Northern New York Study Helps Keep Cows Cooler in Summer

Summer heat in New York state has been estimated to cost the dairy industry $23 million a year in total economic losses that include decreased milk production, decreased milk components, and impact on animal health and reproduction.

The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program funded research by the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, Chazy, Clinton County, to assess ways to help cows adjust to the hottest days of the year. 

The final report on different types of heat abatement systems for dairy cows is posted at www.nnyagdev.org

"Our investigation evaluated the impact of different heat abatement systems on the cows and milk production under Northern New York summer climate conditions for insight on the best ways to keep cows comfortable and healthy and to maintain milk yield in times of heat stress," said Miner Institute Director of Research Katie Ballard.

The project worked with three groups of Holstein cows at Minter Institute from June 10 through August 28, 2016. The types of heat abatement systems evaluated included the use of fans, an evaporative cooling system with water nozzles attached to fans, and different bedding types.

The cooling measures were applied in different settings, including barns, feed alleys and milking parlors.

The research team recorded temperature and humidity for each group every 15 minutes, wind speed in feed alleys and bedding areas, the amount of time the cows were standing and lying, and milk production for each cow. Milk samples were analyzed for fat, protein and other components which draw premium income.

"The higher producing cows appear to be more sensitive to heat stress. Providing maximum heat abatement measures over stalls and feed alleys helped keep the cows more comfortable, hold milk production steadier, and maintain milk fat percentage," Ballard said.

The results of the project will be presented at the 2018 American Dairy Science Association meeting in Knoxville, Tenn. Results of the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded dairy calf heat stress relief research conducted by Miner Institute were presented at the 2017 American Dairy Science Association meeting.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded research on heat stress and its impact on dairy cattle performance continues in 2017 on four commercial dairies in Clinton and Franklin counties.

The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program provides research and technical assistance to farmers in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Learn About Cold-Hardy Grapes at Winter Grape School March 9

From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program:

Research is being done cold-climate grape varieties that can be grown in Northern New York.

Delicate grape varieties do not do well under harsh winter weather in Northern New York, so the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has funded research on cold-climate grape varieties to support increasing interest in NNY-grown table grapes and wines. 

An update on the most recent work will be offered at the second annual Northeast NY and Vermont Winter Grape School March 9 at the Holiday Inn in Lake George.

Registration information is online at https://enych.cce.cornell.edu or call (518) 410-6823.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has posted the latest Evaluation of Cold-Hardy Grape Varieties for Production in Northern New York report at www.nnyagdev.org

The report summarizes work in 2016 to revitalize the cold-climate grape nursery at the Willsboro Research Farm in Willsboro, Essex County.

Input from regional growers, private grape breeders and representatives of the Cornell-USDA and University of Minnesota grape breeding programs was collected and winnowed to a list of 20 potential new varieties for planting at the research nursery. 

The list includes varieties from the Cornell and Minnesota programs, one each from the USDA ARS grape breeding trials in California and at the University of Arkansas, and from Ontario, Canada, and private breeders.

Removal of old vines, soil testing and replenishing the soil health at the nursery are among the preparatory work in anticipation of the new planting. The Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program plans to hire a grape specialist to oversee the research planting.

Outreach educational programs on cold-hardy grape production research in NNY in 2016 reached groups of more than 60 grape growers and winemakers.

The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is a research and technical assistance program serving all agricultural sectors in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. 

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Project on Birch Syrup Shows Promising Results

By the NORTHERN NEW YORK AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
 
A project to see if regional maple syrup makers could expand into birch syrup has posted its results.
 
Four sugarhouses participated in the 2015-16 birch syrup project -- one each in Jefferson, Franklin, Essex and Clinton counties. The project was done by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program.
 

Birch trees tapped for sap collection as part of the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program project evaluating opportunities for birch syrup production. Photo by Michael Farrell.

“All species of birch trees produce sap that can be processed into syrup that sells at a high price point,” said project leader Michael L. Farrell, author of The Sugarmaker’s Companion: An Integrated Approach to Producing Syrup from Maple, Birch and Walnut Trees.
 
“In some areas, a gallon of birch syrup can sell for $200 with gross revenues of $20 per tap, which is significantly higher than most maple syrup operations generate,” said Farrell, who also is director of the Cornell University Uihlein Forest in Lake Placid.
 
But, Farrell quickly points out that while birch syrup production has the potential to be a profitable enterprise for existing maple producers, several prerequisites are required, including a proper number of birch trees to produce a sufficient amount of sap to support efficient use of commercial-scale maple processing equipment.
 
