Info on an important program coming up Aug. 5 in St. Lawrence County.
Showing posts with label soil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soil. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Soil Health Program Coming Up Aug. 7 in Madrid
Info on an important program coming up Aug. 5 in St. Lawrence County.
Friday, September 9, 2016
Webinar on Soil Microbes Coming Next Week
Here is some information from the USDA:
Soil Health Impacts on Pest Management
September 13, 2016 2:00 pm US/Eastern
What will you learn?
This webinar will focus on management activities that create conditions for beneficial soil microbes to flourish. Learn more...
Presenter(s):
Lori A. Hoagland, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Session Details:
September 13, 2016 2:00 - 3:00 pm US/Eastern
***Please join the session 15 minutes prior to the start of the webinar.***
Who should participate?
Conservationists, Grazing Lands Specialists, Land Owners, Land Managers, Technical Service Providers, Others
Education Credit Units:
American Forage and Grassland Council - 1 hour CFGP Credit (approved)
Certified Crop Advisors - 1 hour CCA - PM Credit (approved)
Conservation Planner - 1 hour Conservation Planning Credit (approved)
Contact Holli.Kuykendall@gnb.
Prepare your computer or mobile device in advance.
Prepare your computer or mobile device in advance.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Virtual Farming Online Atlas Benefits Those in Agriculture
Interesting opinion piece from the Watertown Daily Times.
Check it out at http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/opinion/virtual-farming-online-atlas-benefits-those-in-agriculture-real-estate-zoning-20151217 this link.
Check it out at http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/opinion/virtual-farming-online-atlas-benefits-those-in-agriculture-real-estate-zoning-20151217 this link.
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.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Grants Available for Soil and Water Conservation Districts to Help Soil Health
Soil and Water Conservation Districts across New York state will be able to
address soil quality
in their counties, and develop initiatives that will encourage greater
crop yields and protect water resources from pollution with a new state grant.
Counties can
apply for grant funds of up to $25,000 per district for these plans
through the Ecosystem Based Management Soil Health
Mini Grants program.
Soil
quality has become a leading concern for the agriculture industry on a
national level. Healthy soils hold the potential to produce greater crop
yields while protecting
water resources from polluted runoff. In addition, crops growing in
healthy soils require less fertilizer and are better able to withstand
both floods and droughts.
Through
the Soil Health Mini Grants program, local Soil and Water Conservation
Districts can develop their own programs to increase the adoption of
healthy soil practices.
These programs can range from soil health testing to farmer equipment
loan programs. The Soil Health Mini Grants are designed to allow the
flexibility needed to establish programs that will have long-term
residual impacts on the adoption of soil health practices.
Improving
soil health can be accomplished by reducing tillage and keeping a
living crop on the field all year.
Farmers interested in soil health
should contact their
local Soil and Water Conservation District to learn about the many
opportunities available to improve soil quality in New York at http://www.nys-soilandwater.
The deadline to apply is June 15, 2015. Money is being being made available from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Aurora Farm Field Day set for July 17
It's just about time for the annual Aurora Farm Field Day.
The event this year is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 17 at the Musgrave Research Farm, 1256 Poplar Ridge Road, Aurora.
Here is information about the event from Cornell University:
The event this year is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 17 at the Musgrave Research Farm, 1256 Poplar Ridge Road, Aurora.
Here is information about the event from Cornell University:
New York’s farming community is invited to learn about the latest research on field crops, soil and pest management during the annual field day at Cornell University’s Musgrave Research Farm in Aurora, featuring farm tours, demonstrations and presentations.
The event is hosted by the Integrated Field Crop, Soil, and Pest Management Program Work Team in conjunction with Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station.
Presentation topics:
• Advances in Cover Crop Management
• Breeding and Genetics of Disease Resistance in Corn
• Control of “Deep-Rooted” Perennial Broadleaf Weeds
• Corn & Soybean Planting Date x Seeding Depth Studies
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Nitrogen- vs. Phosphorus-based Manure and Compost Management of Corn
• Soil Health, Adapt-N and Cover Crop Interseeding for Adaptation and Resilience
• Western Bean Cutworm and Other Field Crop 2014 Season Pest Updates
• White Mold of Soybean
• Breeding and Genetics of Disease Resistance in Corn
• Control of “Deep-Rooted” Perennial Broadleaf Weeds
• Corn & Soybean Planting Date x Seeding Depth Studies
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Nitrogen- vs. Phosphorus-based Manure and Compost Management of Corn
• Soil Health, Adapt-N and Cover Crop Interseeding for Adaptation and Resilience
• Western Bean Cutworm and Other Field Crop 2014 Season Pest Updates
• White Mold of Soybean
Monday, January 13, 2014
Crops and Soil Health Meeting Feb. 18 in Auburn
A meeting concerning cover crops and soil health is scheduled for 10 a.m. Feb. 18 at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County in Auburn.
The meeting is being held so the USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service can kick off a National Soil
Health Initiative. The National Conference on Cover Crops & Soil
Health in Omaha, Nebraska kicks off this major effort.
