseptic beverages and is expected to increase by 7 to 9 percent compounded annual growth rate from 2010 to 2020;
 
** The persistent and ongoing drought in California is severely limiting outdoor production of leafy greens and creating new markets for indoor production in closer proximity to northeast U.S. CEA consumer markets; and
 
** The average greenhouse operation in New York has 26,000 square feet in a controlled environment, compared to the U.S. average of 48,000 square feet.
 
** The nexus between regional technology and industry strengths such as sensors, data analytics, unmanned systems and agriculture.


If you like what you read from the magazine, you can subscribe to it by sending $50 for one year or $75 for two years to Empire Farm & Dairy, 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY  13601

Cornell University's CALS Dean Discusses Cuomo's State of the State Address

Statement from Dean Kathryn Boor of the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences on Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address:


Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address on Wednesday included a number of initiatives designed to promote agriculture and food quality – and through them the economic vitality of New York State.  

Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, praised the governor’s efforts and noted New York’s Land Grant university is committed to these same goals.

Boor says:

“I am very pleased that Governor Cuomo’s vision, as outlined in yesterday’s 2016 State of the State and Budget Address, recognizes the importance of agriculture to the state’s economic vitality and community wellness.

Governor Cuomo understands that agriculture has always been – and continues to be, more than ever – a vital component of the state’s character and economic health, especially as the dairy, beer and wine industries create fresh opportunities across the state. The Governor’s vision bolsters Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Land-Grant Mission – a mission of teaching, research and outreach – in several key areas.

“First, having been privileged to serve on the Governor’s Anti-Hunger Task Force, I am very pleased to see several of the task force’s suggestions adopted. In particular, I applaud the Governor’s continuing support of Farm-to-School programs, building upon successful partnerships between the Empire State’s school districts, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) educators and local farmers.

"Farm-to-School programs create vital conduits that bring local crops directly to school cafeterias and promote the wellness of our state’s school children. CCE educators are also working with adults throughout the state, from Wyoming to Nassau counties, in order to increase nutritional awareness and community vitality.

“As an agricultural leader, New York depends on the hardworking farmers across this state to drive business while providing all of us with the bounty of their efforts. I applaud the Governor’s announcement that the state will no longer tax those farmers delivering healthy produce to communities throughout the state by eliminating New York State Thruway tolls for their vehicles.

“The promise of New York has consistently been demonstrated by its commitment towards science and research. Having just celebrated Cornell’s 150 years of academic excellence, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is tremendously gratified to see the continuation of the successful New York State Science, Technology, Engineering and “Mathematics (STEM) Incentive Program, which encourages our best and brightest high school students to pursue their educations and their futures in New York.

"I am very proud to say that, in just its first year, CALS is home to 31 STEM Incentive Awardees, with three more on their way. Across New York, STEM careers are growing twice as fast than those in any other field, and our students will be leading the way in agriculture and the biological sciences.

“Since its inception, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has been devoted to developing farming techniques that allow those who work the land to reap the maximum economic benefit with the lowest environmental impact, a spirit of stewardship that continues as CALS creates a sustainable future for generations to come.

"The Governor’s commitment to increasing the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) dollars has energized the college’s highly successful and well-regarded Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.

"In a time of increasing challenges from invasive insect species and ever-changing weather patterns, it has never been more important to ensure that our IPM program has the resources needed to continue working hand-in-hand with New York’s farmers on employing a common-sense, earth-friendly approach: utilizing pesticides only when necessary and focusing on good agronomic practices, as CALS forges a sustainable future focused on growth and prosperity.”