From staff reports
The state has awarded $20 million to implement water quality protection projects on 56 farms across the state.
The money was provided through the first round of the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Waste Storage and Transfer System Program. It supports projects that will allow livestock farms to better manage and store nutrients, such as manure, to protect ground water and nearby waterways.
The program is a part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s $2.5 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017 which invests an unprecedented level of resources for drinking water, wastewater infrastructure and other water quality protections statewide.
“Agriculture remains a key part of New York’s economy and this funding will help farms in every corner of this state protect drinking water supplies and waterways, while also remaining competitive,” Cuomo said in making the award announcement Dec. 20.
“With this program, we are supporting New York’s economy and ensuring our essential natural resources are preserved for years to come,” he said.
Through the program, 61 waste storage and transfer systems will be installed on CAFO-permitted farms in 25 counties throughout the state. Grants will help offset the cost of construction, site preparation and associated best management practices.
Funded projects will also help farmers meet the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s new environmental requirements first announced in January of this year.
The money is being provided to County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, which applied on behalf of eligible farmers, in the Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Southern Tier, and Western New York Regions.
A list of the award totals is available at https://www.agriculture.ny.gov/Press%20Releases/CAFO_WST_System_Rnd1_Awards.pdf#_blank
“The grant money under the governor’s water infrastructure plan will build on the agricultural community’s strong record of environmental stewardship,” said David Fisher, president of New York Farm Bureau.
“The cost sharing assistance provides more flexibility on farms to manage nutrients, which helps protect water quality for all New Yorkers. New York Farm Bureau appreciates the public-private partnership, especially as livestock farmers are putting new environmental management plans in place to meet tougher CAFO regulations,” he said.
“One of the biggest responsibilities our farmers have is to be good stewards of the land and other natural resources they use. Through this funding, our state’s hardworking farmers can continue the important work they do to support New York’s leading industry, and at the same time, continue their efforts to be leaders when it comes to implementing environmentally safe practices,” said state Sen. Patty Ritchie, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
“The governor’s historic clean water initiative is critical to ensuring the quality and sustainability of our natural resources and our farms,” said state Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets Richard Ball.
“We received more applications than we were able to fund through the first round of this program, which shows the strong commitment of our livestock operations to environmental stewardship," Ball said. "We look forward to releasing the second Request for Proposals in the coming year to benefit even more farms as they strive to maintain nutrient recycling year-round.”
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Friday, December 22, 2017
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Emmi & Sons Named Conservation Farm of the Year in Onondaga County
From Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District:
Emmi and Sons, Inc. in Lysander has been awarded the Onondaga County
2016 Conservation Farm of the Year Award for environmental stewardship.
The award is given by the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Tony Emmi is the primary owner of the farm, a third generation, 300 acre fruit and vegetable farm. The farm was started by Anthony Emmi (grandfather of Tony Emmi) who came to the United States in 1921, began work as a ditch-digger, and saved enough money to start the farm north of Syracuse.
Emmi & Sons was incorporated in 1961 as a partnership between Anthony Emmi, Carmen Emmi and son-in- law Sam Mangano. Since 2006, the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District has worked with the Emmi Farm to deliver conservation practices through the state Agricultural Environmental Management Program.
District projects at the farm include an agrichemical mixing facility and a produce process wash water treatment system. The farm has also worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service to install micro-irrigation to conserve water and reduce the risk of soil erosion and runoff.
The farm does a significant amount of conservation work on their own, including Nutrient Management to prevent the over-application of fertilizer, Integrated Pest Management to
reduce pesticide and herbicide usage, and Crop Management Practices such as conservation crop rotations, cover crops and leaving fields fallow; all of which improve soil function and viability, leading to healthier soils and crops.
Tony Emmi was presented with the award at the Onondaga County Farm Fest Sept. 24.
 |
| The outside of the Emmi & Sons farm stand on Route 370 in Lysander |
The award is given by the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Tony Emmi is the primary owner of the farm, a third generation, 300 acre fruit and vegetable farm. The farm was started by Anthony Emmi (grandfather of Tony Emmi) who came to the United States in 1921, began work as a ditch-digger, and saved enough money to start the farm north of Syracuse.
Emmi & Sons was incorporated in 1961 as a partnership between Anthony Emmi, Carmen Emmi and son-in- law Sam Mangano. Since 2006, the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District has worked with the Emmi Farm to deliver conservation practices through the state Agricultural Environmental Management Program.
District projects at the farm include an agrichemical mixing facility and a produce process wash water treatment system. The farm has also worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service to install micro-irrigation to conserve water and reduce the risk of soil erosion and runoff.
The farm does a significant amount of conservation work on their own, including Nutrient Management to prevent the over-application of fertilizer, Integrated Pest Management to
reduce pesticide and herbicide usage, and Crop Management Practices such as conservation crop rotations, cover crops and leaving fields fallow; all of which improve soil function and viability, leading to healthier soils and crops.
Tony Emmi was presented with the award at the Onondaga County Farm Fest Sept. 24.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Real Christmas Trees Clean the Air
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| Jack Beckwith trims a tree during the summer of 2014. |
By FAYE BECKWITH
Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York
Take a walk on (or near) a Christmas tree farm.
What’s the first thing you notice? Take a deep breath … Can you smell it? It smells different, doesn’t it?