The NY USDA-NRCS State Conservationist Don
Pettit will start the meeting and then there will be a live broadcast
by webinar concerning the soil and crop initiative.
Howard G. Buffett, an Illinois farmer,
conservatonist and philanthropist, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom
Vilsack will lead the webinar by discussing: The Big Picture:
Conservation, Cover Crops and Soil Health.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Jefferson County Farm Wins State Agricultural Environmental Management Award
News from Empire Farm Days:
The Shelmidine family of Adams, Jefferson County, today received the 20th annual New York Agricultural Environmental Management Award during the NY Ag Leadership Luncheon at Empire Farm Days.
State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel Aubertine presented the award to Donald, Doug and Todd Shelmidine and their families.
The AEM program aims to boost public awareness of farm efforts in preserving the environment. During the awards presentation, Aubertine said the family's commitment to conservation and the environment extends far behind the farm.
The Jefferson County dairy farms 1,650 acres of alfalfa hay, corn silage, corn for grain, soybeans and small grains – all of it supporting their 775-cow milking herd. Working closely with the Soil and Water Conservation District, Sheland Farms’ conservation and environmental protection measures go above and beyond those required for their concentrated animal feeding operation.
The family has played in key role in putting in place the state's AEM program in the Sandy Creek project. Doug has served on USDA's Agricultural Air Quality Taskforce for 10 years.
"Meeting CAFO requirement has been challenging," he said. "But our SWCD has helped us solve most problems."
The Shelmidines keep all cattle and crops "under cover" – roofs for all dairy animals, plus crop residues and cover crops on their fields. Even Sheland Farms' manure lagoon is covered. It all fits with the farm's commitment to protecting the environment.
A manure solids separator and methane digester were installed in 2007. They began composting manure solids for bedding and generating electricity from methane created in an anaerobic digester.
Close to half of the farmland is no-tilled to minimize soil compaction. The rest is minimum-tilled. Most manure nutrients are spring-applied and incorporated into the soil just ahead of planting or on spread on growing hay ground to maximize nutrient uptake and minimize nutrient losses.
The Shelmidines are active in the New York Farm Bureaus, 4-H, FFA and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association. In 2006, their farm was honored the Rural Entrepreneur of the Year award by the Small business Development Center of the State University of New York.
In 2011, it was chosen as Jefferson County SWCD's Conservation Farm.
Other 2013 finalists for the award were:
* Downing Acres, Burke, Franklin County, is 200-acre mix of hay, grazing and wood lands with a large herd of Katahdin sheep. Owners Elizabeth and Pat Downing were nominated by Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District.
* Heritage Hill Farm of Fort Ann, Washington County, Inez Mattison and family were nominated by Washington County SWCD. Heritage Hill involves 750 acres of cropland plus a 250-cow dairy herd meeting their concentrated animal feeding operation commitment.
 |
| The Shelmidines, Dylan, Christopher, Todd, Kaitlyn, Donald, Erik, Susan, Jessica, Devon and Doug |
State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel Aubertine presented the award to Donald, Doug and Todd Shelmidine and their families.
The AEM program aims to boost public awareness of farm efforts in preserving the environment. During the awards presentation, Aubertine said the family's commitment to conservation and the environment extends far behind the farm.
The Jefferson County dairy farms 1,650 acres of alfalfa hay, corn silage, corn for grain, soybeans and small grains – all of it supporting their 775-cow milking herd. Working closely with the Soil and Water Conservation District, Sheland Farms’ conservation and environmental protection measures go above and beyond those required for their concentrated animal feeding operation.
The family has played in key role in putting in place the state's AEM program in the Sandy Creek project. Doug has served on USDA's Agricultural Air Quality Taskforce for 10 years.
"Meeting CAFO requirement has been challenging," he said. "But our SWCD has helped us solve most problems."
The Shelmidines keep all cattle and crops "under cover" – roofs for all dairy animals, plus crop residues and cover crops on their fields. Even Sheland Farms' manure lagoon is covered. It all fits with the farm's commitment to protecting the environment.
A manure solids separator and methane digester were installed in 2007. They began composting manure solids for bedding and generating electricity from methane created in an anaerobic digester.
Close to half of the farmland is no-tilled to minimize soil compaction. The rest is minimum-tilled. Most manure nutrients are spring-applied and incorporated into the soil just ahead of planting or on spread on growing hay ground to maximize nutrient uptake and minimize nutrient losses.
The Shelmidines are active in the New York Farm Bureaus, 4-H, FFA and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association. In 2006, their farm was honored the Rural Entrepreneur of the Year award by the Small business Development Center of the State University of New York.
In 2011, it was chosen as Jefferson County SWCD's Conservation Farm.
Other 2013 finalists for the award were:
* Downing Acres, Burke, Franklin County, is 200-acre mix of hay, grazing and wood lands with a large herd of Katahdin sheep. Owners Elizabeth and Pat Downing were nominated by Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District.
* Heritage Hill Farm of Fort Ann, Washington County, Inez Mattison and family were nominated by Washington County SWCD. Heritage Hill involves 750 acres of cropland plus a 250-cow dairy herd meeting their concentrated animal feeding operation commitment.
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