UPDATE:
The list of brewers and spirits through Taste NY being offered at the Barclays Center has come out and there isn't a single one from Upstate NY. Taste NY says regions will be changing from time to time. Let's hope so.
From Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office:
Taste NY is partnering with Barclays Center, home to the Brooklyn
Nets and the New York Islanders, to expand the promotion of New York’s
craft beverage producers.
The alliance features the launch of the new
and first-ever Taste NY Bar, which is offering
a full selection of New York products from across the region and state
to Barclays Center’s nearly 2 two million visitors annually.
“New York’s craft
beverages are some of the best in the industry – and through this new
partnership, we’ll be introducing them to more consumers than ever
before,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“The Taste NY Bar at Barclays Center will
give visitors the chance to enjoy some of the greatest beer, wine and
spirits that this state has to offer. This is about raising the profile
of craft beverage producers and stimulating economic
growth across the state, and I’m pleased to see this partnership moving
forward,” he said.
“We are honored to align with Governor Cuomo to open the inaugural Taste NY Bar,”
said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “Taste
NY is a great complement to our Brooklyn Taste program, Barclays
Center’s culinary platform that features 55 popular Brooklyn restaurants
and food vendors, and furthers our commitment
to sourcing from local producers.”
The Taste NY-Barclays Center agreement is part of the governor’s promise made at the
third Wine, Beer, Spirits & Cider Summit to continue to support and
provide resources for this growing industry.
The Taste NY Bar
is located in a prime location in the venue — on the main concourse, next
to the main entrance. To promote the Taste NY Bar, Taste NY branded
messaging will be displayed on the more than 700 HDTVs
and LED displays in concession areas and throughout the venue,
including in the arena bowl and on the Oculus — the 3,000-square-foot LED
marquee outside of Barclays Center’s main entrance.
The Taste NY Bar
will also be featured on BCTV — a custom in-arena and
online video network featuring original content about the arena’s
events and the Brooklyn community. BCTV programming appears on the
venue’s HDTVs prior to and following events, as well as online at
BarclaysCenter.com.
Barclays Center will also become
a place for the industry’s producers to engage and connect with enthusiasts and consumers. The partnership provides
opportunities for Taste NY producers to host hospitality and networking seminars with distributors.
Barclays Center
has redefined the arena customer service and culinary experience. Its
more than 2,000 employees are trained by Disney Institute, the business
advisory arm of The Walt Disney Company, and its BrooklynTaste™
food program features selections from 55 well-known restaurants and
vendors in the borough.
Friday, February 19, 2016
Changes Made to Help Farmers Transition to Organic Crops
From the USDA:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has introduced a new step to
support farmers transitioning to certified organic production.
Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack said the department is expanding a crop insurance option to allow producers to purchase
insurance coverage that better reflects their product's actual value.
The expanded coverage is part of the department's continued commitment to provide farmers with resources and tools to meet the growing demand for certified organic products.
"Consumer demand for organic products continues to increase and the industry has experienced remarkable growth, representing more than $39 billion in U.S. retail sales," said Vilsack. "This growth creates opportunities for farmers and businesses across the country. Expanding the safety net for farmers wanting to enter the organic market ensures they have the tools and resources they need to meet this growing demand while protecting their operation."
The organic sector is growing, and certified organic products often return higher profits for farmers. It can take producers three years, however, to transition from conventional to certified organic production.
Previously, producers of transitional crops were able to insure them only at the same price as a conventional producer. But this department change enables producers to insure transitional crops to their contract price (within approved limits).
Producers transitioning to certified organic production can now use the Contract Price Addendum to cover their crops at a higher price than traditional crops. The Contract Price Addendum allows farmers transitioning to organic production to insure certain crops at their contract price rather than the published U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency price election.
The Risk Management Agency has also expanded organic premium price elections to 57 crops, up from four in 2011, providing organic producers the option to protect their 2016 crops closer to the market value.
Barley, rice and wheat are among the crops for which organic price elections have been added. New additions for 2017 will include grapefruit, lemons and oranges.
For example, under the Contract Price Addendum, a producer in Nebraska can use a contract price for millet up to a maximum of $7.34 per bushel (for transitional) or $8.44 (for certified organic production), as opposed to using the existing Risk Management Agency price elections of $3.67 (for transitional) or $4.22 (for certified organic production).
A Contract Price Addendum fact sheet is available online at http://go.usa.gov/cyFGR.
Since 2009, USDA has strengthened programs that support organic producers as they grow, thrive and respond to increasing consumer demand for organic products.
