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Farming

USDA suspends past-due debt collections for Farm Service Agency loans

By Press Release

Due to the national public health emergency caused by coronavirus (COVID-19), the U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the temporary suspension of past-due debt collections and foreclosures for distressed borrowers under the Farm Storage Facility Loan and the Direct Farm Loan programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

USDA will temporarily suspend non-judicial foreclosures, debt offsets or wage garnishments, and referring foreclosures to the Department of Justice; and USDA will work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to stop judicial foreclosures and evictions on accounts that were previously referred to the Department of Justice.

Additionally, USDA has extended deadlines for producers to respond to loan servicing actions, including loan deferral consideration for financially distressed and delinquent borrowers. In addition, for the Guaranteed Loan program, flexibilities have been made available to lenders to assist in servicing their customers.

Today’s announcement by USDA expands previous actions undertaken by the Department to lessen financial hardship. According to USDA data, more than 12,000 borrowers—approximately 10 percent of all borrowers—are eligible for the relief announced today. Overall, FSA lends to more than 129,000 farmers, ranchers and producers.

“USDA and the Biden Administration are committed to bringing relief and support to farmers, ranchers and producers of all backgrounds and financial status, including by ensuring producers have access to temporary debt relief,” said Robert Bonnie, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary.

“Not only is USDA suspending the pipeline of adverse actions that can lead to foreclosure and debt collection, we are also working with the Departments of Justice and Treasury to suspend any actions already referred to the applicable Agency. Additionally, we are evaluating ways to improve and address farm related debt with the intent to keep farmers on their farms earning living expenses, providing for emergency needs, and maintaining cash flow.”

The temporary suspension is in place until further notice and is expected to continue while the national COVID-19 disaster declaration is in place.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency provides several different loans for producers, which fall under two main categories:

  • Guaranteed loans are made and serviced by commercial lenders, such as banks, the Farm Credit System, credit unions and other nontraditional lenders. FSA guarantees the lender’s loan against loss, up to 95 percent.
  • Direct loans are made and serviced by FSA using funds from the federal government.
The most common loan types are Farm Ownership, Farm Operating, and Farm Storage Facility Loans, with Microloans for each:
  • Farm Ownership: Helps producers purchase or enlarge a farm or ranch, construct a new or improve an existing farm or ranch building, pay closing costs, and pay for soil and water conservation and protection.
  • Farm Operating: Helps producers purchase livestock and equipment and pay for minor real estate repairs and annual operating expenses.
  • Farm Storage Facility Loans are made directly to producers for the construction of cold or dry storage and includes handling equipment and mobile storage such as refrigerated trucks.
  • Microloans: Direct Farm Ownership, Operating Loans, and Farm Storage Facility Loans have a shortened application process and reduced paperwork designed to meet the needs of smaller, nontraditional, and niche-type operations.

Contact FSA

FSA encourages producers to contact their county office to discuss these programs and temporary changes to farm loan deadlines and the loan servicing options available. For Service Center contact information, visit farmers.gov/coronavirus. For servicing information, access farmers.gov.

Schumer: Amend hemp regulations and let budding industry take flight in Upstate NY

By Billie Owens

From Sen. Charles Schumer:

After successfully pushing for an extended comment period to allow Upstate New York hemp farmers to share their concerns with the final rule, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to delay the issuance of a U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program final rule until 2022.

This will allow hemp growers and producers across the country and in Upstate New York to continue to operate under the 2014 Farm Bill pilot program regulations until that time. Schumer said with the economic devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic across all sectors, implementing additional regulations would crush the budding hemp industry.

“When it comes to an industry as promising as industrial hemp in Upstate New York, the feds must do everything they can to nurture its potential," Schumer said. "Regulating this rapidly emerging industry is a must, but the timing of new regulations is important and the current economic crisis must be considered.

"That’s why today I’m urging USDA to delay their issuance of a final rule until 2022 so the hemp industry across the country and in Upstate New York has a chance to grow and create good-paying jobs at a time when jobs are needed the most. Delaying new regulations will help pull New York along in the recovery process as the nation deals with the impacts of the pandemic.”

Allan Gandelman, president of New York Cannabis Growers and Processors Association said, “There are over 700 registered hemp farmers across New York who would be negatively affected by the USDA's Interim Final Rule on hemp. The costs and bureaucracy of implementing the new rules as written create unnecessary financial burdens on farmers and our state agencies.

"The existing hemp pilot program has been sufficient in making sure farmers are complaint with all testing and public safety protocols. We would like to see the pilot program extended until 2022 and the USDA modify the program to let hemp become a widespread agricultural commodity like Congress intended by the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.”

Schumer explained, prior to the pandemic, the industrial hemp industry had begun to show significant growth in New York, adding a considerable number of good-paying jobs and bringing in significant revenue to the state, making it an indispensable crop in New York’s agricultural future.

Operating under the full benefits of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp farmers have reported difficulty integrating the Interim Final Rules into their operations, Specifically, Schumer said, the cost of complying with the Rules has proven to be suffocating for the emerging industry.

Compliance costs for reporting alone would be $17,363.40 according to USDA calculations, and testing would add more than $700 per sample.

The senator said these costs are simply too high for the budding industry to shoulder at a time when New York and the entire country is experiencing an economic crisis. Additionally, Schumer noted, implementing the Interim Final Rules now, also requires states to alter their Pilot Program budgets to meet standards, something which states slammed with COVID-related issues simply cannot spare the time and resources for.