One option for smaller sugarmakers that Farrell suggests in the Producing Syrup from Birch Trees in NNY report posted at www.nnyagdev.org is to pool their birch sap for processing by one larger commercial operation.
 
Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center Maple Program transported the sap collected from 61 paper birch trees there 20 miles to the Uihlein Forest sugarhouse for processing.
 
Farrell notes the trial at Paul Smith’s also produced conclusive evidence that using 5/16-inch spouts will provide significantly more sap than 3/16-inch spouts.
 
In Ellenburg Center, Brandy Brook Maple Farm owner Joy Herfurth tapped 40 white and yellow birch trees and gathered data on sugar content and sap volume. She made about two gallons of birch syrup. A half-gallon sold for $80.
 
“I was interested to participate in this research as a way to develop an opportunity for extra income. We used a smaller boiling pan that helps extend our maple season when sap volume decreases,” Herfurth says. “This type of regional research is part of helping landowners discover untapped resources they may not be aware of or may be cutting down for firewood.”
 
For now, producing birch syrup is on hold at Brandy Brook Maple Farm, which has 10,000 maple taps and has opened a new maple-influenced winery. But Herfurth says if birch syrup catches on with consumers, specialty food stores and restaurants to build market demand, she will consider tapping the 150 or so birch trees she has in the future.
 
Birch syrup is produced on a commercial scale by sugarmakers in Alaska and Canada.
 
“More birch syrup production research and consumer awareness building could help North Country sugarmakers expand their use of the northern New York landbase with this niche product,” Farrell said.
 
The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is a research and technical assistance program serving Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

North Country Crop Congresses Set for February

From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program

The 2017 North Country Crop Congresses will feature updates on research projects funded by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program. 

The program provides small grants for on-farm research and technical assistance projects in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

The Crop Congresses Feb. 1 in Chazy and Feb. 2 in Canton will include presentations on Northern New York Development Program-funded research evaluating ways to manage the crop pests corn rootworm, alfalfa snout beetle and western bean cutworm, and on field trials with forage sorghum.

The Feb. 1 Crop Congress at the Burke Education and Research Center at Miner Institute in Chazy will also include an update on Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded tile drainage research by Miner Institute, and other Miner Institute research updates. 

This event is free to attend. Pre-registration is encouraged by calling (518) 846-7121 ext. 117.

The Feb. 2 Crop Congress at the Best Western University Inn, 90 E. Main St. in Canton, will also include a presentation on Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded field trials of late summer-planted oats as a forage option. 

Weed control management, neonicotinoid seed treatment restrictions, and crop insurance presentations are also on the agenda. There is a fee to attend this event; call (315) 788-8450 or (315) 854-1218.

More than 100 regional farmers serve on the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program committee that identifies and prioritizes research and technical assistance projects for attention in the six northernmost counties of New York state.

Project leaders receiving funding from the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program in 2016 included Cornell University and State University of New York faculty, and personnel with Cornell Cooperative Extension; the Cornell Willsboro Research Farm, Willsboro, Essex County; W. H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, Chazy, Clinton County; and Uihlein Maple Research Forest, Lake Placid, NY.

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State and administered by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets. Project results are posted online at the following link  www.nnyagdev.org

Research Study Uses Integrated Pest Management in Apple Orchards

From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program

As the 2016 apple harvest nears completion, researchers with money from the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program are eager to see if growers have been able to reap a second year of benefits from application of a precision management process to reduce the impact and cost of orchard insect pests.
 
The protocol provided excellent control of economically-significant apple pests, with an average of 96 percent clean fruit at harvest plus time and money saved by reducing the pest control applications required in 2015.
 
“Changes in the landscape of northern New York apple orchards over the past decade have influenced which insects have become the key economically-significant pests of the apple industry in the region that includes Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties,” said Anna Wallis of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program. 

Wallis served as project co-leader with Cornell University Entomologist Arthur Agnello.
 
Five Northern New York apple growers assisted the research. The early results of this farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program project were requested for grower meetings in Vermont and Virginia. 

The complete report is posted at www.nnyagdev.org. The 2016 results of this research will be available in the spring of 2017.
 
The changes impacting orchard management in the region include the predominant choice of apple rootstocks planted, implementation of new training systems, restrictions on what spray applications are available for pest management, changes in climatic conditions and the introduction of new pests through global trade.
 
