From NEW YORK STATE
Qualified veterinarians who agree to provide veterinary services for livestock in Delaware, Sullivan and St. Lawrence counties can now apply for the 2017 Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program.
The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. It was created to provide incentives for veterinarians to fill the most serious veterinary shortage situations in the U.S. to protect the food supply and preserve animal and public health.
“This program addresses critical veterinary needs in our state and across the nation while providing valuable work experience for many highly skilled doctors,” said state Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball.
“It encourages veterinarians to practice in communities that play an important role in maintaining the food supply but that also have limited access to vital animal care," Ball said. "By improving veterinary medicine in these areas, we can ensure our animals are healthier and threats to public health are reduced.”
The program will pay up to $25,000 per year towards qualified educational loans of eligible veterinarians who agree to serve in a National Institute of Food and Agriculture-designated veterinarian shortage area for three years. State Animal Health Officials identify about 185 priority shortage situations across the U.S. each year.
In New York State, Delaware, Sullivan and St. Lawrence counties are considered high-priority shortage areas. A map of all National Institute of Food and Agriculture-designated veterinary shortage situations can be found at https://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-map .
About $4.2 million will be awarded nationwide to veterinarians serving in public, private or specialty practices in the areas of food animal medicine, public health, epidemiology and food safety.
To be eligible to apply to the program, an applicant must:
** Have a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, or the equivalent, by July 1, 2017, from an eligible college;
** Have a minimum qualifying educational loan debt of $15,000;
** Secure an offer of employment or establish and/or maintain a practice in a National Institute of Food and Agriculture-designated veterinary shortage situation;
** Provide certifications and verifications as defined in the Request for Applications;
** Satisfy any previous obligation for veterinary service to the federal government, state government, or other entity prior to beginning service under the loan repayment program; and
** Not have a federal judgment lien against his/her property arising from federal debt.
Applications for the loan repayment program must be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday, May 26. Veterinarians awarded funding in 2014 and 2015 may submit a renewal application.
More information about the program is available at https://nifa.usda.gov/program/veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program .
Showing posts with label Sullivan County. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sullivan County. Show all posts
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Tri-Valley FFA Named Chapter of the Year
From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine:
In New York state, FFA chapters are as diverse as they come.
From New York City to Buffalo, FFA chapters and the agricultural education programs they serve meet the needs of the students in each location.
This year, the Tri-Valley Central School FFA Chapter in Grahamsville is the 2017 NYS Agricultural Society Chapter of the Year.
The Tri-Valley FFA is the only agriculture program and FFA in Sullivan and Ulster counties, and works with more than 150 members in grades 6-12 annually.
While many chapters focus on one component of local agriculture, Tri-Valley caters to a wide range of student interests and community needs. Advised by Tara Berescik and Robert Hayes, the program teaches classes in turf grass management, where students construct athletic fields from forest land to game day to learn the hands-on skills for success in the field.
The program boasts of Tri-Valley Blooms, a full-scale floral shop run by FFA students that has catered 120 weddings in the past 10 years. Students learn all aspects of the floral industry and have the necessary skills to run their own events as well.
In addition, Tri-Valley has two working commercial greenhouses for growing and finishing plants, and a small animal breeding and care laboratory at school.
Environmental Science is a major focus since Tri-Valley is located in the New York City Watershed, and students work hand-in-hand with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to develop ecologically friendly projects to learn about the local environment.
Tri-Valley is committed to enabling students to see the global scope of agriculture. Berescik works with students to plan and organize international trips, and teaches a class in international agriculture and sustainability. In 2016, 17 members of the chapter traveled to Europe to tour agricultural destinations in Switzerland, Italy, France, Monaco, and Spain. This is the fifth trip in 10 years.
Other tours have included Australia/New Zealand, Costa Rica, Ireland, and Scotland. Whether they are volunteering with coffee farmers in Costa Rica or studying lavender in France, the scope of worldwide agriculture is presented.
Tri-Valley FFA members excel in all areas. They have competed on the local, state and national level in at least one area every year for the last 17 years.
In 2016, members won multiple state proficiency awards and many placed gold nationally. Three members of the chapter were selected to receive National FFA Grants for Youth Entrepreneurship in 2016 – only 146 grants were given nationwide!
But even with awards and accolades, the spirit of giving is strong. Tri-Valley sophomore Emily Carey won a grant to increase her horse lesson business, and also received $1,000 to be used by the chapter. Officers voted to create the “6-for-16 drive” and selected six worthy members to receive their own FFA jacket, ties, registration to state convention, banquet tickets, and dues for the following year.