It’s not just the fragrance of pine, spruce or fir you smell. It’s much more than that. As trees absorb pollutants and carbons from the air in the photosynthesis process, they produce oxygen — pure, unpolluted oxygen.
And, real Christmas trees are among the greatest producers of oxygen in our environment. So, inhale deeply.
Scientists tell us Christmas trees may produce higher levels of oxygen in the early years of growth, thus removing more pollutants from the air as they mature. This is good news because trees are continually being harvested and replanted as they grow to market size.
Many people are not aware that most Christmas trees are grown as crops, much like grapes, corn, wheat, oats, etc. They just take longer (7-plus years) to mature to harvest size.
Very few Christmas trees are taken from the forests, especially here in New York. Those that are cut from forests are likely to contribute to good forest management.
When a tree is harvested, generally two or three more are planted in its place, thus continuing and expanding the cycle of oxygen production. Evergreens that are not harvested as Christmas trees grow to become timber for future generations’ home construction.
Additionally, real Christmas trees are recyclable; and, however they are disposed of, they eventually return to the earth. This is in sharp contrast to the foreign-produced plastic artificial trees that may never decompose in landfills.
Are artificial trees pretty? Sometimes they are, making it tempting to go fake. Remember that local Christmas tree farmers pay sales tax, provide employment and otherwise contribute to the local economy.
These factors provide strong evidence that real Christmas trees are the environmentally best choice for families. Varieties are available that have little or no needle drop. Other types are perfect for allergy sufferers.
Check out a real Christmas tree farm near you.
Ask the farmer what species he/she grows that resolve these issues. Take a walk on, or near, a real Christmas tree farm.
The fresh air may compel you to choose a real tree for your family.
Faye L. Beckwith is president of the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York and runs Beckwith Family Christmas Tree Station with her husband Jack in Hannibal, Oswego County.
Here are places to buy or cut your own Christmas trees in Central New York:
Central New York
Romagnoli’s Christmas Tree Farm at Oneida Valley Acres, 8498 Oneida Valley Road, Canastota, 697-9498
Toth Tree and Shrub Farm, 6833 Forbes Road, Canastota, 697-3550
Critz Farms, 3232 Rippleton Road, Cazenovia, 662-3355
Page’s Christmas Trees, 3270 Oran Gulf Road, Manlius, 682-7309
Rocking Horse Farm, 3736 Apulia Road, Jamesville, 492-1100
Mary Christmas Tree Farm, 1490 Dutch Hill Road, Tully, 696-0121
Cedarvale Maple Syrup Co., 3769 Pleasant Valley Road, Onondaga, 469-6422
Syracuse Christmas Tree Farm, 4809 Beef St., Syracuse, 673-0998
Chuck Hafner Farms, 8500 Green Lakes Road, Kirkville, 458-2231
Chengerian’s Tree Land, 84 Merritt Road, Lysander, 678-2046
Potter Tree Farm, 1229 Kingdom Road, Baldwinsville, 638-0222
Cross Lake Farms, 7681 Tater Road, Memphis, 420-8141
Luchsinger's Christmas Trees, 1155 Lucky Lane LaFayette, 696-6856
Three B Tree Nursery, 124 Clinton Road, Jordan, 263-2108
Grace Farms, 78 Gunther Road, Central Square, 668-1195
Goodman’s Christmas Tree Farms, 460 Gilbert Mills Road, Phoenix, 695-3576
Stony Hill Acres, 1685 State Route 264, Phoenix, 593-0684
Granger Tree Farm, 380 Tubbs Road, Mexico, 963-3480
Three Seasons Farm, 429 Dry Bridge Road, Mexico, 298-6332
Ontario Orchards, 7735 State Route 104, Oswego, 343-6328
Beckwith Family Christmas Tree Station, 189 Mill St., Hannibal, 564-5479
TriStar Tree Farm, 13952 Shortcut Road, Sterling, 564-5125
Berndt Christmas Tree Farm, 1512 Finches Corners Road, Martville, 564-6616
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
New York State Awards Money to Help Farmers with Conservation Efforts
A total of $11.1 million
has been awarded to support 29 agricultural water quality conservation
projects
across the state, benefiting 116 farms.
The funding, provided to County
Soil and Water Conservation Districts through the
Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program, will
help farmers
with projects that prevent water pollution, reduce
erosion and limit harmful sediments and other nutrients in New York’s
waterways.
The program received a record number of applications — a total
of 99 — this year, demonstrating the agricultural community’s growing
commitment to environmental stewardship.
Through
the program, the County Soil and Water Conservation Districts apply for
the competitive grants on behalf of farmers. Projects awarded receive
funding to conduct environmental planning or to implement best
management practices such as agricultural waste storage systems,
riparian buffer systems, conservation cover crops and structural soil
conservation practices.
Here is the money awarded by regions:
· Western New York - $1,584,551 for four projects
· Finger Lakes - $2,814,643 for ten projects
· Southern Tier - $2,766,515 for six projects
· North Country - $1,668,511 for three projects
· Mohawk Valley - $1,416,535 for three projects
· Capital Region - $404,590 for one project
· Long Island - $448,309 for two projects
Friday, October 2, 2015
New York to Get Federal Money for Chesapeake Bay Watershed Conservation Work
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Thursday (Oct. 1) announced it will commit $4 million in a first round of funding to help state in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The money will go to New York, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia to help agricultural landowners with accelerating stream and riverbank tree plantings that can reduce soil sedimentation, field and animal waste runoff, improving water quality.
