xyz

As you're planning your turkey harvest and sales, keep safe handling, proper labeling, and regulations on sale in mind to enjoy a stress-free and food safety-forward holiday season.

Nestled atop a hill overlooking Seneca Lake, sits Shtayburne Farm Creamery, a quaint value-added dairy farm business run by the Hostetler Family. I spent an afternoon with brothers, Lorin and Lance and their family, who I found not only to be serving up ice cream flights and farmstead cheese, but good advice for those farmers interested in value-added dairy processing.

On March 13th and 14th, a group of 23 farmers and small dairy processors from Western NY traveled with the CCE NWNY and SWNY Teams to successful farms and businesses who work within the value-added dairy processing space on the eastern side of the state.  This trip was a result of a growing interest for locally produced specialty dairy products, and a desire from farmers to learn about options to diversify their dairy farm businesses. 

Two competitive state grants are available to fund start-up, improvement, or expansion of farm operations; support for marketing, training, construction, and more! Applications open October 25th and December 30th, closing January 24th, 2025 and December 30, 2024, respectively.

The sun is still shining, crops are still growing, and your mind is probably the farthest it possibly can be from tax planning. But - Fall is a great time to focus on tax planning and managing your tax liabilities. By creating a tax strategy BEFORE January 1^st, you'll avoid those (always fun) December 31^st equipment purchases and (less fun) stress and headaches. 

Are you a dairy producer interested in on-farm dairy processing? Looking to diversify your operation with direct to consumer sales? Interested in value-added production? Tired of scouring the internet to find a whole lot of information that you're not sure actually applies? Here's a great place to start!!!

This weekly price reporting information shows the range and average prices that farmers across the state receive for vegetables, fruit, meats, and dairy products using Square Point of Sale software. This article shares more about the project as well as opportunities to get involved and contribute to the price reporting.

As I write this article (5/20/2024), we are experiencing some unusually warm weather. While I hope that some cooler and more seasonable days will return, we can expect many hot, humid days this summer.  Now is a good time to start thinking about how you will protect yourself, your family members, and your employees from heat-related illnesses. 

This online database of farms received over 8,300 visits from NYS customers in 2023 and is anticipated to gain momentum into 2024. You can join for free at any time. If you're already a member, this is a friendly reminder to make updates to your page.

The Ag Census counts Hired Farm Labor and collects data on the number of farms with hired labor, the total number of hired farm workers, and the total payroll paid for hired labor. Separately, the number of farms with migrant or contract labor and the total number of migrant workers is also collected. Farms can have both migrant and hired labor, and migrant labor is not included in the total payroll paid nor number of hired farm workers. Many farms also rely on unpaid farm labor that is typically performed by family members, and the ag census collects that data as well (although, it's not included here). 

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center is now accepting applications for their Goat and Sheep Dairy Development Grants, which can be used for both individual business projects and sector enhancement projects. The deadline to apply is June 6.