As farm profitability margins tighten, and input prices continue to rise, now's the time to evaluate the role that leased and rented land plays in your crop production - and the effect on your bottom line. Join Farm Business Management Specialist, Katelyn Walley-Stoll, to learn more about the considerations and resources that are available for evaluating and executing your land lease options. Topics of discussion include written lease agreements, "fair" rental rates, and tools for analyzing enterprise opportunities.

(1 Professional Development CEU)

Dr. Quirine Ketterings, Cornell Professor and leader of the Nutrient Management Spear Program, and Kirsten Workman of Cornell PRO-DAIRY, will discuss management and evaluation strategies to help optimize fertility without breaking the bank with your fertilizer budget.

(1 Nutrient Management CEU)

(DEC Pesticide Credits Pending)

Dan Steward of WNY Crop Management Association, will address the challenge of keeping long term pastures and hay fields.  Discussion of how to deal with established weeds, while keeping pastures and hayfields viable in this regard will be covered.  He will show how to better manage via rotation, fertility and harvest management to help control and eliminate weed growth.  Problem weeds typically found in pastures and long-term fields will be identified and covered along with what types of herbicides should be used and timing for best possible effectiveness and animal safety. 

(0.5 Integrated Pest Management and 0.5 Crop Management CEU)

(DEC Pesticide Credits Pending)

Corn Nematode Survey Results: Management Implications?

Mike Stanyard will discuss the results of the corn nematode sampling study from the NWNY region in 2021.  We will look at what plant parasitic nematode species were found and at what levels.  Some fields were over threshold and therefore possible nematicide management options will be discussed for 2022. Mike  is the Field Crops Specialist and Team Leader with Cornell Cooperative Extension's Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program.

Weed Management in Hay and Pasture

This session will provide a review of cultural and chemical weed control practices for alfalfa or grass, mixed stands, and pasture.  It will include practices that give the hay species a competitive edge over weeds and herbicide options for different weed scenarios.  Common difficult to control weeds in pasture will be covered as well as improvement of older hay stands with weed invasions. Janice Degni is the Field Crops Specialist and Team Leader with Cornell Cooperative Extension's South Central New York Dairy and Field Crops Program.

(1.5 Integrated Pest Management CEU)

Advancements in measurements of forage fiber digestibility and a growing understanding of field and management factors that affect digestibility offer the opportunity to improve our management and utilization of forages in dairy rations. This talk will cover factors, from crop type to weather, that affect forage digestibility and overall quality as well as considerations for harvest, storage and feedout management to optimize the use of forages in a feeding program. Led by PRO-DAIRY's Joe Lawrence.

(1 Crop Management CEU)

(2 DEC Credits in 1a, 21, 23)

Field Crop Disease update: corn tar spot, mycotoxins, and more…

Gary Bergstrom will provide an update on the diagnosis and management of field crop diseases in New York including two new corn diseases (tar spot and bacterial leaf streak), corn mycotoxins, soybean cyst nematode, and latest options for disease management in corn, soybean, and small grains. Presented by Gary Bergstrom, Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science Pathology and PlantMicrobe Biology Section. 

Soybean cyst nematode in NY: Status update and management options

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the most damaging pest of soybeans globally, and we are just beginning to identify its expansion into dry bean crops. In this presentation I will discuss SCN damage to crops, the latest  statewide survey results, and the latest management options. Presented by Erik Smith, Area Field Crop Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension's Central New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops program. 

(2 Integrated Pest Management CEU)

(DEC Credits Pending)

Herbicide Resistant Weeds in Agronomic Crops, Herbicide Shortages, and Novel Weed Control Strategies

This presentation will focus on the evolution of herbicide resistance in agronomic crops with a focus on the current issues facing New York producers including: Palmer amaranth, waterhemp and horseweed. Results from recent studies indicate that all three species are likely resistant to glyphosate and the ALS-inhibiting herbicide chemistries. The presentation will also include information about projected herbicide shortages and their impacts on weed control success. The talk will conclude with discussions about novel technology being investigated in the US for the control of herbicide resistant weeds (electrical weeding, harvest weed seed control) as well as easily implemented strategies on growers own farms, such as combine cleanout. Presented by Lynn Sosnoskie, Assistant Professor for Weed Ecology and Management for Specialty Crops at the School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell AgriTech.

Seed Corn Maggot in NY Corn and Biological Control of Corn Rootworm

This talk will explore two topics.  The first topic addresses the need for seed treatments to prevent stand losses from Seed Corn Maggot and the second topic addresses the use of persistent biocontrol nematodes (entomopathogenic) to control corn rootworm.  A single application results in multi-year pest suppression. Presented by Elson Shields, Professor of Entomology at Cornell University.

(2 Integrated Pest Management CEU)

(DEC Credits Pending)

Alphabet Soup - GMO Trait Management

The options for pest management traits in genetically engineered crops can be confusing and continues to change.  Understanding and managing these traits is critical to responsible and sustainable pest management.  This talk will help decipher the list of traits from different companies and for various pest addressing trait stewardship to assure target use and minimize the risk of resistance development. Furthermore, how the use of traits can complement the responsible use of pesticides will be discussed. This presentation will be led by Joe Lawrence, Dairy Forage Systems Specialist with Cornell PRO-DAIRY.

Field Crop Weed Control in 2022

Limited availability of certain herbicides will likely change the herbicide programs used to control problematic weeds of field crops in NY.  Putting together a sound weed management program in 2022 will be discussed.  Up-to-date information about the status of herbicide resistant weeds in New York, including effective herbicide resistant weed control strategies and how to prepare for and manage resistant weeds on your farm. Presented by Mike Hunter, Field Crops Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension's North Country Regional Agriculture Team.

(2 Integrated Pest Management CEU)