GVPA Winter Meeting Session 1: Managing Soil Health, Pastures, and Small Grains
Event Details
Date
January 27, 2022
Time
9:45am - 12:15pm
Location
Genessee Valley Produce Auction
8855 County Road 3
Centerville, NY 14029
Cost
Free Registration - DEC Credits : Free
Free Registration - General : Free
Host
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops ProgramAmy Barkley
716-640-0844
email Amy Barkley

For more details, please see the agenda below.
While registration is requested, walk-ins are welcome. If attending for DEC credits, please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the program to sign in. Please have your NYS pesticide certification ID ready to show the instructor at sign-in.
GVPA Winter Meeting Session 1: Managing Soil Health, Pastures, and Small Grains
Agenda:
9:45 Arrive, DEC Credit Sign-In
10:00 Pasture Management: Rotation Patterns and Best Management Practices by Species (30 minutes) DEC CREDITS - 0.25 credits in 1a & 21
Speaker: Amy Barkley, Livestock Specialist, SWNY Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Team
Details: There are several pasture rotation patterns that can be used on-farm. Furthermore, the livestock species that you graze on your farm consume forage differently, resulting in different management needs. Proper management of pastures by species can result in enhanced pasture stability and reduce the need for chemical-based weed management.
10:30 Soil Health (25 minutes)
Speaker: Matt Havens - Soil Scientist, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
Details: What makes good soil, what are our soil health challenges in WNY (focus on vegetable crops, but references to pasture and field crops), how can we manage the soils in WNY (gravel, clay) to be productive and healthy, and how we can improve soils if they don't currently meet our needs?
10:55 Soil Compaction (20 minutes)
Speaker: Lynn Bliven - Ag and Natural Resources Issue Leader, CCE Allegany & Matt Havens
Details: This presentation will share how soil compaction happens, how it impacts pasture health & quality, and how managing it impacts the needs for chemical management of weeds. Includes a soil health demonstration.
11:15 Small Grains Crop Protection using Unrestricted Materials and Cultural Practices (30 minutes) DEC CREDITS - 0.5 credits of 1a & 21
Speaker: Perry Denton - Regional Manager, Timac AGRO
Details: While many restricted chemicals can be used in small grains, there is a series of methods that can be used to help reduce the need for these restricted pest control measures. Recommendations for unrestricted chemical applications for crop protection in small grains, particularly oats, will be shared as well as concurrent cultural practices that can increase the success of these applications.
11:45 Small Grains Selection - Choosing the Right Fit for your Farm (30 minutes)
Speaker: Don Wild - Owner, Wild Acres Family Farm and Dealer, King's Agriseeds
Details: Species selection can go a long way to a successful cover or small grains crops. Genetic capacity can help reduce the needs for pesticide use on the farm, increase potential yields of products that are of value to you (seed, straw, green manure), and reduce potential crop failure.
12:15 pm Session 1 Adjourns for lunch. DEC credit pick-up
A course moderator will check DEC ID cards at roster sign in. Attendees eligible for DEC credits may not leave the room for more than 10 minutes during a DEC-credit worthy presentation. The rosters will be picked up 10 minutes after the start of the first DEC credit worthy presentation.
Upcoming Events
Shop Talk: Integrated Weed Management

March 19, 2025
Andover, NY
Mike Hunter, Field Crop IPM Coordinator, will share his knowledge on managing weeds. The discussion will cover various management practices in both conventional and organic settings, including herbicide-resistant weeds.
NY Beef Producers Association (NYBPA) Region 2 Meeting
March 21, 2025
Lakewood, NY
Join is for a roundtable discussion with Jeff Hostetter of Select Sires, Phil Trowbridge of Trowbridge Farms, Dr. Shannon Carpenter DVM NYSCHAP Coordinator for NYSAGM, division of Animal Industry, Dr. Katie Card-Allen, DVM Regional Field Veterinarian on Best Practices for Cow-Calf producers. A proactive approach to animal health for mama and baby.
All are welcome. Membership in these beef producer groups is not required.
Following the buffet dinner, a short business meeting will kick off the evening. We will then move to the roundtable discussion.
Class A CDL Training Course
January 18, 2025
February 22, 2025
March 22, 2025
NYS Certified Instructor: Todd Swimelar, "The CDL Guy"
Training required by NYS to take Class A CDL exam and driving test.
Permit not required for classroom time, but is required for driving time.
Announcements
Transition Heifer Calf Program
Join us for this hand-on program and demos! We will be offering this program in English and in Spanish.Calf and heifer managers, dairy herdspersons, farm owners, and heifer raisers interested in learning more about how to better house and manage animals as they transition from the calf phase to the weaned heifer phase.
Topics covered:
Nutrition
Health
Housing Management
Inventory Management
Biosecurity: All attendees must wear clean clothes and boots. You will be required to scrub and disinfect footwear upon arrival to the program and before leaving.
Registration: $25 per person (includes lunch)