Last year, USDA reported that U.S. certified and exempt organic farms sold a total of $5.5 billion in organic products in 2014, up 72 percent since 2008. The U.S. retail market for organic products is valued at more than $39 billion, and in 2014 there were 19,474 certified USDA organic operations in the United States, representing nearly a 250 percent increase since 2002.
Worldwide, in 2014 there were nearly 28,000 certified organic operations in more than 120 different countries.
More information about USDA's support under this Administration for organic producers and businesses can be found at www.usda.gov/results.
Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. Contact a local crop insurance agent for more information about the program. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers or online at www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.
A list of commodities eligible for the Contract Price addendum is available online at www.rma.usda.gov/news/
More information on risk management tools available for organic farmers can be found on the RMA organic crops website. Visit www.usda.gov/organic to learn more about USDA's resources for organic agriculture.
 |
| Vilsack |
The expanded coverage is part of the department's continued commitment to provide farmers with resources and tools to meet the growing demand for certified organic products.
"Consumer demand for organic products continues to increase and the industry has experienced remarkable growth, representing more than $39 billion in U.S. retail sales," said Vilsack. "This growth creates opportunities for farmers and businesses across the country. Expanding the safety net for farmers wanting to enter the organic market ensures they have the tools and resources they need to meet this growing demand while protecting their operation."
The organic sector is growing, and certified organic products often return higher profits for farmers. It can take producers three years, however, to transition from conventional to certified organic production.
Previously, producers of transitional crops were able to insure them only at the same price as a conventional producer. But this department change enables producers to insure transitional crops to their contract price (within approved limits).
Producers transitioning to certified organic production can now use the Contract Price Addendum to cover their crops at a higher price than traditional crops. The Contract Price Addendum allows farmers transitioning to organic production to insure certain crops at their contract price rather than the published U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency price election.
The Risk Management Agency has also expanded organic premium price elections to 57 crops, up from four in 2011, providing organic producers the option to protect their 2016 crops closer to the market value.
Barley, rice and wheat are among the crops for which organic price elections have been added. New additions for 2017 will include grapefruit, lemons and oranges.
For example, under the Contract Price Addendum, a producer in Nebraska can use a contract price for millet up to a maximum of $7.34 per bushel (for transitional) or $8.44 (for certified organic production), as opposed to using the existing Risk Management Agency price elections of $3.67 (for transitional) or $4.22 (for certified organic production).
A Contract Price Addendum fact sheet is available online at http://go.usa.gov/cyFGR.
Since 2009, USDA has strengthened programs that support organic producers as they grow, thrive and respond to increasing consumer demand for organic products.
Last year, USDA reported that U.S. certified and exempt organic farms sold a total of $5.5 billion in organic products in 2014, up 72 percent since 2008. The U.S. retail market for organic products is valued at more than $39 billion, and in 2014 there were 19,474 certified USDA organic operations in the United States, representing nearly a 250 percent increase since 2002.
Worldwide, in 2014 there were nearly 28,000 certified organic operations in more than 120 different countries.
More information about USDA's support under this Administration for organic producers and businesses can be found at www.usda.gov/results.
Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. Contact a local crop insurance agent for more information about the program. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers or online at www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.
A list of commodities eligible for the Contract Price addendum is available online at www.rma.usda.gov/news/
More information on risk management tools available for organic farmers can be found on the RMA organic crops website. Visit www.usda.gov/organic to learn more about USDA's resources for organic agriculture.
Community Garden Workshop March 8 in Mexico
Info from Cooperative Extension of Oswego County:
Calling all gardening enthusiasts!
Are you interested in starting a community garden?
Come join us as we present "Planting the Seed: An Introduction to Establishing a Community Garden" from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 8,at the Mexico VFW, 5930 Scenic Ave (State Route 3), just north of the village of Mexico.
No previous gardening experience is necessary! Just $10 and a desire to learn more about establishing a community garden.
Call 963-7286 by March 4 to register for this educational workshop.
Calling all gardening enthusiasts!
Are you interested in starting a community garden?
Come join us as we present "Planting the Seed: An Introduction to Establishing a Community Garden" from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 8,at the Mexico VFW, 5930 Scenic Ave (State Route 3), just north of the village of Mexico.
No previous gardening experience is necessary! Just $10 and a desire to learn more about establishing a community garden.
Call 963-7286 by March 4 to register for this educational workshop.
New York Certified Organic Winter Meeting March 8 in Geneva
The New York Certified Organic Winter Meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. March 8 in Jordan Hall at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva.