Five Northern New York apple growers participating in the project following the protocol that uses trapping and scouting to identify which insect pests are present in an orchard block and at what level. The scouting effort was especially alert to codling moth, oriental fruit moth, obliquebanded leafroller, apple maggot, mites, aphids and scales. 
 
When pests reach an economic damage threshold level, a specific insecticide application is precisely timed based on insect activity and computer models.
 
This comprehensive integrated pest management protocol was developed by Agnello and Cornell colleague Harvey Reissig in the 1990s. Due to changes over time, growers moved away from the protocol, but Wallis says, are now making good use of it once again, integrating a variety of management strategies, including chemical, cultural, biological and mechanical.
 
The protocol was applied to orchard blocks, including blocks of the two most popular cultivars in Northern New York: Honeycrisp and McIntosh.
 
“The early work of this project demonstrated how well the IPM (integrated pest management) protocol can work and prompted growers to request field workshops so they could implement it more broadly in 2016. With each additional year of use, we are evaluating the opportunity for IPM use to be consistent under a variety of growing climate conditions as a long-term management option for apple growers in this region,” Wallis said.
 
The first-year report for the Identification and Grower Education of Key Pests in Apple Orchards in Northern New York project is online at www.nnyagdev.org. 

The report identifies key early, summer, and late season pests. For example, San Jose scale, not previously identified in the participating orchards in NNY, is increasingly becoming a problem.
 
The report also measures fruit damage by the various pests, and the number and effectiveness of the integrated pest management applications.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program provides grants for on-farm research and technical assistance projects in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the state Senate and administered through the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Lab Seeks Farmers to Order or Apply Worms to Fight Alfalfa Snout Beetle

From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program:

The Shields Lab at Cornell University is asking farmers interested in ordering or applying the biocontrol nematodes (worms) proven successful for limiting the highly destructive alfalfa snout beetle to contact the Lab.

The lab can be reached at (607) 591-1493. Farmers should call before April 29 if they are planning to apply the nematodes before July 1.

The Shields Lab is also interested in talking with anyone interested in rearing the biocontrol nematodes as a business enterprise.

Farmers have the option to purchase a shipment of the biocontrol nematodes from the Shields Lab or to request assistance in rearing the nematodes themselves.

The cost to purchase the biocontrol nematodes from the Shields Lab is $26 per acre. Growers using their own labor to rear the biocontrol nematodes may reduce the cost to about $15 per acre.

Applications must be made by Sept. 1. The April 29 ordering date from the Lab includes the opportunity for a 10 percent discount for delivery for application by June 15. A 10 percent discount will be provided to participants paying upon delivery.

The Shields Lab recommends applying the nematodes to alfalfa fields in the seeding or first production year for best economic impact.

The Shields Lab plans to discontinue its rearing of the nematodes by 2021. 

"Alfalfa snout beetle will remain a potential threat as long as alfalfa is grown in the region, so we are also very interested in assisting anyone interested in rearing these biocontrol nematodes as a business enterprise so this control agent remains available to Northern New York farmers after 2021," sadi Cornell entomologist Elson Shields.

With long-term funding by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program, Shields and Cornell University Research Support Specialist Tony Testa developed a complete understanding of the life cycle of alfalfa snout beetle and created the science-based, field-tested protocol for using a combination of two species of native New York nematodes to control the beetle. 

Their guide to rearing and applying the biocontrol nematodes is online at www.nnyagdev.org 

Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Study Shows Growth Potential in Farming

From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program:

The recently-released Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report indicates growth opportunities and the value of localized on-farm research that benefits not only the diverse agricultural sectors in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, but often has a positive impact on farms statewide.

The report offers project highlights and economic indicators under the headings of Apples, Beef, Crops, Dairy, Disease and Pest Control, Environmental Stewardship, Food Hub, Food Project Innovation, New Business Development, Maple and Birch Syrup, and Young Farmers.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Economic Impact Report can be seen by going to www.nnyagdev.org/index.php/about-us/nnyadp-impact-2/ . It is accompanied by NNYADP ‘Quotables’ with comments on the value of the regional research and technical assistance program from farmers, researchers, agricultural specialists, and business owners. 

More than 100 farmers serve on the NNYADP steering committee.

Sheep and Goat Week Program Set for Early December

NNY Sheep and Goat Week programs are scheduled for the first week of December.

