Assess Your Farm Business Health within a Farm Financial Peer Learning Circles
Katelyn Walley, Business Management Specialist and Team Leader
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program
Assess Your Farm Business Health within a Farm Financial Peer Learning Circles
Cornell Small Farms Program (CSFP) and Cornell Cooperative Extension are teaming up with diversified farmers like you to analyze your farm's finances and have productive, honest discussions about the state of your business and opportunities for improving your financial outcomes.
- This winter we'll work in small groups to assess and streamline your farm's accounting system and customize your Chart of Accounts so you can make better business decisions and compare your business to standardized industry and peer benchmarks.
- Learning alongside peer farmers will help you better understand the typical, the possible, and the totally unexpected in farm finances. You'll participate in five roundtable sessions (March-August 2022) alongside peer farmers operating at similar scales throughout NYS to discuss financial decision-making opportunities, such as debt and loan assessment, labor management and costs, and price models for crops and market channels.
- You'll receive detailed financial benchmarks that compare key indicators for your farm with similar peer farms. You'll also receive a free electronic tablet. Allowing you to continue connecting with CCE and your peers for ongoing support!
Dates and Participation:
- Application Deadline: Tuesday, February 15, 2022.
- Project kick-off date: An introductory session for accepted participants will be held Thursday, February 24, 2022.
- Participants should be willing to share basic financial information, which will be standardized using a ratios format, with their small peer group. Privacy and confidentiality will be agreed upon by all.
This work is supported through the Cornell Small Farms Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension and a generous grant from the New York State Department of Ag and Markets.
If you have questions you may reach out to CSFP Project Manager, Nicole Waters.
Field Crops
Dairy
Business
Livestock
Grains
Upcoming Events
Driving Efficiency in Dairy & Exploring the Irish Experience
September 29, 2025
Rock Stream, NY
This workshop series will feature in-depth presentation and discussion led by Dr. Padraig French who is the Head of Livestock Systems and the Dairy Enterprise Leader at Teagasc (the Irish version of USDA). Dr. French will focus on the critical success factors for Irish dairy, which include pasture utilization, labor efficiency and managing for seasonal calving. The discussion will focus on ways that U.S. dairy farmers can use some of the Irish dairy techniques to become more profitable with grass farming.
Open Forum to Discuss Newly Approved DOL Trade, "Butcher"
October 2, 2025 : Open Forum to Discuss Newly Approved DOL Trade, "Butcher"
Partners from New York State Dept. of Labor, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Southern Tier West, and Workforce Development will be in the space to provide an overview of the new program, discuss the roles of hosts and apprentices, review the benefits of hosting an apprentice, and setting the vision for building a corps of highly skilled, modern trained Butchers and validating this career as a skilled trade with respectful earning potential.
Silvopasture on a Shoestring
October 7, 2025
Franklinville, NY
Join Joshua Greene, Director of Education at Trees For Graziers, Jonathan Bates, Statewide Agroforestry Educator, and Lynn Bliven, owner of Wild Geese Farm for a full day training event that will include classroom and hands-on sessions. The focus will be on DIY silvopasture projects on small grazing farms. We will address the practical considerations of tree establishment, protection, and maintenance while learning how silvopasture can help address your farm's resource concerns and enhance livestock grazing.
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