A number of speakers will discuss new and changing global markets for organic grain and dairy producers, flax grain production and uses and "What Do You Want to Make Per Acre on Your Farm?"
One of the featured presenters is Bob Quinn of Big Sandy, Montana, talking about developing new markets for organic grain. Quinn considered several options before settling on the ancient grain of kamut as a good fit for his 2,400-acre organic farm, which is in an area that can receive 13 inches of rain in one season.
He will talk about the importance of research, dedication to establishing a strong market and what farmers can do to develop their own niche.
Mary-Howell Martens, who operates Lakeview Organic Grain and co-owns an
organic grain farm with her husband Klaas Martens in Penn Yan, Yates County, will
cover changes in the world grain market. The Martenses are highly
respected agricultural innovators who willingly share their knowledge to
encourage other farmers to be successful.
Luke Gianforte of Gianforte Farm, Cazenovia, Madison County, will help audience members answer the question of what each wants to make per acre with their farming enterprise. He will share how he tracks costs and returns for 500 acres of up to 10 different organic grains and row crops he and his dad grow in any given year.
The Gianfortes also operate their own small mill and package whole and milled grains in bulk and for restaurant, retail and farmers’ market sale, largely serving the Central New York and Mohawk Valley regions.
Ed Schefler of Groton, Tompkins County will be among the growers on the after-lunch panel discussing alternative grains production. Schefler will show slides about growing flax and pressing the seed for oil and cake, which he feeds to his cows.
There also will be a brief description of how crop insurance can benefit organic farmers at the March 8 program.
There is no cost or need to register to attend the program. Participants are asked to bring a dish to pass at the potluck lunch.
For more information, contact Fay Benson at (607) 745-3807 or email afb3@cornell.edu
A number of speakers will discuss new and changing global markets for organic grain and dairy producers, flax grain production and uses and "What Do You Want to Make Per Acre on Your Farm?"
One of the featured presenters is Bob Quinn of Big Sandy, Montana, talking about developing new markets for organic grain. Quinn considered several options before settling on the ancient grain of kamut as a good fit for his 2,400-acre organic farm, which is in an area that can receive 13 inches of rain in one season.
He will talk about the importance of research, dedication to establishing a strong market and what farmers can do to develop their own niche.
 |
| Mary-Howell Martens of Lakeview Organic Grain |
Luke Gianforte of Gianforte Farm, Cazenovia, Madison County, will help audience members answer the question of what each wants to make per acre with their farming enterprise. He will share how he tracks costs and returns for 500 acres of up to 10 different organic grains and row crops he and his dad grow in any given year.
The Gianfortes also operate their own small mill and package whole and milled grains in bulk and for restaurant, retail and farmers’ market sale, largely serving the Central New York and Mohawk Valley regions.
Ed Schefler of Groton, Tompkins County will be among the growers on the after-lunch panel discussing alternative grains production. Schefler will show slides about growing flax and pressing the seed for oil and cake, which he feeds to his cows.
There also will be a brief description of how crop insurance can benefit organic farmers at the March 8 program.
There is no cost or need to register to attend the program. Participants are asked to bring a dish to pass at the potluck lunch.
For more information, contact Fay Benson at (607) 745-3807 or email afb3@cornell.edu
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Cooperative Extension to Hold Spring Beef Week
From Northern New York Cooperative Extension agencies:
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
 |
| 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
Three New York Farmers Receive Next Generation Farmer Awards from Ag Society
The New York State Agricultural Society this year presented two Next Generation Farmer awards for the first time.
Here is some information on who won the awards for 2016:
The Next Generation Farmer Award is being presented for the first time in 2016 and recognizes excellence from beginning farmers.
Max and Trystan Sandvoss, brothers and new farmers in Genesee County, were recognized as 2016 Next Generation Farmer Award winners.
They started First Light Farm and Creamery in East Bethany in 2010, producing artisanal cheeses from their milking goat herd mixed with milk from a neighboring Certified Organic Jersey cow farm (Grassland Dairy), as well as bottling and selling cow’s milk and whole cream-top yogurt.
The brothers did not grow up on a farm — their father was a lawyer and their mother a teacher in the Hudson Valley. Both received college degrees, but neither received an ag education — Trystan graduated from Northwestern and Max from Harvard.
After early careers on the West Coast, Trystan and Max spent a year apprenticing at a creamery near Seattle. Then they decided to return to New York state to raise Nubian and Alpine milking goats and produce dairy products not far from their stepfather’s farm, Lor-Rob Dairy, with a goal “to make the kind of food we like to eat.”