The schedule is:

** 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1, CCE Jefferson County office, Watertown, $5 per farm, contact Ron Kuck, 315.788.8450, rak76@cornell.edu
** 7 p.m. Dec. 2, CCE St. Lawrence County Extension Learning Farm, Canton, $5 per farm, contact Betsy Hodge, 315.379.9192, bmf9@cornell.edu
** 6 p.m. Dec. 3, youth meeting (info on breeds and general animal care), 7 p.m. adult meeting, CCE Clinton County office, Plattsburgh, free, contact Sara Bull, 518.561.7450, slk95@cornell.edu.

Dr. tatiana Stanton of the Cornell University Sheep and Goat Program will present a detailed update on parasite control research funded in part by the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program. 

Field trials were conducted at the CCE St. Lawrence County Extension Learning Farm in Canton and at Asgaard Farm and Goat Dairy in AuSable Forks, Clinton County.

"Producers at these December programs will learn how the use of birdsfoot trefoil as a pasture based means of parasite control worked in real-life situations under our regional conditions," says Cornell Cooperative Extension Northern New York Regional Livestock Specialist Betsy Hodge.

Funding from the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program supported the first-ever research trial of birdsfoot trefoil as a natural parasite control practice for sheep and goat farmers in the NNY region. 

The NNY trials are part of a four-year project being conducted by Cornell University, Cornell University Cooperative Extension, the University of Rhode Island, Virginia Tech, West Virginia University, and the University of Wisconsin.

At the Dec. 1, 2 and 3 programs, Hodge will also present information on winter feeding basics, including when and what feed products to use to supplement sheep and goat diets through the cold weather season. She will cover how to evaluate the content and quality of hay and forage and related feeding program adjustment options.

High Tunnel Workshops Set for December in the North Country

From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program:

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension will hold Making the Most of Your High Tunnel workshops on:

** 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9 at the Elks Lodge, 511 Fulton Street, Carthage; and
** 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 10 at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Essex County office, 3 Sisco St.,Westport.

New, experienced and prospective high tunnel growers are invited to learn about choosing and growing profitable crops using structures that allow for nearly year round production. 

The workshop fee of $10 covers materials and refreshments. Registration is requested by Dec. 4 at https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/HighTunnelSchool15_10511 or call (518) 561-7450.

Results of the most recent high tunnel research funded by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program will be shared at the workshops. 

The research evaluates the economic potential of crops not traditionally grown in high tunnels, such as basil, cucumbers, ginger, green beans and zucchini.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York state Senate and administered through the state Department of Agriculture and Markets. Find research reports and learn more at www.nnyagdev.org

Results of Northern New York Beef Survey Unveiled

From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program:

Results of a beef industry survey in Northern New York have been released.


To assess the current state of the Northern New York beef industry, the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program funded a regional survey of cow-calf farmers in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. 

The results of the survey will help guide regional beef industry educational programming and Northern New York Agricultural Development Program-funded research projects for the next five years.


Results are posted in the Livestock section at www.nnyagdev.org. 


A snapshot of survey results shows:
 
** 96 percent of the NNY beef producers surveyed plan to expand or maintain their current size
** The predominant breed of beef cattle raised in Northern New York is Angus
** 52 percent of those surveyed sell direct to consumers by freezer trade
** 48 percent of those surveyed sell direct to a cattle buyer
** 8 percent of those surveyed sell breeding stock
** Increasing numbers of beef farmers are developing relationships with a veterinarian to help maintain herd health and quality beef production.


Cow-calf farmers in NNY maintain the permanent breeding herds that are the foundation of the beef industry. Cow-calf operations supply 500 pound to 800 pound calves to feedlots that grow them out for beef processors, sell breeding stock to other producers, and package beef for direct sale to local consumers and food buyers.

Beef producers in Northern New York are increasingly interested in research and educational opportunities to help them improve herd management, farm efficiency and profitability. 

Agricultural educators locally and at Cornell University are using the survey input to guide their extension and outreach efforts, says Northern New York Regional Livestock Team Leader Betsy Hodge, a livestock specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County.

Funding from the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has provided regional farmers with access to the expertise of Cornell University Beef Extension Specialist Mike Baker. 

His recent efforts helped NNY producers develop better consistency in the cattle they raise and secured U.S. Department of Agriculture funding to help regional beef producers pool cattle to better meet buyer demand for supply and quality. 

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is a farmer-driven research and technical assistance program serving Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. 

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the state Senate and administered through the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Northern New York Apple Trials Help Orchard Owners

New York apples ready to be picked.

A Cornell University horticulturist said results of orchard management trials in the North Country are excellent.

