Beef Cattle Necropsy Workshop Set for April 18

A beef stocker cattle necropsy workshop is set for 6:30 p.m. April 18 at the Howard G. Sackett Technical Center (BOCES) in Glenfield, Lewis County.

Learning why an animal died is a good first step to preventing future losses. This class will review what the veterinarian is looking for and when it is an appropriate time to conduct the evaluation. The most valuable animal on your property is the one that just died, because there is much to learn from a necropsy.

Dr. Deanna Fuller, a veterinarian with Countryside Veterinary Clinic in Lowville will lead this workshop. Discussion will cover when it is appropriate to do a necropsy, your safety when doing a necropsy, and techniques and evaluation.

There is no cost to attend. Space is limited to the first 20 people. Contact Ron Kuck, dairy livestock educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County (315-704-8810, rak76@cornell.edu) to register.

The event is sponsored by CCE of Jefferson and Lewis counties; New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets; and the Southern Tier Stocker Cattle Initiative.

ABC News Settles 'Pink Slime' Lawsuit

Go to http://www.businessinsider.com/pink-slime-case-settlement-2017-6?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=referral to see the story.

New York Farm Show Set for Feb. 23-25 at NYS Fairgrounds

From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine

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 Angus
 
11 a.m.: Trace Minerals - Its role on the Cattle Immune System, Dr. Bob Gentry, Multimin
 
Noon: Quality - The Consumer Expectations, Jean O’Toole/ Katherine Bronson, NYBC - Thursday
 
Noon: Beef Up Your Marketing, Jean O’Toole/ Katherine Bronson, NYBC - Friday
 
1 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 Markets
 
3 p.m.: Beef showmanship clinic,  Robert Groom/ Jeanne White-  Thursday
 
3 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, NYBC
 
11 a.m.: Our National Livestock Judging Experience in Louisville, KY- By Melissa Keller, NY Junior Beef Producer
 
11 a.m.: Three Ways to get Involved with the Beef Industry, Megan Cranwell, NY Junior Beef Producer
 
Noon: What I Learned about NYBC (NY Beef Council) through C2C (Cattlemen to Consumers) Program, Jala Murphy, NY Junior Beef Producer
 
12:30 p.m.: What Telling our Story Means and Why We Should, By Sam and Sarah Birdsall, NY Junior Beef Producers
 
1 p.m.: Small Steps to Becoming Socially Savvy in our Beef Industry, By Anna King, NY Junior Beef Producer
 
1:30 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 Producers
 
2 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 11:00 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 NY Department of Environmental Conservation, Cornell Cooperative Extension, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and with special thanks to each of the expert speakers.
 

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, Dept. of Natural Resources, Cornell University
2 p.m.: Legacy Planning for Your Property, by Shorna Allred, Dept. of Natural Resources, Cornell University
3 p.m.: Getting Federal Aid for Woodlot Improvements, by Michael Fournier, U.S. Dept. 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, Dept. of Natural Resources, Cornell University
2 p.m.: The Law: Rights and Responsibilities of Woodlot Owners, by Timothy Fratesch Esq. Fratesch Law Firm, Syracuse
3 p.m.: Getting Federal Aid for Woodlot Improvements, by Michael Fournier, U.S. Dept. 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.

USDA Surveying Cattle Operations

In January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will survey more than 40,000 cattle operations nationwide to provide an up-to-date measure of U.S. cattle inventories.
 
“This information helps producers make timely, informed business decisions such as planning for herd expansion or reduction. It also helps packers and government leaders evaluate expected slaughter volume for future months and determine potential supplies for export,” said Northeastern Regional Director King Whetstone. “Obtaining the current count of cattle will serve as an important decision-making tool for the entire agriculture industry.”
 
During the first two weeks of January, Northeastern producers will have the opportunity to report their beef and dairy cattle inventories, calf crop, death loss and cattle on feed operations. 

To make it as easy as possible for producers to participate in the survey, the National Agricultural Statistics Service offers the option of responding via the Internet, telephone, mail or a personal interview with a local statistics service representative.
 
The statistics service safeguards the privacy of all responses and publishes only state- and national-level data, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified.
 
The January Cattle report will be released Jan. 31. This and all statistics reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov. For more information, call the Northeastern Regional Field Office at (800) 498-1518.