One of the draws to the Genesee County location was its position midway between Buffalo and Rochester. They sell their cheeses, yogurt and milk at farmers markets and stores in both cities, and have recently offered a ‘Dairy Share’ using a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model of distribution with weekly deliveries to retail stores and drop points.
Max and Trystan go to farmers markets weekly, give cheese-making demonstrations and meet with garden clubs and Rotary groups to talk about farming. Leadership Genesee and other groups have visited their farm.
In all, more than 2,000 people have toured the farm and participated in cheese-making workshops, including guests from Canada and Hong Kong.
Everything that happens at First Light is done locally. Fields are seeded with grass that is grown on the farm or within 10 miles of the farm, and is fertilized with manure produced on the farm. The farm utilizes 100 percent organic practices with no hormones or chemical fertilizers.
Goats are pastured on the farm and fed dry grass from the local area. Whey, produced as a byproduct of the cheese-making, is fed to pigs on a nearby hog operation.
Everything is done with the environment, conservation and animal comfort in mind.
Next on the agenda for First Light Farm and Creamery is expected statewide distribution of their dairy products through a high-end grocery chain with potential expansion to other like-minded retailers.
After five years of hard work and passion, the brothers have figured out how to continue to grow and still enjoy a day off. But it is the stories of middle of the night births during kidding season, milk testing rituals and building a community that make clear the brothers’ love for the farm life that they have chosen.
Todd DuMond, the next generation on his family’s farm in Cayuga County, is recognized as a 2016 Next Generation Farmer Award winner.
Todd has fostered significant growth and expansion of the farm business since returning to what was a 600 acre cash crop farm in 2003, a couple years after graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Today, DuMond Ag in Union Springs, farms nearly 5,000 acres.
Eric and Marge DuMond, Todd’s parents, started a small beef cow operation in Saranac Lake in 1980, and moved to the Finger Lakes five years later where they began the cash crop farm. Under Todd’s management, the farm has been on an aggressive growth curve, increasing steadily in size and diversifying business pursuits.
DuMond Grain, a soybean roasting business, was an offshoot that began in 2003 when Todd returned to the farm. In 2010, Todd began DuMond Trucking to provide an improved transportation option for the local farm community.
Similarly, in 2015 Todd expanded DuMond Grain to include corn grinding to produce cornmeal as a new commodity for the business. Most recently, DuMond Ag created a cover crop seed dealership and invested in a row crop farming operation.
One of the most difficult challenges DuMond Ag faces is climate change. As a result, Todd uses a variety of conservation methods that emphasize the relationship between increased weather volatility and the use of precision agriculture.
The use of cover crops and spatial soil analysis helps to protect and enrich the soil by increasing soil water absorption during heavy rains, reducing surface water runoff and possible erosion. Todd also uses reduced tillage and narrow-row planting, as well as subsurface drainage systems, catch basins, stand pipes and conservation strips to protect soil and water resources.
His precision agriculture efforts include precise nutrient application placement. And, when preparing the fields each year, DuMond Ag uses tramlines – the routes that tractors and trucks use to drive in and out of the field are the same year after year, limiting field soil compaction to those tracks.
Todd has served on the New York State Corn and Soybean Growers Association Board for about 10 years. He is also nearing the end of his nine-year term as New York’s representative to the American Soybean Association.
He has built relationships with local agricultural colleges, coordinating tours and talks, and for three years has hosted the Summer Crop Tour, an education day for production agriculture.
Here is some information on who won the awards for 2016:
The Next Generation Farmer Award is being presented for the first time in 2016 and recognizes excellence from beginning farmers.
 |
| Max and Trystan Sandvoss |
They started First Light Farm and Creamery in East Bethany in 2010, producing artisanal cheeses from their milking goat herd mixed with milk from a neighboring Certified Organic Jersey cow farm (Grassland Dairy), as well as bottling and selling cow’s milk and whole cream-top yogurt.
The brothers did not grow up on a farm — their father was a lawyer and their mother a teacher in the Hudson Valley. Both received college degrees, but neither received an ag education — Trystan graduated from Northwestern and Max from Harvard.
After early careers on the West Coast, Trystan and Max spent a year apprenticing at a creamery near Seattle. Then they decided to return to New York state to raise Nubian and Alpine milking goats and produce dairy products not far from their stepfather’s farm, Lor-Rob Dairy, with a goal “to make the kind of food we like to eat.”
One of the draws to the Genesee County location was its position midway between Buffalo and Rochester. They sell their cheeses, yogurt and milk at farmers markets and stores in both cities, and have recently offered a ‘Dairy Share’ using a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model of distribution with weekly deliveries to retail stores and drop points.