Horticulture Professor Terence Robinson said the four trials, funded by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development, were designed to help regional apple growers increase orchard efficiency and profitability.
  
During the past 10 years, Robinson has developed a precision thinning system that provides apple growers with real-time data for the best timing and rates for growth inhibitor spraying applications that reduce bud count. Reducing the number of early season buds encourages the growth of a precisely targeted optimal number of apples.

Cornell University Horticulture Professor Terence Robinson, second from right, conducts a precision management tour in a NY apple orchard. Photo: Kevin A. Iungerman

Success with the precise management practice known as orchard thinning saves growers labor, time and expense. 

The NNY regional apple industry harvests $16 million net revenue from about 5,000 acres of orchards. Growers are increasingly adopting practices that research data shows increase the percentage of crop harvested in the highest price categories based on fruit size, color and quality.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Fruit Specialist Anna Wallis assisted Robinson with field trials in Honeycrisp plantings at four orchards in Chazy and Peru, Clinton County. The growers counted flower buds, calculated the target number of fruits per tree to achieve a desired high yield and measured fruit diameter. 

The Cornell research team analyzed the data and within 24 hours provided each grower an exact assessment of orchard cropload with recommendations for the next thinning application to maintain harvest goals.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has granted new funding for precision apple orchard management trials in 2015. More details and the Precision Orchard Management Strategies for NNY Apple Growers to Increase Profitability research report are online at www.nnyagdev.org 

Project Encourages Farmers to Consider Tile Drainage

Submitted by the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program:

A Northern New York Agricultural Development Program project report encourages farmers to consider the benefits of tile drainage to both crop production and environmental stewardship. 

The research is especially timely as farms face changes to the environmental standards they are required to meet and at a time when federal and state funding is available for installing the tile drainage.

As many states refine their phosphorus management requirements for farm nutrient management plans, it is critical that the models they use are based on representative field conditions and sound data, says project leader Eric Young, research agronomist at W. H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, Chazy, NY.

Young estimates the return on investment from installing tile drainage on farms with slow or very slow permeability is from seven to 12 percent over five to 10 years.

The goal of the most recent tile drainage research funded by the farmer-driven NNYADP was to compare phosphorus losses between tile drained and undrained test plots designed to simulate field-scale conditions typical of northern NY dairies.

Undrained conditions resulted in greater surface water runoff and phosphorus losses compared to tile drained lots, Young says.

The test plots at the Lake Alice Wildlife Area, Chazy, were managed as reed canarygrass in 2012-2013 planted to corn in 2014. Tile drainage and instrumentation was installed during 2012-2013 to capture real-time changes in both surface and subsurface runoff. Automatic water samplers track changes in phosphorus concentration and sediment over storm events.

The 2014 season was a wet year and included two major storms events in June, another in August, and one large precipitation and snowmelt event in December for measurement.

The vast majority of runoff that occurred in the tile drained plots was through the tiles with only three percent of the total runoff volume occurring as surface water runoff, Young says, and erosion that occurred from tile drained plots was half that of the undrained plots.

Although the trial size of only two replications limits the ability to show significant statistical differences, tile drainage showed a clear advantage in reducing surface water runoff and total phosphorus leaving the field.

The results of this project were presented at the 2014 Southern Extension and Research Activity 17 meeting in Des Moines, IA; 2014 Soil Science Society of America meeting in Long Beach, CA; and a University of Vermont Extension meeting on tile drainage in January 2015 in St. Albans, VT.

Given the multiple potential agronomic and environmental benefits of tile drainage to agricultural producers in Northern New York, and other regions, there is a critical need to better quantify the environmental aspects of tile drainage to support cost-effective best management practices to maximize both economic and environmental crop production aspects, Young explains.

Miner Institute has received a Northern New York Agricultural Development Program grant for 2015 to characterize tile drainage water nutrient concentrations and flow rates for several farms in the NNY region. 

The 2015 project work will assess the relative importance of nitrate-N and phosphorus in drainage water at different times of year and compare nutrient concentrations in tile drainage flows to levels in surface water runoff and any ponded water from the same field.

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. 

For a complete list of NNYADP 2015 projects and results of past projects, visit the website at www.nnyagdev.org.

Which High Tunnel Crop Brings in the Most Money?

From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program:

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has released the results of a project evaluating the economic potential of the non-traditional tunnel crops.

Tomatoes are the more popular crop grown in the high tunnel structures that allow farmers to plant earlier in the year and harvest later into the fall. 