Cooperative Extension to Hold Spring Beef Week

From Northern New York Cooperative Extension agencies:

Beef cattle at the New York State Fair

Cornell Cooperative Extension associations will hold 2016 Northern NY Spring Beef Week programs in Canton, Malone, Watertown and Westport the week of March 1 to 4.

The Beef Week will include presentations on the Cornell Beef Farm Business Summary and how to know if a beef cattle enterprise qualifies as a business or a hobby.

At each of the four programs, Cornell University Beef Extension Specialist Mike Baker will present results from the Cornell Beef Farm Business Summary, a tracking and evaluation tool modeled after a similar program for dairy farms. 

The program allows participants to judge the success of their own farm business and measure their standing against similar farms statewide.

2016 Northern NY Spring Beef Week participants also will learn the financial markers that every beef producer should strive for and how to use the Beef Business Account Book. 

Participants are asked to bring a laptop computer, receipts and financial reports on assets and liabilities, account balances and value of equipment and property. Information is treated confidentially.

"For some families, raising beef cattle may not provide a full-time income, but it can still be considered a business enterprise if it meets certain criteria," said Betsy Hodge, regional livestock educator with Cooperative Extension in St. Lawrence County.

"The Beef Farm Business Summary is a good tool for identifying costs, income, weaknesses and opportunities for any size enterprise," she said.

The 2016 NNY Spring Beef Week programs will be held:
 
March 1: Watertown, 7 p.m., CCE Jefferson County, 203 N. Hamilton St., register with Ron Kuck, 788-8450, rak76@cornell.edu, or Mellissa Spence, 376-5270, mms427@cornell.edu

March 2: Canton, 7 p.m., CCE St. Lawrence Extension Learning Farm, 2043 State Route 68, register with Betsy Hodge, 379-9192, bmf9@cornell.edu

March 3: Malone, 7 p.m., Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District, 151 Finney Blvd., register with Diane Dumont, (518) 484-7403, drd9@cornell.edu

March 4: Westport, 6:30 p.m., CCE of Essex County, 3 Sisco St., register with Anita Deming, (518) 962-4810, ald6@cornell.edu, or Sara Bull, (518) 561-7459, slk95@cornell.edu.

The 2012 Census of Agriculture counted 12,077 beef cows and 932 farms producing beef animals in Northern New York. 

Find more information about livestock production online at www.ccenny.com

Wendy's Addresses Antibiotic Use in Beef Production

A good read.

Check it out at http://beefmagazine.com/blog/wendy-s-addresses-antibiotic-use-beef-production

More Workshops, Exhibits Coming to the New York Farm Show in February

From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine:

By DEBRA J. GROOM

In addition to all the new items at the New York Farm Show, there are some returning workshops and items that everyone must see.

They are:

Machinery galore

Every type of tractor, backhoe, harvester, baler or any other kind of farm machinery a person would want will be on display at the New York Farm Show.

Attendees can see them up close and talk to sales personnel about what they offer. You also can get prices and equipment information to compare. Anyone in the market for something new will find it here.

Woodlot seminars

The New York Forest Owners Association is offering free daily Woodlot Seminars geared to help landowners boost the value of timber and woodlands. The seminars are in the Somerset Room of the Arts and Home Center.

Hot topics this year include cost-sharing for woodlot improvements, finding the right forester, the warning signs of disease and insects, as well as tips for successful timber sales. Other sessions include improving bird habitat, heating with wood, and forest farming, say Hugh Canham and Ron Pedersen, the program coordinators.

The Forest Owners Association is teaming up with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Cornell Cooperative Extension and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry to put on the program.

Here’s the daily lineup:

Thursday, Feb. 25

11 a.m.: You need a management plan: Step one for your woodlot, by Kristina Ferrare, Cornell Cooperative Extension

1 p.m.: Getting federal aid for woodlot improvements, by Michael Fournier, USDA/Natural Resource Conservation Service

2 p.m.: Improve bird habitat with smart timber management, by Suzanne Treyger, forest management specialist for Audubon New York

3 p.m.: What’s new in home heating with wood, by Guillermo Metz, renewable energy specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Friday, Feb. 26

10 a.m.: Working with foresters: Finding the right one for you, by Peter Smallidge, NYS Extension forester at Cornell University

11 a.m.: Woodland thinning for timber health and production, by Peter Smallidge

1 p.m.: Signs of insect and disease threats to your woods, by Kim Adams, SUNY

2 p.m.: New wood products and opportunities for woodlot management, by William Smith, SUNY

3 p.m.: Getting federal aid for woodlot improvements, by Michael Fournier, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Service

Saturday, Feb. 27

10 a.m.: Secrets to harvesting and heating with wood, by Michael Kelleher, SUNY

11 a.m.: Forest farming for mushrooms, medicinals, forest fruits and more, by Steve Gabriel, Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute

1 p.m.: Making maple syrup for fun and profit, by Stephen Childs, Cornell Maple Program.