Max and Trystan go to farmers markets weekly, give cheese-making demonstrations and meet with garden clubs and Rotary groups to talk about farming. Leadership Genesee and other groups have visited their farm.
In all, more than 2,000 people have toured the farm and participated in cheese-making workshops, including guests from Canada and Hong Kong.
Everything that happens at First Light is done locally. Fields are seeded with grass that is grown on the farm or within 10 miles of the farm, and is fertilized with manure produced on the farm. The farm utilizes 100 percent organic practices with no hormones or chemical fertilizers.
Goats are pastured on the farm and fed dry grass from the local area. Whey, produced as a byproduct of the cheese-making, is fed to pigs on a nearby hog operation.
Everything is done with the environment, conservation and animal comfort in mind.
Next on the agenda for First Light Farm and Creamery is expected statewide distribution of their dairy products through a high-end grocery chain with potential expansion to other like-minded retailers.
After five years of hard work and passion, the brothers have figured out how to continue to grow and still enjoy a day off. But it is the stories of middle of the night births during kidding season, milk testing rituals and building a community that make clear the brothers’ love for the farm life that they have chosen.
Todd DuMond, the next generation on his family’s farm in Cayuga County, is recognized as a 2016 Next Generation Farmer Award winner.
Todd has fostered significant growth and expansion of the farm business since returning to what was a 600 acre cash crop farm in 2003, a couple years after graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Today, DuMond Ag in Union Springs, farms nearly 5,000 acres.
Eric and Marge DuMond, Todd’s parents, started a small beef cow operation in Saranac Lake in 1980, and moved to the Finger Lakes five years later where they began the cash crop farm. Under Todd’s management, the farm has been on an aggressive growth curve, increasing steadily in size and diversifying business pursuits.
DuMond Grain, a soybean roasting business, was an offshoot that began in 2003 when Todd returned to the farm. In 2010, Todd began DuMond Trucking to provide an improved transportation option for the local farm community.
Similarly, in 2015 Todd expanded DuMond Grain to include corn grinding to produce cornmeal as a new commodity for the business. Most recently, DuMond Ag created a cover crop seed dealership and invested in a row crop farming operation.
One of the most difficult challenges DuMond Ag faces is climate change. As a result, Todd uses a variety of conservation methods that emphasize the relationship between increased weather volatility and the use of precision agriculture.
The use of cover crops and spatial soil analysis helps to protect and enrich the soil by increasing soil water absorption during heavy rains, reducing surface water runoff and possible erosion. Todd also uses reduced tillage and narrow-row planting, as well as subsurface drainage systems, catch basins, stand pipes and conservation strips to protect soil and water resources.
His precision agriculture efforts include precise nutrient application placement. And, when preparing the fields each year, DuMond Ag uses tramlines – the routes that tractors and trucks use to drive in and out of the field are the same year after year, limiting field soil compaction to those tracks.
Todd has served on the New York State Corn and Soybean Growers Association Board for about 10 years. He is also nearing the end of his nine-year term as New York’s representative to the American Soybean Association.
He has built relationships with local agricultural colleges, coordinating tours and talks, and for three years has hosted the Summer Crop Tour, an education day for production agriculture.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
New York Wineries Exhibit at Boston Wine Expo
The Boston Wine Expo is the Northeast’s largest wine and food event and draws about 8,000 distributors and consumers. New York wineries from Western New York to Long Island connected with new business opportunities and reached new consumers during the two-day event.
“New York state is home to some of the best wines in the world," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “Through the Taste NY initiative, New York wineries have earned well-deserved national and international acclaim, and we are thrilled to build on that success this weekend.”
This marks the second year New York state has had a presence at the Boston Wine Expo. Eight wineries from Western New York, the Finger Lakes and the Capital Region will be participating for the first time.
The Boston Wine Expo is regarded as one of the premier wine trade and consumer shows in the country. Now in its 25th year, the event features seminars, tastings and networking events, and continues to be open to both distributors and consumers.
To help consumers purchase and remember their favorite wines, the Expo has partnered with the Drync app. Consumers get wine details in seconds by taking a photo of the front label and can order New York state wines through the app for in-store pick up or delivery from their favorite retailer.
Expo attendees also used the app to vote on their favorite wines at the show by scanning the labels, which Drync and the Expo will broadcast as the "Top Trending” wines.
Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, also conducted a seminr at the expo titled, “Class by the Glass: The Taste of New York Gold.” He showcased a range of New York state wines, all of which have won gold medals at major wine competitions.
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