Each state has been approved for an additional $1 million under the USDA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program to increase or maintain acres enrolled in Chesapeake Bay Riparian Forest Buffer conservation.
USDA challenged the states to craft a proposal during a Chesapeake Bay summit in Washington, D.C. last summer. In addition to the increased incentives for landowners, Farm Service Agency offices in Maryland and Pennsylvania will receive support to partner with stakeholders for improved outreach and technical assistance.
The money will go to New York, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia to help agricultural landowners with accelerating stream and riverbank tree plantings that can reduce soil sedimentation, field and animal waste runoff, improving water quality.
Each state has been approved for an additional $1 million under the USDA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program to increase or maintain acres enrolled in Chesapeake Bay Riparian Forest Buffer conservation.
USDA challenged the states to craft a proposal during a Chesapeake Bay summit in Washington, D.C. last summer. In addition to the increased incentives for landowners, Farm Service Agency offices in Maryland and Pennsylvania will receive support to partner with stakeholders for improved outreach and technical assistance.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Homer Farm Honored With Ag Environmental Management Award
E-Z Acres in Cortland County has won the state's top environmental award – the 2015 Agricultural
Environmental Management Award.
Each year, the award honors the outstanding efforts of a farm to protect soil and water quality. E-Z Acres Farm , located near Homer, and its owner Mike McMahon were recognized for its environmental ethics, progressive production practices and community service work.
The honor was presented during a ceremony at Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls. Also honored was the Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District.
The McMahon family operates a 680-cow dairy farm on 2,500 acres of land in the Skaneateles Lake watershed. To support their dairy operation, they also raise corn, alfalfa, and grass hay crops.
As early adopters of the principles of agricultural environmental management, E-Z Acres farm has implemented several conservation practices that have also increased productivity.
The farm has replaced the traditional alfalfa-corn silage rotation with intensive grasses, which enhances soil conservation while also benefiting dairy herd health.
With E-Z Acres’ land resting over Cortland County’s sole-source aquifer, the McMahons are also dedicated to quarterly monitoring of the water quality through stream and well testing.
In addition, the farm uses a monitoring system and liner for the farm’s three million gallon manure storage, cover cropping of corn silage fields annually, and precision feed management to protect soil health. The farm has also taken energy efficiency measures by replacing lighting with energy efficient fixtures throughout the farm.
“I’m humbled to receive this esteemed award," McMahon said. "At McMahon’s E-Z Acres, it’s about doing things right and not about doing it for the awards. Like many in our business, we believe if we take care of the environment, the environment will take care of us.”
The McMahons were the first animal welfare-approved farm in New York State and have been leaders in the community representing the farm and the agriculture industry’s interests.
E-Z Acres hosts several annual community events, including an annual Farm Field Day for Cortland County fifth graders and a Cornell University farm management class. They also partner with the Syracuse Rotary Club to provide farm tours for low-income families.
The farm has worked closely with the Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District, which provides technical assistance to advance agricultural environmental management practices within the county.
Each year, the award honors the outstanding efforts of a farm to protect soil and water quality. E-Z Acres Farm , located near Homer, and its owner Mike McMahon were recognized for its environmental ethics, progressive production practices and community service work.
The honor was presented during a ceremony at Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls. Also honored was the Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District.
The McMahon family operates a 680-cow dairy farm on 2,500 acres of land in the Skaneateles Lake watershed. To support their dairy operation, they also raise corn, alfalfa, and grass hay crops.
As early adopters of the principles of agricultural environmental management, E-Z Acres farm has implemented several conservation practices that have also increased productivity.
The farm has replaced the traditional alfalfa-corn silage rotation with intensive grasses, which enhances soil conservation while also benefiting dairy herd health.
With E-Z Acres’ land resting over Cortland County’s sole-source aquifer, the McMahons are also dedicated to quarterly monitoring of the water quality through stream and well testing.
In addition, the farm uses a monitoring system and liner for the farm’s three million gallon manure storage, cover cropping of corn silage fields annually, and precision feed management to protect soil health. The farm has also taken energy efficiency measures by replacing lighting with energy efficient fixtures throughout the farm.
“I’m humbled to receive this esteemed award," McMahon said. "At McMahon’s E-Z Acres, it’s about doing things right and not about doing it for the awards. Like many in our business, we believe if we take care of the environment, the environment will take care of us.”
The McMahons were the first animal welfare-approved farm in New York State and have been leaders in the community representing the farm and the agriculture industry’s interests.
E-Z Acres hosts several annual community events, including an annual Farm Field Day for Cortland County fifth graders and a Cornell University farm management class. They also partner with the Syracuse Rotary Club to provide farm tours for low-income families.
The farm has worked closely with the Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District, which provides technical assistance to advance agricultural environmental management practices within the county.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
'Day on the Farm' Event Saturday Outside Baldwinsville
From the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District:
All day Saturday, Aug. 8 is Onondaga County "Day on the Farm" at Abbott Farms on Route 370 outside Baldwinsville.
The event is put on by the county's Soil and Water Conservation District and highlights conservation practices used by farms in the county to keep the water and air clean.