2 p.m.: Portable sawmills for woodlot owners, by David Williams, mill owner-operator from Bainbridge, Chenango County

3 p.m.: Dos and don’ts for a successful timber sale, by Hugh Canham, SUNY emeritus professor

For more on the New York Forest Owners Association, visit www.nyfoa.org

Beef seminars

The Beef Area in the Toyota Building has many seminars during the farm show.

The schedule is:

10 a.m. — Proper Care and Preparation of Cattle, Before The Show Season, Robert Groom and Jeanne White

11 a.m. — Start Them Right: Healthy Cows Raise Healthy Calves, Mark McCullouch, Merck Animal Health

Noon — Diagnosing Scours and the Choices to Treat Calves, Dr. Trent Lartz, veterinarian, Multimin, USA

1 p.m. — Cow Side Diagnostics, what is available to get answers quick, Dr. Trent Lartz, Multimin, USA

2 p.m. — Cattle Grading, grouping pooled cattle, Heather Birdsall, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cortland County

3 p.m. — How Ultra Sounding Improves EPDs and what it means for improving your herd, Andy Weaber

On Saturday, there will be three special presentations by New York Junior Beef Members

10 a.m. — How to prepare for a Junior Team Fitting Competition, Shelby Kelekenberg, junior beef member

10 a.m. — How to prepare for a Junior Team Marketing Competition, a New York junior beef member

Noon — Our National Livestock Challenge Experience in Louisville, Ky., Melissa Keller

Also, each day beginning at 11 a.m., the New York Beef Council will be on hand serving its famous Hot Beef Sundaes.

A live beef cattle display representing numerous beef breeds also will be on hand including breed information to take home.

Health and safety

The New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health hosts an interactive exhibit in the NYCAMH booth in the Center of Progress building.

You will see:

n The new “Game of Logging” is hands-on logging safety training.

n Sign up for the Rollover Protective Structure rebate program.

n Check out the interactive youth displays of farm hazards

n Quiz New York State Police on road safety, machinery lighting and gun controls.

n Get your blood pressure checked for free.

4-H fundraiser

The 4-Hers are back with a hitch pin fundraiser.

You can buy Tisco 6-by-¾-inch hitch pins at $5 each or five for $20. Look for those smiling 4-H faces and the hitch pins at the main entrance doors of the Center of Progress, Dairy and Horticulture buildings.

The hitch pins will be available until they all are sold.

We want your opinion

American Agriculturist magazine will be at the show to take polls of show attendees.

Some of the questions may include:

n If the election for U.S. president was held today, who would you vote for?

n Should assault rifles be banned from U.S. sale?

n Are you using cover crops in 2016? If so, which ones?

n Due to current low prices, how will you cut corn production costs?

n What new ag technology (machinery, crops, livestock) are you most excited about?

n What certified organic products are you most interested in producing?

Taking the poll qualifies attendees to win a $350 Tractor Supply gift card, Leatherman tools worth $65 each or free one-year subscriptions. Sample magazine copies and special show-rate subscriptions are also available.

Get Some Locally Grown Burgers Out on Cayuga Lake

Now this is a cool story.

Go to http://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/maritime-meat-new-burger-boat-brings-seafaring-snack-shack-to/article_a34ffe72-d909-5f52-bb0e-b65779abc1f8.html to check it out.

Beef Tours Begin Today

From the New York Beef Industry Council:

The New York Beef Industry Council “Farm to Fork” tours begin today in the state.

The tours are an opportunity to connect producers to consumers as part of Beef Month, held each May in New York state. 

Dozens of representatives from the retail food and restaurant industries, as well as culinary instructors and dieticians, have signed up for a Farm-to-Fork tour this week, which will provide an educational opportunity for consumers to learn more about the growing beef industry in New York state and encourage consumers to know more about where their food is coming from.