To help growers diversify their crop rotation to improve production, income and soil health, the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program funded trials of crops less commonly grown in high tunnels. The trials were planted at the Cornell Willsboro Research Farm in Willsboro, NY.

If growers can successfully use high tunnels to grow crops more commonly planted in fields they have the potential to produce food crops that appeal to a broader market audience. Diversifying the types of crops grown also helps increase disease and pest protection in the tunnel environment, explains project leader Amy Ivy, a Regional Vegetable and Berry Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension.

The project also included a survey of fresh market prices for the non-traditional crops. The gross value per square foot planted of the crops was estimated at:
.. Cucumbers, using two types of trellising practices: $5.63-$7.08.
.. Ginger, with a unit price of $16.00 per pound: $5.79
.. Basil, with two plantings: $4.52
.. Green beans, with two plantings: $4.32
.. Zucchini, with two plantings: $2.24.

For comparison, the average gross value of tomatoes is $7.50.

While it is clear that tomatoes are still the best gross value choice for a summer crop for growers with high tunnels in the Northern NY climate, growers can add the data from this project into the factors they consider for evaluating options for diversifying their crops and rotation, says Cornell Willsboro Research Farm Manager Michael Davis.

For example, ginger may not return as much per square foot as tomatoes, but it has a much lower labor requirement, and it does not share the same diseases as tomatoes. 

Green beans may not be feasible as a primary tunnel crop, but because they have such a short season they can be useful for filling a gap between other crops, and basil is an excellent economic option for high tunnels, points out Cornell University NYS Vegetable Extension Specialist Judson Reid.

Final harvest date for the cucumbers, basil, green beans and zucchini was Oct. 16; for the ginger Nov. 21.

Ivy notes the trial results have encouraged growers to consider training cucumbers to grow on a single vertical line in the high tunnel which used less labor and produced a 20 percent higher yield compared with the traditional raised mesh trellising.

Trials underway in 2015 include evaluating opportunities to increase ginger and basil crop yields and exploring summer lettuce production in tunnels.

The complete Advancing Season Extension with Non-Traditional High Tunnel Crops report is in the Local Foods section of the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program website at www.nnyagdev.org           

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is a farmer-driven research and technical assistance program serving Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties. 

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and is administered through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

First Results In from Food Hub Survey in Northern New York

From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program:

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has posted preliminary results of a survey asking regional consumers, food buyers and farmers about their interest in developing a local food hub.

The goal is to gauge interest by the key players needed to make a local food hub successful. A food hub that efficiently coordinates ordering and delivery of local products can increase sales, while reducing costs for farmers and reducing the number of miles food travels to its destination, said project leader Anita Deming, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture identifies a regional food hub as a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution and marketing of source-identified food products primarily from local and regional producers to strengthen their ability to satisfy wholesale, retail, and institutional demand.

A total of 125 farmers, 25 buyers and 254 consumers completed the confidential survey conducted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension associations in Northern New York.

Cornell University Cooperative Enterprise Program Director Roberta Severson with the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management is analyzing the survey data.

Sixty-six percent of the farmers surveyed indicated they sell 75 to 100 percent of their products within the Northern NY region that includes Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties.

Major food marketing areas identified were Canton, Lake Placid, Lowville, Malone, Plattsburgh and Watertown.

Farmers responding to the survey said the types of market channels they used include farmstands, farmers' markets, wholesalers or distributors, Community Supported Agriculture, restaurants, food co-ops or buyers clubs, grocery stores, auctions and institutions.

The types of services producers indicated they were interested in receiving from a food hub include pickup, washing, grading, packing, cooling of products; freezer storage; processing; and handling of sales and marketing so they can focus on food production.

Nearly 100 percent of the farmers reporting more than $100,000 in sales indicated they are full-time farmers, with a high percentage of those farmers indicating they have more than 30 years of  experience in agriculture.

Overall, consumers responding to the survey considered local as food produced in Northern New York or in their home county. The most frequently purchased products were vegetables and fruit.

Nearly 60 percent of the consumers surveyed indicated they purchase local products at least once a month. The largest group of consumers responding to the survey was 50 to 69 year olds; the second largest group was 30 to 39 year olds.

Preliminary results are posted on the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program website at www.nnyagdev.org. Data from the food buyers survey that included stores, restaurants, co-packers, and schools will be available later this year.

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is a farmer-driven research and technical assistance program serving Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

This survey project also received a USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.