Kate McDonald Polakiewicz

Kate McDonald Polakiewicz

Farm Business Management

CCE Erie County
21 South Grove Street
East Aurora, NY 14052

cell 716-640-0522


Kate is a production and extension systems specialist with 15 years of experience working in federal government, private sector, academic, and international settings. She comes to CCE from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) where she managed the Farmer-to Farmer program, a longstanding agricultural extension program that provided short-term technical assistance from US-based farmers to other farmer communities abroad. She also managed agricultural research awards in horticulture, agronomy, aquaculture, and in scaling new technologies. Before USAID, Kate worked on agricultural programs while living in Ghana, Ethiopia, and Uganda. Her work in research and extension also brought her to lead education on soil fertility and plant pathology in Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. Kate holds a master's degree from the University of California, Davis, and lives with her young family in Amherst, NY.


more content - left
Field Crops

Field Crops

Dairy

Dairy

Business

Business

Livestock

Livestock

Grains

Grains

more content - right
view calendar of events

Upcoming Events

Boots in the Barn: Cornell Dairy Research Updates

January 13, 2026
January 20, 2026
January 27, 2026
February 3, 2026
February 10, 2026
February 17, 2026
February 24, 2026

Join us for some or all!


Advanced Hoof Health Program

January 15, 2026
Belfast, NY

Who should attend?

  • Professional hoof trimmers
  • Dairy farm owners or managers in charge of farm foot health

Topics include:

  • How to Create a Strategic Trimming Program for your Dairy
  • The Latest in Lameness Technology for the Dairy Industry
  • Housing and Flooring Design: Its Role in Hoof Care 

NY Pork Producers Connection Breakfast - Geneseo

January 17, 2026 : Pork Producers Connection Breakfast - Geneseo
Geneseo, NY

All pork producers are invited to join the New York Pork Producers for a free hot farmer's breakfast, at which they'll catch up on topics including the pork to dairy barn conversion series, NYPP digital campaigns, and 840-RFID tags.

Announcements

No announcements at this time.