“There has been increased demand for locally grown beef over the last few years. These tours will give consumers a window into cattle farm operations across Upstate New York and the dedicated farmers behind them," said state Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball. 

"Consumers want to know where there food is coming from and these tours will help restaurant owners and retail establishments learn more about the products they’re selling and better understand the importance of the local beef industry to New York state’s agricultural economy as a whole,” he said.

The tours will take place in the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, Central New York and the Finger Lakes Region. All events will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations:

•        Tuesday, May 19 – Millbrook, NY/ Walbridge Farms (Hudson Valley)

•        Wednesday, May 20 – Westerlo, NY/ Golden Acres (Capital Region)

•        Thursday, May 21 – Earlville, NY/ Drover Hill Farm (Central NY)

•        Friday, May 22 – Medina, NY / SK Hereford (Finger Lakes)

In New York state, there are more than 13,559 cattle farms with 1.45 million cattle supplying nutritious, wholesome beef to consumers. These farms contribute to New York State’s economy by generating more than $294 million in sales. 

Thousands of people — from cattle producers and feed manufacturers to equipment dealers and food marketers — play a role in bringing beef from pasture to plate. 

"Our goal is to educate influencers about the beef industry in New York state and we hope in turn they will spread the message about beef production in the state,” said Jean O’Toole, director of public relations for the New York Beef Industry Council. 

“We want them to have a better understanding about all the segments of our industry and the types and brands of beef that our offered to their consumers. New York state beef producers are proud to be able to offer a variety of beef choices and proud to raise the safest beef in the world,” she said. 

For more information about May Beef Month tours, please visit: http://www.nybeef.org/meatyourbeefmaytours2015.aspx

New York State Fair Opens Today

Go to http://www.nysfair.org/your-fair-visit/agriculture-info/ for information on all agriculture exhibits, schedules and events.

New York state is agriculture.

And agriculture is New York state.

How can you tell? Just visit the Great New York State Fair.

Yes, folks, there is much more to the fair than the rides, the concerts and the food. It’s amazing what you will see if you venture just a short ways outside the Grandstand, Chevy Court or the Midway.

Step inside any of the animal buildings and see all the different breeds of cows, sheep, goats, horses and poultry. Talk to the farmers. Ask them questions. They don’t mind. In fact, they love it.

Beef cattle in the beef barn in 2013

Do you know the difference between a Charolais and a Limousin? Go to the beef cattle barn to find out. Why do some farmers raise Jerseys or Belted Galloways instead of the ever-popular black and white Holsteins? Ask the farmers in the dairy cattle building.

Why do roosters crow? Each day at 11 a.m. in the poultry building, roosters from across the state compete in a crowing contest. I bet some farmers there can give you the low-down on that noisy affair.

And while the state doesn’t have a lot of goat, pig and sheep farmers, that doesn’t mean these folks aren’t passionate about their animals.

This goat checks out the photographer at the 2013 fair.

Go to the goat barn to find out the difference between meat and dairy goats and what goat meat and milk are used for. In the same building, see all the swine of different colors and sizes. Watch a sheep being shorn and find out about what all that wool is used for in the sheep barn. 

Also check out the llamas and alpacas, other animals which supply fiber for clothing. They also are some of the most curious creatures and love having their photos taken.

There are few animals more beautiful than horses and you not only can see them up close and personal in the horse barn, but then go to the Coliseum to watch them compete. There is every type of horse imaginable in this great state of ours – from miniatures to the grand workers Percherons and Belgians – and they all are majestic and mighty and worthy of our attention.

And of course, agriculture isn’t just animals.

Maple syrup at the 2013 State Fair

Be sure to stop at my favorite building – the Horticulture Building -- to see the busy bees making honey, taste some gooey sweet maple products or buy a New York state apple for a delicious and nutritious State Fair snack.

There also are many booths and exhibits of other state agriculture products, such as grains, beer, plants, vegetables, flowers, shrubs and trees (yes, folks, this all is agriculture).

And just outside the right front door of the Horticulture Building, fairgoers can begin to dream of a white Christmas by checking out the New York State Christmas Tree Growers Association and its display of award-winning trees. You might even see Santa and some snow!

The biggest part of the state’s agriculture industry is, of course, dairy.

New York ranks third in the United States in dairy production, behind California and Wisconsin. It ranks number 1 in the country in the production of cottage cheese and yogurt. Annual sales of New York milk total nearly $500 million.

