News Release 

Date: Nov. 30, 2007
Contact Person: Rebecca Schuelke, public relations specialist
T: (315) 453-3823 extension 103
E: rschuelke@nyfvi.org 

Meeting includes updates in organic dairy, field crops research

Learn about current research in organic dairy and field crops in New York State at a program planned for 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at locations around the state.

Farmers, researchers, educators and others are invited to the program sponsored by the New York Organic Dairy Initiative, a coordinating effort supported by grant funds from the New York Farm Viability Institute.

The Institute is a farmer-led nonprofit group that directs farm-based research and outreach education to help farms increase profits.

Workshops speakers include several educators that have received research funds from the Institute, including:

Fay Benson, project manager for the New York Organic Dairy Initiative, will give an update on developments in the organic dairy market, including efforts by the Organic Dairy Initiative to strengthen New York’s position in the organic market.

Quirine Ketterings, an associate professor of Cornell University’s crop and soil sciences department, will summarize her work on the availability of nitrogen for field corn from natural sources, as well as a new organic nitrogen test for corn.

Margaret Smith, a Cornell professor of plant breeding and genetics, will describe the results of four years of corn variety testing on organic farms.

Other researchers from the Cornell system and Alfred State College will present.

Don Rutz, from the New York Integrated Pest Management program, will report on fly management, including flytraps, Beauveria fungal pathogen, parasitoid releases, and dung beetles.

The new soybean pest identification pamphlet developed by IPM will be available.

Matt Harbur of Alfred State will talk about research work at Alfred.

Janice Degni, a Cooperative Extension educator with the South Central New York dairy, livestock and field crops team, will go over results from small grain comparison plots done on an organic farm this summer.

Linda Tikofsky from Cornell's Quality Milk Production Services will give an update on her study of udder health as farms transition to organic production.

Chuck Mohler and Brian Caldwell, both of the Cornell crop and soil sciences department, will discuss the results of an organic cropping systems study they have been working on for the past three years. They have seen a dramatic rise in soil health measurements, particularly Soil Aggregate Stability. They will seek input from the group about soil health measurements and what farmers are seeing of their soil under organic management.

Register for the meeting with the individual site.

Interactive video conference sites: Cornell University Room 109 Rice Hall on Cornell Campus, (607) 753-5078; Cornell Cooperative Extension of Allegany County, Belmont, (888) 256-2762 extension 10; Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County, Oriskany, (315) 736-3394 extension 129; Cornell Cooperative Extension of Livingston County, Mt Morris, (585) 394-3977; Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, Watertown, (315) 788-8450 extension 241. Lunch provided.

A video conference connection is also available at NYS Agriculture Experiment Station at Geneva, Jordan Hall, in Geneva. Reservations are not required, but participants should bring a dish to pass.

Viewing without the opportunity to ask live questions will be available at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, Ithaca, (607) 753-5078, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Franklin County and North Country Community College, Malone, (518) 483-7403 or (518) 561-7450. Lunch provided.

For more information, contact Fay Benson at afb3@cornell.edu or (607)753-5213.

New York Farm Viability Institute is an independent, farmer-led nonprofit organization that directs and funds farm-level research to increase profits, reduce costs and other barriers, create jobs and encourage practical innovation on the farm. The Institute receives funds from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Visit www.nyfvi.org.