Dairy Responding to COVID-19 Podcast by PRO-DAIRY
Alycia Drwencke, Dairy Management Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

Dairy Responding to COVID-19 -A Limited Podcast Series
Hosted by Rob Lynch, DVM, Dairy Herd Health and Management Specialist, PRO-DAIRY, and Kathy Barrett, Dairy Education, PRO-DAIRY, with interviews of key dairy industry professionals. Check the PRO-DAIRY podcast webpage for the latest podcasts.
EPISODE 1 - COVID 19 OVERVIEW AND MILK DISTRIBUTION
Podcast includes interviews with: Mark Stevenson, Vice President, Milk Division, Cayuga Marketing; Rob Lynch, DVM, Dairy Herd Health and Management Specialist, Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY; and Kathy Barrett, Dairy Education, Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY.
EPISODE 2 - FEED AND NUTRITION SERVICES
Podcast includes interviews with: Scott Lyndaker, General Manager, Mercer Milling Company and David Horn, DVM, Nutrition Consultant, Poulin Grain.
EPISODE 3 - DAIRY FARMER AND FARM CONSULTANT PERSPECTIVES
Podcast includes interviews with: Meghan Hauser, Dairy Farm Co-Owner, Table Rock Farms, and Corwin Holtz, Owner, Holtz Nelson Dairy Consultants.
EPISODE 4 - ANIMAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS
Dr. Rick Watters, Regional Director of Quality Milk Production Services, Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Allen Fournier, DVM Large Animal Veterinarian, Co-Owner of Maplewood Veterinary Associates, P. C., discuss providing animal health care and services.
EPISODE 5 - ESSENTIAL CARE OF COWS AND EQUIPMENT
Bob Church, General Manager of Finger Lakes Dairy Services, tells us about how his business is keeping milking equipment up and running. Steve Zehr, Premier Select Sires, gives us insight on how he and his technicians are providing reproductive services during COVID-19. Charles Biche, Biche Hoof Care, continues to care for his customers cows while keeping cows and people safe.
EPISODE 6: MILK SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES
This episode includes interviews with: Andrew M. Novaković, PhD, E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics Emeritus and Chris Wolf, PhD, Applied Economics and Policy Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, SC Johnson College of Business, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University
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.