Farmers in New York supply milk to plants throughout the state that are making all types of hard and soft cheeses, fluid milk, ice cream, regular and Greek yogurts, butter, cream and half and half. There’s nothing better than coming out of a store with some dairy products that you know were made just a day or two ago from fresh, New York milk.

While at the State Fair, be sure to taste some of these dairy products in the Dairy Products Building, where you can get milk at the ever-popular Rainbow Milk Bar, cheese, ice cream and – new this year – yogurt at the Yo2Go Yogurt Bar.

Photo supplied by NY Animal Agriculture Coalition

Also, be sure to stop into the dairy cattle building and see all the different breeds that call New York home. Then head back toward the FFA Building and next door, stop at the Dairy Cow Birthing Center. The center, run by the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition, is in its second year and features the live births of dairy calves.

This is where the process of all that delicious milk begins.

Anyone who wants a beverage with a little more a kick than milk can go to the Colannade (the columned area between the Dairy Products and Science and Industry Buildings) to visit the Wine Court. Here you can buy and taste wonderful New York state wines. Talk to the winery owners and find out about just what New York state has to offer.

Tastings of various wine and cheese pairings also are available in the Pride of NY Room located in the back of the Horticulture Building at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. every day except Labor Day. Each day will be hosted by a different New York. On Labor Day, the area will host beer tasting seminars at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m.

Holstein ready to show at the 2013 State Fair

You see – you could spend an entire day at the Great New York State Fair and do nothing but check out the agriculture offered by the farmers of this state. This is the time for the farmers to shine, to show off what they do 365 days a year to all of the great consumers in the state.

So, even if you do attend a concert, play some games on the Midway or chow down on sausage sandwiches or blooming onions, please try to spend some time with the farmers. Thanks to them, we have the most fabulous food in the world that is grown or raised right here in our backyards on our plates each day.

I can’t think of anything more wonderful than that.

Gear Up for Beef Month

From NY Ag and Markets and the Beef Industry Council:

Dozens of representatives from the retail food and restaurant industries, as well as culinary instructors and dieticians, have signed up for four tours this week as part of May Beef Month activities for the New York Beef Industry Council.  

The tours will take place in the Hudson Valley, Central New York, the Capital Region and the Western NY/Finger Lakes Region. Local media are encouraged to attend these events to learn more about the beef industry here in New York state. 

“I had a great meeting recently with our friends at the New York Beef Industry Council and see tremendous opportunities for our Department to work with this important agricultural industry in the future,” said Ag and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball.  

“Beef is a staple at our world class steakhouses, restaurants and retail establishments here in New York.  It’s available year-round and part of a healthy diet," he said. These tours are just one more way that New York agriculture is connecting the dots between producers and consumers.  I plan to personally be at the event in Westerlo on Thursday.”     

All four Beef Month events will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations:

• May 20 – Millbrook, NY/Walbridge Farms (Hudson Valley)
• May 21 – Truxton, NY/New Penn Farm (Central NY)
• May 22 – Westerlo, NY/Golden Acres (Capital Region)
• May 23 - Medina, NY/SK Hereford (Western/Finger Lakes Region)

In New York state, there are over 13,559 cattle farms with 1.45 million cattle that supply nutritious, wholesome beef to consumers.  These farms contribute to New York State’s economy by generating more than $294 million from the sale of cows and calves.

Jean O’Toole, director of public relations for the New York Beef Industry Council, said, “This is a great opportunity for influencers in retail, nutrition and food service to be able to convey to their customers where their food is coming from.  We look forward to a great week of beef tours across the various regions of New York State.”

"Farmland" Coming to Theaters Next Month

The new documentary "Farmland" is supposed to start hitting theaters May 1.

A check of the www.farmlandfilm.com website shows the film coming to Auburn (the only site on the website so far in Central New York) but a date and time has yet to be announced. The website also shows the film coming to Albany and New York City.

The film is by Academy Award-winning filmmaker James Moll and includes interviews with farmers in Minnesota, Colorado, California, Georgia, Nebraska and Pennsylvania.

To see the trailer and learn more about the film, go to www.farmlandfilm.com

North Country Farmers Pool Beef Cattle to Compete with Midwest

Now this is cooperation.

Gotta hand it to farmers to find a way to compete with the big boys.

Read this story http://www.mpcourier.com/article/20131124/ADV/711249803 at this link.