Is Grazing Sheep Beneath Solar Arrays and Opportunity for Your Future?
Event Details
Date
September 25, 2023
Time
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location
Livingston County Murray Hill office campus
1 Murray Hill Drive
Mt. Morris, NY 14510
Host
The CEP and NWNY Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Team
Nancy Glazier
585-315-7746
email Nancy Glazier

Grazing sheep beneath utility-scale solar arrays can build wealth of present and future sheep farmers as vegetation management service providers and access to additional pasture. The Cornell Cooperative Enterprise Program (CEP) conducted a survey earlier this year completed by over 600 farmers. Farmers identified barriers to grazing sheep under solar arrays and weighed in on need for a producer-led organization to negotiate contracts on their behalf, coordinate logistics of multiple flocks, provide transport of sheep to and from the site, care for sheep while on-site, and provide supplemental mowing. Additional questions focused on processing and marketing needs.
The CEP in collaboration with the Cornell University Cooperative Extension Northwest NY Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops team will share results of the survey with interested farmers on Monday, September 25, 2023, 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Livingston County Murray Hill office campus, 1 Murray Hill Drive, Mt. Morris, NY 14510. Those attending will be invited to share perspectives on grazing sheep beneath solar arrays and identify necessary next steps towards forming producers-led organization.
For more information or need for accommodation, please contact Nancy Glazier, Livestock Specialist at 585.315.7746, email: nig3@cornell.edu or Bobbie Severson, CEP Director, phone: 607.255.1987 or email rmh27@cornell.edu.
Please register for the event by September 25 at 5:00 pm
Funding for A New Dawn for Shepherds: Grazing Sheep under Utility-scale Solar Arrays was made possible by USDA Agricultural Marketing Services, Federal State Marketing Improvement Program through grant agreement 21FSMIPNY1002. Its contents are solely
Upcoming Events
WNY Pastureland Conversion & Soil Health Field Day
July 16, 2025
Middleport, NY
Join American Farmland Trust for the Western New York Soil Health Field Day on July 16, 2025, at Zeliff Farm in Middleport, NY, from 9:00 AM-3:15 PM. Learn about pasture conversion, soil health benchmarking, biochar in grazing systems, and best grazing practices. Plus, enjoy hands-on demos with the NY Soil Health Trailer, drones, and cover crops! Check out the attached agenda for more information about the field day and REGISTER HERE. Zeliff Farms is a regenerative beef operation who has recently partnered with AFT on outreach and education to farmers including learning circles and evaluating biochar effects on soil health.
IPM Strategies to Protect Corn and Soybean Seed in NY

July 30, 2025
Hamburg , NY
SWNYDLFC and Cornell IPM are hosting a grower meeting to discuss integrated pest management strategies for protecting corn and soybean seed in New York.
FAMACHA Training for Sheep and Goat producers in Woodhull NY
August 13, 2025 : FAMACHA Training in Woodhull
Woodhull, NY
Join us for a discussion and hands-on training for internal parasite integrated pest management in sheep and goats. Certification is available to all students participating in the workshop.
Announcements
No announcements at this time.