While the program offers amazing opportunities to its students, it is also community minded. Founded in 1951 by Richard Strangeway, Tri-Valley FFA has committed itself to community service and creating community-minded youth.
At school, the program boasts of a 40-raised bed community garden – built and managed by students in grades 6-12. The students do everything from preparing beds, to growing seedlings, to watering, maintaining and harvesting. Everything collected is sent to local food banks for distribution to those in need. The chapter also helped establish a backpack for kids anti-hunger program.
Thirty-four back packs are filled bi-weekly by donations collected around the school and community. These go home with youth to provide food on the weekends. In addition, members also collect turkeys and other food items to make the holidays happier for over 40 families in the community annually. Participating in FFA for four to six years, members can graduate with over 1,000 community service hours!
Tri-Valley FFA received their award at the evening banquet at the New York Agricultural Society annual meeting Jan. 5 in Salina, outside Syracuse. This is the write-up about the chapter in the annual meeting booklet.
In New York state, FFA chapters are as diverse as they come.
From New York City to Buffalo, FFA chapters and the agricultural education programs they serve meet the needs of the students in each location.
This year, the Tri-Valley Central School FFA Chapter in Grahamsville is the 2017 NYS Agricultural Society Chapter of the Year.
The Tri-Valley FFA is the only agriculture program and FFA in Sullivan and Ulster counties, and works with more than 150 members in grades 6-12 annually.
While many chapters focus on one component of local agriculture, Tri-Valley caters to a wide range of student interests and community needs. Advised by Tara Berescik and Robert Hayes, the program teaches classes in turf grass management, where students construct athletic fields from forest land to game day to learn the hands-on skills for success in the field.
The program boasts of Tri-Valley Blooms, a full-scale floral shop run by FFA students that has catered 120 weddings in the past 10 years. Students learn all aspects of the floral industry and have the necessary skills to run their own events as well.
In addition, Tri-Valley has two working commercial greenhouses for growing and finishing plants, and a small animal breeding and care laboratory at school.
Environmental Science is a major focus since Tri-Valley is located in the New York City Watershed, and students work hand-in-hand with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to develop ecologically friendly projects to learn about the local environment.
Tri-Valley is committed to enabling students to see the global scope of agriculture. Berescik works with students to plan and organize international trips, and teaches a class in international agriculture and sustainability. In 2016, 17 members of the chapter traveled to Europe to tour agricultural destinations in Switzerland, Italy, France, Monaco, and Spain. This is the fifth trip in 10 years.
Other tours have included Australia/New Zealand, Costa Rica, Ireland, and Scotland. Whether they are volunteering with coffee farmers in Costa Rica or studying lavender in France, the scope of worldwide agriculture is presented.
Tri-Valley FFA members excel in all areas. They have competed on the local, state and national level in at least one area every year for the last 17 years.
In 2016, members won multiple state proficiency awards and many placed gold nationally. Three members of the chapter were selected to receive National FFA Grants for Youth Entrepreneurship in 2016 – only 146 grants were given nationwide!
But even with awards and accolades, the spirit of giving is strong. Tri-Valley sophomore Emily Carey won a grant to increase her horse lesson business, and also received $1,000 to be used by the chapter. Officers voted to create the “6-for-16 drive” and selected six worthy members to receive their own FFA jacket, ties, registration to state convention, banquet tickets, and dues for the following year.
While the program offers amazing opportunities to its students, it is also community minded. Founded in 1951 by Richard Strangeway, Tri-Valley FFA has committed itself to community service and creating community-minded youth.
At school, the program boasts of a 40-raised bed community garden – built and managed by students in grades 6-12. The students do everything from preparing beds, to growing seedlings, to watering, maintaining and harvesting. Everything collected is sent to local food banks for distribution to those in need. The chapter also helped establish a backpack for kids anti-hunger program.
Thirty-four back packs are filled bi-weekly by donations collected around the school and community. These go home with youth to provide food on the weekends. In addition, members also collect turkeys and other food items to make the holidays happier for over 40 families in the community annually. Participating in FFA for four to six years, members can graduate with over 1,000 community service hours!
Tri-Valley FFA received their award at the evening banquet at the New York Agricultural Society annual meeting Jan. 5 in Salina, outside Syracuse. This is the write-up about the chapter in the annual meeting booklet.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Sullivan County Awarded Money for Food Hub
The county will use the money to develop a centrally located aggregation and distribution food hub.
According to a story on Agri-Pulse, "part
of the goal of these grants is to serve 'historically underserved
communities' to help them rebuild their economies. Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack said this is
part of a plan to build the communities for long-term growth."
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