The event will include fresh fruits, local foods, farm tours and kids' activities. The event is open rain or shine.
All day Saturday, Aug. 8 is Onondaga County "Day on the Farm" at Abbott Farms on Route 370 outside Baldwinsville.
The event is put on by the county's Soil and Water Conservation District and highlights conservation practices used by farms in the county to keep the water and air clean.
The event will include fresh fruits, local foods, farm tours and kids' activities. The event is open rain or shine.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Farms Throughout the State Continue to Work on Recycling
Another story from the August edition of Empire Farm & Dairy magazine:
By DEBRA J. GROOM
There’s more work than ever being done on farms in an effort to keep the environment clean.
That’s why there are more and more agricultural recycling programs available to farmers today. There are ways for them to get rid of the plastics they use to wrap hay, ways to eliminate excess manure, and methods to dispose of deceased animals.
In
the olden days, items often were buried in the ground on the farm or
burned in large metal containers, resulting in nasty or potentially
harmful residue seeping into ground water or rising into the air.
But stricter laws from federal and state governments mean burying or burning aren’t options any more.
So what’s a farmer to do?
Here are some ways to dispose of items on the farm:
MANURE AND CARCASSES
According to the Cornell Waste Management Institute, manure and carcasses can be composted.
Some farmers do this now, but Nathan Leonard, the institute’s Recycling Agricultural Plastics Program state field coordinator, said: “in the future, the big thing farmers will be doing is composting.”
Leonard said composting not only disposes of waste in an environmentally friendly manner, but farmers get “valuable material at the end.”
Manure is used as fertilizer on fields where crops are being grown, but farmers have to make sure too much manure isn’t used.
According to a study by the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service, farmers can use too much manure, which can be harmful to the crops and soil.
Farmers should carefully monitor how much manure is used on any one field so as not to introduce too many nutrients into the soil. For example, too much nitrogen from the manure on a field can damage plants or kill seedlings, according to a gardening brochure put out by Cornell’s horticulture department.
Also, manure can contain pathogens that are harmful to crops and plants.
Any manure that farmers don’t use must be contained or disposed of. Many farmers store it in lagoons, but there have been situations when lagoons have collapsed, spilling raw sewage into area waterways.
One such event was in 2005, when the lagoon at the Marks Dairy Farm in the town of Martinsburg, Lewis County, collapsed, spilling several million gallons of a manure slurry into the Black River. This resulted in a major fish kill due to lethal amounts of ammonia in the river in both Lewis and Jefferson counties.
Here are three ways to dispose of manure, according to fact sheets put out by Cornell and Washington State universities:
*** Use it to make electricity. Farmers can install anaerobic digesters, which break down manure through a composting process. The byproduct is methane gas, which then can be used to power turbines that spin to create electricity. Farms in New York with digesters use the electricity to power their own operations and/or sell the electricity to the local grid for use in powering nearby homes and businesses.
*** Put it on the ground for use as a fertilizer. Many farmers do this, but, as noted above, they have to be aware of where they are spreading it and how much they are spreading. Some farmers have turned to experts to try to reduce the amount of some chemicals — especially phosphorous — in the manure so as not to pollute waterways.
Phosphorous can damage lakes and streams. It helps create algae, which then multiply and choke off oxygen in the water. This leads to fish dying and the fish and algae then decomposing, changing the taste and chemistry of the water.
Michael McMahon, who runs E-Z Acres Dairy Farm in Homer, Cortland County, used research from Cornell to change what he was feeding his cows to reduce the amount of phosphorous in their manure. This helped reduce phosphorous runoff into area waterways, including Skaneateles Lake, which is a prime drinking water source for the city of Syracuse.
*** Recycle it into compost. Any item that is composted, such as food scraps and yard waste, can be used in gardens.
About 15 years ago, farmer Tim Fessenden began taking the nearly 25,000 gallons of manure made daily by cows at his King Ferry farm in Cayuga County and composting it into dry compost that he bags and sells to gardeners. He is one of a few farmers in the state turning manure into compost for reuse.
On his farm, Fessenden dumps the manure into two holding bins, and then it is separated into solids and liquid. The solids are put onto a concrete floor, which has many tiny holes through which oxygen is pumped into the solids.
This constant flow of oxygen helps microbes break down the solids, reduce odors and kill off harmful pathogens. After three weeks, a loader takes the mixture outside, where it constantly is turned to continue the breakdown of the solids.
After about six months, the manure compost is ready to be picked up at the farm, or bagged for shipment to stores. Fessenden also sells his product, called Tender Loving Compost, at his farm.
Another potentially hazardous item farmers need to dispose of are the bodies of deceased farm animals. At one time, the carcasses were taken to rendering companies, which would sell parts of the animal that others could use, such as hides, tallow and bone meal.
But when the price of these parts declined, many rendering firms closed because they couldn’t make any money on body parts.
Burying carcasses on the farm used to be commonplace, but it started to be a problem because the decay of animal bodies can leach into groundwater and pose risks to any person or animal that drinks the water.
So many farmers are turning to composting. This helps get rid of the carcass without the odor or danger of any runoff into water tables. Tip sheets on how to do this can be obtained through Cornell’s Waste Management Institute (cwmi.css.cornell.edu).
