Events - month view

November 2024
Harvest Party and Annual Meeting of the Good Farmer's Guild
November 2, 2024 : Harvest Party and Annual Meeting of the Good Farmer's Guild
4pm - 7pm
Massachusetts Avenue Project
Buffalo, NY

Join the Good Farmer's Guild of WNY for a potluck to celebrate the end of the growing season and an update at what the organization's plan is for 2024.
2024 Cornell Sheep & Goat Symposium
November 1 - November 3, 2024
Cornell University Campus
Ithaca, NY

The 2024 Cornell Sheep & Goat Symposium is scheduled for Friday Nov 1st- Sunday Nov 3rd, on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, NY. Goat and sheep raisers and industry stakeholders are welcome to register for the whole event or individual days.
Friday Nov 1st is devoted to advance sign-up workshops on: 1) Secure Sheep and Wool Supply & Biosecurity planning - NYSAGM 2) Learning to do a field necropsy - Dr. Mary Smith DVM, 3) Demos and hands-on skills for new goat and sheep raisers - Betsy Hodge and Dr. tatiana Stanton, and later in the evening, 4) Balancing Rations using Computer Software -Rich Toebe, Delaware CCE
Farm Fresh Marketing: A Veteran Cohort
October 2, 2024
October 9, 2024
October 16, 2024
October 23, 2024
October 30, 2024
November 6, 2024
Join Katelyn Walley - Marketing for a farm involves promoting and selling agricultural products by understanding consumer needs, creating a unique brand, setting competitive prices, and using various channels to reach customers. With successful marketing efforts, farmers can build customer loyalty, increase sales, and ensure the farm's profitability. With so many moving parts to consider, many farmers find creating their farm's marketing path can be challenging and uncertain.
Steuben County Crop Symposium

November 14, 2024 : Steuben County Crop Symposium
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Cornell Cooperative Extension Steuben County
Bath, NY

The Southwest Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Team and Cornell Cooperative Extension Steuben County are excited to host the Steuben County Crop Symposium. Meeting will take place November 14th from 1:00 - 4:00 PM. Cost is $5 and can be paid at the door with cash or check. Pre-registration is required. Regsiter online or contact Kelly Bourne at 585-268-7644 ext. 10.
December 2024
Crops, Cows & Critters - Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Newsletter Sponsorship
December 20, 2024
Our two forms of publications feature research-based and timely information from our four specialists, listed to the right, along with local event notifications and Cornell University outreach. This information is provided to participants who range from dairy, livestock, and field crops producers to agricultural suppliers and consultants.
Weekly Email Update: Shared with 550+ households who have signed up with our program.
Monthly Paper Mailer: To reach our stakeholders and farmers who lack internet access, we send out a monthly mailer where your company's logo and contact information would be featured with a mailing list of 320+ households.
If you sponsor our weekly and monthly publications you reach approximately 870 households.
Visit our website to view our newsletters!
January 2025
2025 Winter NYCO Meetings
January 14, 2025
March 11, 2025
10 AM - 2 PM
Jordan Hall, Cornell Agritech Geneva campus
Geneva, NY
Since the 1990s, local organic field crop and dairy farmers have gathered to build relationships and discuss potential solutions to shared challenges. The keystone of the event is an informal potluck lunch as well as the lively discussions that follow. The group also hosts several presentations from farmers, researchers, and industry leaders on a variety of field crops and dairy topics.
Robotic Manure Collector Tour at Nichols Dairy Farm
January 17, 2025 : Robotic Manure Colletor Tour at Nichols Dairy Farm
1pm - 2pm
Nichols Dairy Farm
Farmersville Station, NY

On Friday, January 17th from 1pm to 2pm, the Nichols Dairy Farm & SWNYDLFC are hosting a FREE tour of their new robotic manure collection system. In 2024, the farm installed dual Lely Discovery Collectors that help to improve herd health and labor efficiency through their vacuum manure collection in the farm's free stall barn. To RSVP, call or text Katelyn at 716-640-0522.
Class A CDL Training Course
January 18, 2025
February 22, 2025
March 22, 2025
8am-5pm
3 dates, each with a different location

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.
2025 NYBPA Annual Conference & Membership Meeting
January 24 - January 25, 2025
DoubleTree by Hilton
East Syracuse, NY

The 2025 Annual Conference starts Friday afternoon with a cash bar, registration, and annual membership meeting. Dinner to follow with keynote speaker Kevin Ochsner, Beef Farm of Excellence Awards Presentation, and Supreme Show Program Sponsorship auction. Trade show and silent auction to benefit the Jr Scholarship Fund all weekend long. Saturday starts with the trade show and breakfast at 8:00AM followed by speakers at 8:30AM. Lunch includes the Annual NYBPA Awards and Junior Awards Program. Hotel accommodations can be found below. Be sure to book your room today!
Rice Growing Workshop Series (online)
January 24, 2025
February 7, 2025
March 7, 2025
2:30pm-4:30pm
Virtual Webinar (Zoom)

Learn about rice farming opportunities for New York and the northeastern U.S. Join us for a 3-session online workshop series (via Zoom):
- A Feathered Fortress: The Duck-Rice Aigamo System for Flood-Resilient Agriculture
- Sourcing Rice Farming Equipment for American Small Farms
- Growing Rice as a Vegetable: Drip-Irrigation Methods versus Flooded Fields
Untangling Land Rental Rates, Ag Districts and Leasing Considerations
January 29, 2025 : Free Webinar hosted by CCE Broome
5:30pm - 6:30pm
Online Via Zoom

Join us on January 29th for this informative webinar with Farm Business Management Specialist, Katelyn Walley at 5:30 pm.
Upcoming Events
NY Sheep Shearing School 2025
March 15, 2025
East Meredith, NY
This 2-day sheep shearing school is great for beginners and also for those who want to improve their current shearing skills. Doug Rathke, a seasoned shearer, knows what it takes to learn the art of shearing and he knows what it takes to teach it on a level so it can be understood and retained.
This class will give you the confidence to start shearing your own flock or take it to the next level and earn income by shearing for others.
Avian Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza - the latest updates and what it means for poultry health
March 18, 2025
In light of the state of HPAI across the country and in NYS, the Poultry Subgroup of the Livestock PWT has developed two webinars to assist small farms and backyard laying flock owners to make informed decisions around getting laying hens and managing disease, while keeping abreast of the current status of HPAI and how they can keep it out of their flocks.
Join Dr. Jarra Jagne of Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine and Dr. Chad Wall of NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets for an evening of learning about avian disease, including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). We'll cover:
- Updates on the HPAI outbreak
- Symptoms of HPAI
- Common small flock diseases
- HPAI disease look-alikes
- Keeping your birds safe
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.
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)