Farm to School Program Looking for Farms to Supply Local Foods to Schools
CCE Harvest NY's Regional Farm to School Coordinator Program is working with NYS Department of Education to support schools participating in the USDA Agriculture and Marketing Services Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program. Local Foods for Schools is a USDA funded program intended to help schools deal with the challenges of supply chain disruptions brought on by the pandemic. The program is designed to strengthen the food system for schools by helping to build a fair, competitive, and resilient local food chain, and expand local and regional markets with an emphasis on purchasing from historically underserved producers and processors. Schools must use funds received through this program to purchase unprocessed or minimally processed domestic, locally grown foods from local producers, small businesses, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers for use in the school meals programs. In NY State the program is administered by NYS Department of Education. Cornell Cooperative Extension - Harvest NY is the technical assistance provider.
If you would like your farm or food business information shared with schools, please complete the survey linked below by Monday, November 14th. The survey asks about your business, the products you grow, raise, produce, or distribute, and what part(s) of the state your products are available, and should take about 5 minutes to complete.
Survey link: https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics....
Questions about the program can be directed to Cheryl Bilinski at cbt32@cornell.edu
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Crops, Cows & Critters - Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Newsletter Sponsorship
December 19, 2025
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.
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2025 Cornell Food Beverage & Animal Feed Manufacturer Survey
December 19, 2025
Industry and Educational Advocates for New York State's Food, Beverage, and Animal Feed Manufacturing industries:
As you know, NYS has a diverse food and beverage manufacturing industry, in both the types of industries that exist and the wide distribution of firms by scale. Many manufacturing firms have strong backward linkages to agricultural production sectors in the state that support both farm-level and downstream food industry firms and consumers. In collaboration with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, a team from Cornell University's Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management has recently rolled out the 2025 New York State Food, Beverage, and Animal Feed Manufacturer Survey. The industry will benefit from an updated assessment of the industry that informs private and public investments and opportunities to support firm growth and improved profitability.
Cornell Organic Field Crops & Dairy Conference
March 6, 2026
Waterloo, NY
Farmers, researchers, educators, and agricultural service providers from across the Northeast are invited to the 2026 Cornell Organic Field Crops & Dairy Conference, held Friday, March 6, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Lux Hotel & Conference Center in Waterloo, N.Y.
Co-hosted by New York Soil Health and Cornell CALS, the annual conference brings together leaders in organic grain, dairy, and livestock systems to share practical tools, new research, and farmer-tested strategies to support resilient and profitable organic production.
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