AGRICULTURAL PLASTICS
The recycling of ag plastics has been big in New York state for about the past five years, but it has been slow to catch on in some parts of the state, including much of Western New York and the Hudson Valley.
“In some ways, we take three steps forward and slide back two,” Leonard said of the Waste Management Institute at Cornell.
The idea of the program is to recycle plastic used for bunker covers, silage bags and to wrap hay bales and make them into something that can be used again in another industry.
Leonard said a lot of ag plastics recycled in New York go to a recycling plant in Brooklyn that makes trash bags. Meanwhile, NBF Plastics (in Auburn, Cayuga County), a division of North Brook Farms, is turning ag plastics into a plastic plywood substitute.
Leonard said the waste management institute also has six mobile ag plastic baylers that are being used in various parts of the state. Most are operated through the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
Leonard said the key to this program being successful is having markets for the recycled plastic.
“When this started, there were no markets,” he said. “It is very active in some counties (Otsego and Wyoming) and is picking up in other counties.”
Some counties have begun their own ag plastics recycling ventures.
In Madison County, just east of Syracuse, the county’s Department of Solid Waste has had an ag plastics recycling program since 2012. But Director James A. Zecca agreed with Leonard that the problem is finding markets for the plastic.
Madison County is trying to work with another company that would take the ag plastics — along with the large blue plastic sheets that cover boats in the winter — and recycle them into oil and diesel fuel. Zecca said the county has submitted two grant proposals to New York state to fund this project, but both were denied.
“We are trying to promote this and get it started,” he said. “We have other counties, like Onondaga, Chenango and Oneida-Herkimer, who are interested in this. But for now, we are still collecting the plastic and baling it.”
If you would like to read more stories like this, subscribe to Empire Farm & Dairy magazine. For a subscription, send $50 for one year or $75 for two years to Empire Farm & Dairy, 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601
By DEBRA J. GROOM
There’s more work than ever being done on farms in an effort to keep the environment clean.
That’s why there are more and more agricultural recycling programs available to farmers today. There are ways for them to get rid of the plastics they use to wrap hay, ways to eliminate excess manure, and methods to dispose of deceased animals.
 |
| Cornell University Recycling Agricultural Plastics Program Field Coordinator Nate Leonard holds one of the sidewalk pavers made from recycling used farm plastics from NY farms. There will be demonstrations and seminar about recycling at Empire Farm Days next week in Seneca Fall. Photo Credit: Brian P. Whattam |
But stricter laws from federal and state governments mean burying or burning aren’t options any more.
So what’s a farmer to do?
Here are some ways to dispose of items on the farm:
MANURE AND CARCASSES
According to the Cornell Waste Management Institute, manure and carcasses can be composted.
Some farmers do this now, but Nathan Leonard, the institute’s Recycling Agricultural Plastics Program state field coordinator, said: “in the future, the big thing farmers will be doing is composting.”
Leonard said composting not only disposes of waste in an environmentally friendly manner, but farmers get “valuable material at the end.”
Manure is used as fertilizer on fields where crops are being grown, but farmers have to make sure too much manure isn’t used.
According to a study by the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service, farmers can use too much manure, which can be harmful to the crops and soil.
Farmers should carefully monitor how much manure is used on any one field so as not to introduce too many nutrients into the soil. For example, too much nitrogen from the manure on a field can damage plants or kill seedlings, according to a gardening brochure put out by Cornell’s horticulture department.
Also, manure can contain pathogens that are harmful to crops and plants.
Any manure that farmers don’t use must be contained or disposed of. Many farmers store it in lagoons, but there have been situations when lagoons have collapsed, spilling raw sewage into area waterways.
One such event was in 2005, when the lagoon at the Marks Dairy Farm in the town of Martinsburg, Lewis County, collapsed, spilling several million gallons of a manure slurry into the Black River. This resulted in a major fish kill due to lethal amounts of ammonia in the river in both Lewis and Jefferson counties.
Here are three ways to dispose of manure, according to fact sheets put out by Cornell and Washington State universities:
*** Use it to make electricity. Farmers can install anaerobic digesters, which break down manure through a composting process. The byproduct is methane gas, which then can be used to power turbines that spin to create electricity. Farms in New York with digesters use the electricity to power their own operations and/or sell the electricity to the local grid for use in powering nearby homes and businesses.
*** Put it on the ground for use as a fertilizer. Many farmers do this, but, as noted above, they have to be aware of where they are spreading it and how much they are spreading. Some farmers have turned to experts to try to reduce the amount of some chemicals — especially phosphorous — in the manure so as not to pollute waterways.
Phosphorous can damage lakes and streams. It helps create algae, which then multiply and choke off oxygen in the water. This leads to fish dying and the fish and algae then decomposing, changing the taste and chemistry of the water.
Michael McMahon, who runs E-Z Acres Dairy Farm in Homer, Cortland County, used research from Cornell to change what he was feeding his cows to reduce the amount of phosphorous in their manure. This helped reduce phosphorous runoff into area waterways, including Skaneateles Lake, which is a prime drinking water source for the city of Syracuse.
*** Recycle it into compost. Any item that is composted, such as food scraps and yard waste, can be used in gardens.
About 15 years ago, farmer Tim Fessenden began taking the nearly 25,000 gallons of manure made daily by cows at his King Ferry farm in Cayuga County and composting it into dry compost that he bags and sells to gardeners. He is one of a few farmers in the state turning manure into compost for reuse.
