Empire State Farming: agriculture

Now this sounds like a lot of fun.

The third annual Ag Trivia Challenge Night is scheduled for 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 17 at Empire Tractor on Route 20 in Cazenovia.

The event includes a social hour, silent auction, "your favorite holiday" table decorating contest and catered dinner included in your $25 per person registration. (Teams of 6.)

Most importantly, test your team's "ag trivia knowledge" during the evening trivia contest.

A small sampling of local wine and beer will be available but attendees also can bring their own beverages for age 21 and over only.

All proceeds raised go towards supporting Madison County FFA and 4-H youth programming!

Please mail your team member's names and your registration fees to:

Bailey Coon
877 State Route 13
DeRuyter, New York 13052

For more information, call Bailey Coon at (315) 439–0636 or email bch1121@hotmail.com

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Agriculture is Lone Cabinet Post Unfilled by Trump

Go to http://www.flatlandkc.org/farm-field/agriculture-secretary-lone-trump-cabinet-post-nominee/ to check out the story.

Here's another story on the same topic: http://www.kristv.com/story/34260078/vilsack-leaving-usda-early-no-trump-replacement-named

Sunday, January 1, 2017

How Popular are Cover Crops??

A story about cover crops from agweb.

Check it out http://www.agweb.com/article/how-popular-are-cover-crops-naa-ben-potter/ at this link.

Friday, December 30, 2016

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Big Battles Over Farm and Food Policies May Be Brewing in Trump Administration

Interesting story from National Public Radio.

Check it out http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/12/28/506592753/big-battles-over-farm-and-food-policies-may-be-brewing-as-trump-era-begins at this link.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Farmers and Artisans Offer Western NY Agriculture Holiday Tables

Nice story from a former colleague, Scott Scanlon, who now is at the Buffalo News.

Read it http://buffalonews.com/2016/12/09/farmers-artisans-offers-wny-agriculture-holiday-tables/ by going to this link.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Methane Gas Levels Soar; Is Ag to Blame?

Go to http://time.com/4597909/climate-change-methane-emissions/ this link to read the story in TIME Magazine.

Friday, December 9, 2016

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Discusses Ag Export Forecast

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently issued the following statement on the forecast for U.S. agricultural exports in fiscal year 2017.

Vilsack

"U.S. farmers and ranchers continue to rise to the challenge of supplying the world with high-quality, American-grown products. At a projected $134 billion in 2017, U.S. farm exports continue to rally and remain on the record-setting pace of the past eight years.

"Since 2009, the United States has exported more than $1 trillion in agricultural products, far more than any other period in our history, thanks to the productivity and ingenuity of American farmers and ranchers, aided in part by the work of USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service to arrange and support trade missions and of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to break down trade barriers.

"The $134-billion forecast represents an increase of $4.3 billion from 2016 and would be the sixth-highest total on record. U.S. agriculture is once again expected to post a trade surplus, totaling $21.5 billion, up nearly 30 percent from the $16.6 billion surplus in 2016.

"The expected volume of 2017 exports is noteworthy, with bulk commodity exports expected to surpass last year's record levels - led by soybeans at a record 55.8 million metric tons, and corn, up 11 percent from last year, to 56.5 million metric tons. The volume of cotton exports is expected to begin recovering and most livestock and poultry products should see moderate increases in export volume as well.

"Exports are responsible for 20 percent of U.S. farm income, also driving rural economic activity and supporting more than one million American jobs both on and off the farm," he said..

"USDA has made support for exports and production agriculture one of the Four Pillars of a 21st century rural economy, along with local and regional food systems, the biobased economy, and conservation and natural resources, and has made significant, targeted investments in these areas.

"The ag forecast report showing growing exports and stable farm incomes reflect the strategic, consistent work of the Obama Administration since 2009 to help rural America thrive. We must continue promoting a favorable trade environment for American exports and making targeted investments that drive the rural economy forward to ensure this progress continues."

For the full ag forecast, go to https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/quarterly-agricultural-export-forecast