Business

Relevant Events
Organic Cover Crop & Soil Health Field Day
September 11, 2025
Fillmore, NY
Crops, Cows & Critters - Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Newsletter Sponsorship
December 19, 2025
Pricing Corn Silage - Preliminary Fall 2025 Estimates

You might think it's too early to talk about corn silage harvest, but this season's challenges have many re-evaluating plans. Preliminary estimates from John Hanchar, NWNYDLFC, put the corn silage price at approximately $63 per ton. These early estimates can support informed decision-making as cropping and forage strategies shift.
Pesticide Label Changes Brought on by the Endangered Species Act
Katelyn Miller, Field Crops and Forage Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

Changes to our pesticide labels are coming including mitigation strategies for spray drift and runoff/erosion. Check out this article to see how these updates will appear on our product labels.
Ag Safety and Health Springtime Preparations

Spring is one of the busiest times of the year on a farm. Even if things are busy, keep health and safety to the forefront of what you do.
Worried About Being Classified as a Hobby Farm by the IRS? What you Need to Know

Tax season is over, but you may be wondering if you may be audited by the IRS or incorrectly classified as a hobby farm. This article investigates the classification of farms as businesses vs hobbies, what the IRS is looking for in a business, and what records you need to keep to prove you're a legitimate business.
Egg Prices are Historically High - Time to Re-Evaluate your Costs of Production
Amy Barkley, Team Leader & Livestock Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

It takes a whole lot to produce a dozen eggs! Now's a great time to evaluate your costs so that you can charge a fair price that still enables you to make a profit.
USDA Expediting Direct Economic Assistance to Agricultural Producers

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing up to $10 billion directly to agricultural producers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) for the 2024 crop year. Eligible producers must report 2024 crop year planted and prevented planted acres to FSA on an FSA-578, Report of Acreage form. Contact your local FSA office for more information.
Negotiating Land Leases & Building Strong Relationships for Long-Term Success
Katelyn Walley, Business Management Specialist and Team Leader
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program
Leasing farmland can be a great opportunity for both farmers and landowners, but it takes good communication and a fair agreement to make it work. In small towns and rural communities, word gets around fast--so it's important to start off on the right foot and keep things positive. Here are some key steps to help you negotiate a land lease that benefits everyone.
Demystifying Ag Value Assessments: A Summary for Landowners and Farmer Renters
Katelyn Walley, Business Management Specialist and Team Leader
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program
Farming comes with plenty of challenges, and property taxes is a pretty big one of them. In New York, the Agricultural Assessment Program helps lower property taxes for land used for farming. Every year, if you own or rent farmland, this program can save you money. Here's what you need to know to take advantage of this benefit AND connect with rented landowners to ensure they're receiving this benefit.
Reflections From The 2025 Operations Managers Conference
Katie Callero, Dairy Management Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

The 2025 Operations Managers conference entitled "Empowering Managers: Embracing Diversity, Consistency, and Attitude for Success" was hosted by Cornell PRO-DAIRY and Northeast Dairy Producers Association at the end of January. Check out some of my favorite takeaways from the conference.
Setting Your Farm Financial Resolutions Series Information
Katelyn Walley, Business Management Specialist and Team Leader
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program
Selling Turkeys This Year? Reminders for Labeling and Handling
Amy Barkley, Team Leader & Livestock Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

As you're planning your turkey harvest and sales, keep safe handling, proper labeling, and regulations on sale in mind to enjoy a stress-free and food safety-forward holiday season.
Dairy Delights and Good Advice by Margaret Quaassdorff
Nestled atop a hill overlooking Seneca Lake, sits Shtayburne Farm Creamery, a quaint value-added dairy farm business run by the Hostetler Family. I spent an afternoon with brothers, Lorin and Lance and their family, who I found not only to be serving up ice cream flights and farmstead cheese, but good advice for those farmers interested in value-added dairy processing.
Upcoming Events
Organic Cover Crop & Soil Health Field Day
September 11, 2025
Fillmore, NY
Crops, Cows & Critters - Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Newsletter Sponsorship
December 19, 2025
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