On his farm, Fessenden dumps the manure into two holding bins, and then it is separated into solids and liquid. The solids are put onto a concrete floor, which has many tiny holes through which oxygen is pumped into the solids.
This constant flow of oxygen helps microbes break down the solids, reduce odors and kill off harmful pathogens. After three weeks, a loader takes the mixture outside, where it constantly is turned to continue the breakdown of the solids.
After about six months, the manure compost is ready to be picked up at the farm, or bagged for shipment to stores. Fessenden also sells his product, called Tender Loving Compost, at his farm.
Another potentially hazardous item farmers need to dispose of are the bodies of deceased farm animals. At one time, the carcasses were taken to rendering companies, which would sell parts of the animal that others could use, such as hides, tallow and bone meal.
But when the price of these parts declined, many rendering firms closed because they couldn’t make any money on body parts.
Burying carcasses on the farm used to be commonplace, but it started to be a problem because the decay of animal bodies can leach into groundwater and pose risks to any person or animal that drinks the water.
So many farmers are turning to composting. This helps get rid of the carcass without the odor or danger of any runoff into water tables. Tip sheets on how to do this can be obtained through Cornell’s Waste Management Institute (cwmi.css.cornell.edu).
AGRICULTURAL PLASTICS
The recycling of ag plastics has been big in New York state for about the past five years, but it has been slow to catch on in some parts of the state, including much of Western New York and the Hudson Valley.
“In some ways, we take three steps forward and slide back two,” Leonard said of the Waste Management Institute at Cornell.
The idea of the program is to recycle plastic used for bunker covers, silage bags and to wrap hay bales and make them into something that can be used again in another industry.
Leonard said a lot of ag plastics recycled in New York go to a recycling plant in Brooklyn that makes trash bags. Meanwhile, NBF Plastics (in Auburn, Cayuga County), a division of North Brook Farms, is turning ag plastics into a plastic plywood substitute.
Leonard said the waste management institute also has six mobile ag plastic baylers that are being used in various parts of the state. Most are operated through the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
Leonard said the key to this program being successful is having markets for the recycled plastic.
“When this started, there were no markets,” he said. “It is very active in some counties (Otsego and Wyoming) and is picking up in other counties.”
Some counties have begun their own ag plastics recycling ventures.
In Madison County, just east of Syracuse, the county’s Department of Solid Waste has had an ag plastics recycling program since 2012. But Director James A. Zecca agreed with Leonard that the problem is finding markets for the plastic.
Madison County is trying to work with another company that would take the ag plastics — along with the large blue plastic sheets that cover boats in the winter — and recycle them into oil and diesel fuel. Zecca said the county has submitted two grant proposals to New York state to fund this project, but both were denied.
“We are trying to promote this and get it started,” he said. “We have other counties, like Onondaga, Chenango and Oneida-Herkimer, who are interested in this. But for now, we are still collecting the plastic and baling it.”
If you would like to read more stories like this, subscribe to Empire Farm & Dairy magazine. For a subscription, send $50 for one year or $75 for two years to Empire Farm & Dairy, 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
State Seeks Nominations for Environmental Award
From the state Department of Ag and Markets:
Nominations are being accepted for the statewide Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Award.
Each year, the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, Empire State Potato Growers, and American Agriculturist magazine host this distinguished award, which highlights the outstanding environmental stewardship accomplished by farmers in partnership with respective County Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
Nominations are being accepted for the statewide Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Award.
Each year, the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, Empire State Potato Growers, and American Agriculturist magazine host this distinguished award, which highlights the outstanding environmental stewardship accomplished by farmers in partnership with respective County Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
The winner will be
announced during the Agricultural Leadership Luncheon at Empire Farm
Days in Seneca Falls this August.
“As a farm owner for 20 years, my land is my livelihood, and I’ve
worked with the Soil and Water Conservation District in Schoharie County
a number of times to get the most
out of it in an environmentally sound way,” said Ag and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball.
“This year, our goal is to honor the farm that takes environmental
stewardship through the AEM program to that next level. We’re looking
for creative ideas and examples of good partnerships
with local districts. We look forward to a worthy competition in
2014,” he said.
AEM
is a voluntary, incentive-based program that helps New York state
farmers make common-sense, cost-effective and science-based decisions to
help meet
business objectives while protecting and conserving the State’s natural
resources.
The
winning farm family and nominating district will each receive a
financial incentive to help them continue their environmental programs. In addition, all nominees will receive recognition for their valuable
efforts.
The nomination form must be received at the Department of Agriculture and Markets
via email no later than close of business on Wednesday, June 11 to
jodi.shain@agriculture.ny.gov.
The form can be downloaded at the following link:
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
USDA Researchers Come Up With Handy Innovations
I found this to be really cool. I hope you do too.
The USDA has issued a new report scientific breakthroughs discovered by USDA researchers that led to new patents and inventions with the potential for commercial application and potential economic growth.
Innovations included in the report range from flour made out of chardonnay grape seeds that prevents weight gain to antimicrobial packets that keep food from spoiling, efforts to protect U.S. troops in Iraq from diseases carried by sand flies, new processes for turning grass clippings and raked leaves into bioenergy, and many more.
The USDA has issued a new report scientific breakthroughs discovered by USDA researchers that led to new patents and inventions with the potential for commercial application and potential economic growth.
Innovations included in the report range from flour made out of chardonnay grape seeds that prevents weight gain to antimicrobial packets that keep food from spoiling, efforts to protect U.S. troops in Iraq from diseases carried by sand flies, new processes for turning grass clippings and raked leaves into bioenergy, and many more.
"Studies
have shown that every dollar invested in agricultural research returns
$20 to the economy. We have accelerated commercialization of federal
research and government researchers are working closely with the private
sector to develop new technology and transfer it to the marketplace,"
said Ag Secretary Thomas Vilsack. "USDA has a proven track record of performing
research that benefits the public."
USDA
reports receiving 51 patents, filing 147 patent applications, and
disclosing 180 new inventions in the last fiscal year, which are
detailed in the Department's 2013 Annual Report on Technology Transfer
released last week.
Helping drive these innovations, USDA has 259 active
Cooperative Research and Development Agreements with outside
investigators, which includes Universities and other organizations,
including 117 with small businesses. The USDA's technology transfer
program is administered by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS),
USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency.
Discoveries from USDA's 2013 Technology Transfer Report include:
- A new kind of flour made from chardonnay grape seeds that can prevent increases in cholesterol and weight-gain (the Mayo Clinic is currently conducting human clinical trials on the product);
- New ways to turn lawn clippings and tree leaves from cities into bioenergy;
- An enzyme compound that can be used to develop insecticides to combat sand flies, a disease spreading insect that poses a major problem for U.S. military in Iraq and is responsible for hundreds of thousands of childhood deaths in Africa;
- A computer-based model of the fluid milk process to lower greenhouse gas emissions (the model has been distributed to more than 100 processors in the United States and should help the dairy industry realize its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent per gallon of milk by 2020);
- Oat concentrates, a digestible, functional food from oats licensed for the production of Calorie-Trim and Nutrim;
- A new process for turning old tires into zinc fertilizer;
- A handheld device that uses gold nanoparticles to detect West Nile virus (and potentially other diseases) in blood samples;
- Window cleaners that use a biodegradable solution of nanoparticles that prevent water-beading that are superior to current cleaners;
- A small packet that when inserted in small fruit containers releases an antimicrobial vapor that helps keep fresh fruit from rotting on the shelf.
Over
the years, USDA innovations have created all sorts of products
Americans use every days, from cosmetics, to insect controls, leathers,
shampoos, and of course food products. Here are just a few examples of
things USDA research is responsible for:
- Frozen orange juice concentrate;
- "Permanent press" cotton clothing;
- Mass production of penicillin in World War II;
- Almost all breeds of blueberries and cranberries currently in production, and 80% of all varieties of citrus fruits grown in the U.S.;
- "Tifsport", a turf used on NFL, collegiate, and other sports fields across the country, specifically designed to withstand the stress and demands of major team sports. Tifsport is also used on PGA and other golf course fairways, while its sister turf, "Tifeagle", specially designed to be mowed to one-tenth of an inch daily, is used on PGA putting greens.
The
2014 Farm Bill will help to build on these accomplishments by
establishing a new Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research that
leverages $200 million in public funding and another $200 million from
the private sector to support groundbreaking agricultural research.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Farm Tours Set for Aug. 29 in Oswego County
The tours are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 29. To register, call Erica Schreiner at 592-9663 or email her at erica.schreiner@oswegosoilandwater.com
The tours are sponsored by the Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District. Attendees will tour the Spoon Dairy in Amboy at 10 a.m. and then head to Holst Hill Cattle in Constantia. Lunch will be served at Holst Hill Cattle.
Attendees will be able to see recently installed agricultural practiced designed to protect water quality.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Pesticide Sprayer Calibration Workshop Set for Aug. 15 in Oswego County
 |
| Photo from New York Apple Association |
A program to help farmers use the correct amount of pesticides on their crops is coming up Aug. 15 in Granby.
The Oswego County Growers Sprayer Calibration Meeting will be from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Sorbello & Sons Packing House, 630 County Route 8, Granby. Pre-registration is required by Aug. 13. Send in a registration form to Cooperative Extension of Oswego County in Mexico or call in a registration at 963-7286.
According to Cooperative Extension, inaccurate
pesticide application rates, spray patterns and droplet
size can lead to pesticide runoff, reducing the effectiveness of the
pesticide and raising crop input costs. A recent study in Nebraska
revealed that two-thirds of the applicators were applying pesticides
improperly (application rate errors greater than 5
percent).
A similar study conducted in North Dakota indicated that 60
percent of tested sprayers had calibration errors greater than 10
percent. Although inaccurate tank mixing causes some of these errors, a
majority of the problems result from improper spray
equipment calibration and worn nozzles.
Runoff of pesticides also can be harmful to the environment. Agriculture is under intense
economic and environmental pressure today. The high cost of pesticides
and the need to protect the environment are incentives for applicators
to do their very best in handling and applying
pesticides.
This meeting will provide producers with information to learn how
to calibrate sprayers in order to apply the necessary amount of
pesticide where they want without undue harm to the environment.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Environmental Groups Sue State Over Dairy Farm Regulations
The regs were put in place to bolster the state's growing yogurt industry. But some environmental groups says the regs go too far and violate the Clean Water Act.
Go to http://online.wsj.com/article/APa958f8dae101401fa5a47a3778265d65.html to see the story.
Go to http://online.wsj.com/article/APa958f8dae101401fa5a47a3778265d65.html to see the story.
Friday, June 7, 2013
June is Dairy Month -- Is Whey Really a Problem?
The difficulty, according to these stories, is the disposing of the by-product of yogurt production -- namely whey.
Well, Cornell University and its College of Agriculture and Life Science have tackled the subject and officials there believe the whey story is "whey" overblown.
Check out the story http://cornellcals.tumblr.com/post/52312457571/fears-of-yogurt-induced-environmental-catastrophe-are at this link.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Ag Secretary Tackles Ag Solutions to Environmental Challenges
Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack gave a talk to the National Press Club Wednesday about agricultural solutions to environmental challenges.
He said the Federal government must increase collaboration with producers, researchers and industry to develop the next generation of solutions that will help agriculture mitigate and adapt to modern climate challenges.
"Our farmers, ranchers and forest landowners are the most innovative on earth, and they're up to the task of meeting environmental challenges that lay ahead," Vilsack said. "We know what we're seeing on the ground - more intense weather events, and a greater number of them. USDA will be there to support the efforts of our farmers and ranchers to adapt to these new challenges, just as we have been for decades."
Vilsack noted that under the Obama Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has taken a wide variety of proactive steps to prepare for climate challenges projected in the years ahead. This includes the development of Climate Adaptation Plans by USDA agencies to continue delivering quality service in the years and decades to come.
Additionally, earlier this year, USDA released two Climate Assessments - one focused on the climate impacts to agriculture in the coming years, and a second focused on U.S. forests.
Vilsack stressed the need to work closely with farmers and ranchers who stand "on the front line" of risk adaptation - and he pledged that USDA will take steps to help producers adapt to new threats. He announced a number of new measures that USDA will take to help producers create new climate solutions:
Regional Climate Hubs: USDA will establish seven "Regional Climate Hubs" to work in partnership with producers and foresters. The Secretary called them "Service centers for science-based risk management." Working with other agencies, the hubs will serve as a source of regional data and information for hazard and adaptation planning in the agriculture and forest sectors. The hubs will provide outreach and extension to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners on science-based risk management and will seek to partner with the land grant universities, Extension, and the private sector.
The seven regional hubs will be established for the Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, Northern Plains, Southern Plains, Pacific Northwest, and Southwest. Each hub will be the center of a network of connected activities and services and will be located in a USDA facility within its region.
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Tools Customized for Producers: NRCS will leverage technology and provide technical assistance to agriculture - both by providing new technical tools for researchers, and new tools for farmers and ranchers themselves.
- Vilsack announced the release of the "Carbon Management and Evaluation Tool," also known as COMET-FARM, a free online tool that will help producers calculate how much carbon their conservation actions can remove from the atmosphere. Created by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and Colorado State University, in cooperation with USDA's Climate Change Program Office, COMET-FARM will also help producers calculate and understand how land management decisions impact energy use and carbon emissions. COMET-FARM allows producers to input information about their land using a secure online interface - including location, soil characteristics, tillage and nutrient use. The tool then estimates carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emission reductions associated with conservation practices for cropland, pasture, rangeland, livestock operations and energy. COMET-FARM is applicable to all agricultural lands in the lower 48 states. The tool is available for use at http://www.comet-farm.com/.
- The Secretary also announced the online release of data collected under the Rapid Carbon Assessment, which will be especially useful for technical experts. This assessment was carried out by NRCS beginning in 2010 to develop statistically reliable quantitative estimates of amounts and distribution of carbon stocks for U.S. soils under various land covers and, to the extent possible, differing agricultural management. Over the course of three years, NRCS collected almost 145,000 samples from 6,000 randomly selected locations.
The agencies engaged stakeholders, partner universities, and the crop insurance industry to figure out how to make cover crop guidelines straightforward and sensible. Secretary Vilsack announced new guidance for USDA Agencies dealing with cover crops, using a new model based on local climate data, tillage management and soil information to account for daily crop growth and use of soil moisture. With this information, experts determined the latest possible time to terminate a cover crop to minimize risk to the cash crop yield. RMA, NRCS and FSA will all uniformly refer producers to these guidelines, and will use them to administer programs.
Vilsack noted the steps being announced today build on previous Obama Administration efforts, including an agreement with the U.S. dairy industry to create anaerobic digesters to create energy and reduce greenhouse gases and pollution, promotion of advanced biofuels development, and projects to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency across rural America.
"By taking collaborative, regionally-appropriate steps today to adapt to threats, USDA can help American agriculture continue its tremendous productivity in the years to come," he said. "We've already worked hard to be proactive and ensure that USDA is prepared for modern environmental challenges - but we can't let up in our efforts."
Thursday, May 30, 2013
How Would You Prevent an Oil or Fuel Spill on the Farm?
Go to http://farmprogress.com/story-got-fuel-tanks-got-spill-preventive-control-plan-9-98537-nl_4_nlr_2?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=30+May+2013 to check out a good story on the issue from American Agriculturalist.
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