Schumer also pointed out in light of COVID concerns, the timing and testing outlined in the Interim Final Rules would likely push farmers to rush harvests and increase the number of people working in facilities at once, leading to higher risk of COVID transmission among workers.

The senator says that delaying implementation until January 2022 and allowing states to continue operating under the 2014 Farm Bill will address these issues, protecting both the hemp industry in New York and farm workers from potential COVID spread.

Hawley's farm tour reveals concerns with farm labor bill

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) toured several farms in Genesee, Orleans and Monroe counties yesterday, speaking with farm owners and employees on their concerns and trepidations with the recently passed the Farm Labor Bill.

Hawley is the former owner and operator of his family’s farm in Batavia, a longtime member of the Assembly Agriculture Committee and past President of the Genesee County Farm Bureau.

“I want to thank all the farm owners and their families for having me on a tour of their facilities,” Hawley said.

“I understand how detrimental these new labor regulations can be to our agriculture sector and I will be pushing very hard to have a seat at the table for the Commissioner of Agriculture and Farm Bureau members on the new wage board.”

  “As a former farm operator, it was great to meet so many dedicated families that are driving New York’s agricultural sector here in Western New York,” Hawley said.

“A consistent theme at all of the farms we visited was the new labor regulations pushed by Downstate politicians and their detrimental effect on family farms throughout the state. Many owners are concerned about labor shortage during an already short growing season and the possibility of migrant workers leaving to earn more money in other states.”

Photo: Assemblyman Hawley on his first stop of the farm tour at CY Farms in Elba, a second- and third-generation family farm where sod, spinach, corn and onions are grown.

Oakfield's 'Rooted in Joy' named official market farm for Crossroads House

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

Shoppers may have noticed the bearded gentleman with the ear-to-ear smile at the Batavia Public Market. Mike Vickner and his wife, Jan Goodenbery, of “Rooted in Joy” sell the best of the season harvested from their farm located in Oakfield.

They have fruits, vegetables (especially garlic!), flowers and delicious baked goods. They also provide “pet-the-bunny therapy,” he says with a grin.

Dedicated to providing food grown in an environmentally sustainable manner (no chemicals, only natural fertilizers, and “chickens that live a chicken’s life”) Vickner believes in preserving the Earth and her bounty with his own Hippocratic oath of “do no harm.“

In addition to his passion for farming, Vickner is committed to his role as a caregiver at Crossroads House here in Batavia and its Board of Directors has graciously proclaimed Rooted in Joy as their official market farm.

As members of the Crossroads family, Mike and Jan will provide information at their stand about upcoming community events and fundraisers to support the Crossroads mission of providing the very best in comfort care for residents in Genesee, Wyoming, and surrounding counties.

“We’ll see you at the Market!”

Sen. Schumer gets CDC to fund tractor protection equipment rebates through 2019, will push for long-term funding

By Billie Owens

Press release:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced that following his push, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has agreed to administratively provide funding for the work being done nationwide, including the Northeast Center For Occupational Safety And Health For Agriculture, Forestry And Fishing (NEC), on the national tractor rollover protection systems (ROPS) rebate program through the end of FY2019.

Schumer, who has long advocated for the ROPS program, said today’s announcement is welcomed news for thousands of Upstate farmers. Schumer lauded the CDC for funding the ROPS program and said it is a vital program, considering that farm-related deaths are up to 800 percent higher than many other major industries, with tractor overturns being their most frequent cause at a rate of 96 cases per year.

“ROPS is a critical and cost-effective rebate program that provides important information to farmers across the country on how to find and install the right rollover bar for their machinery. The CDC’s decision to provide funding administratively for this lifesaving program is a great first step, but I won’t rest until I know for certain it will still be fully operational for years to come.

"I vow to continue working with the CDC to ensure our agricultural community has every available resource to succeed,” Senator Schumer said.

The ROPS program facilitates rebates in states with state-based funding to farmers to cover approximately 70 percent of the cost for a farmer to install a ROPS roll bar retrofit kit on their tractor. According to Schumer, the original grant funding for this important program was slated to expire in September, but following a major push by Schumer, the program will be funded for at least another year.

“Keeping family farmers and farm workers who operate dangerous machinery safe must be a major priority, especially in Upstate New York, where the agricultural community is our lifeblood. That is why I laud the CDC for restoring funding for this critical farm safety program,” Schumer added. “The work done by organizations like the NEC is exactly the type of work the federal government should be investing in: it’s cost-effective, informed by real industry experts, and helps save farmers’ lives every day.

"Funding this program means that Upstate New York Farmers will have continued access to valuable critical resources including a 1-800 safety hotline number and on the ground experts in rural communities to help farmers access the ROPS Rebate Program, which helps them correctly install rollover bars on their tractors just in case the tractor flips over.

"I’m proud of the role I played in helping secure funding for the ROPS program to plow forward and will be doing everything possible to make sure this program, which puts farmers first, is protected for years to come.”

According to NEC Director, Julie Sorensen, Ph.D., the program has also been considerably cost effective with recent economic assessments pointing to a $5 million savings in NY State due to deaths and injuries averted through the program.

“Before this program, many NY farmers had neither the money nor the time to invest in these crucial lifesaving devices and unfortunately their only viable solution prior to the ROPS program was to routinely put their lives at risk hoping this wouldn’t be their day to die on the job," Sorensen said. "Senator Schumer’s advocacy sends a clear message to farmers -- you are important and valued members of the New York community.”

Schumer said the agricultural community is the lifeblood of Upstate New York, and that protecting the well-being and safety of farmers must be a major priority. In response to the hazardous environment of working on a farm, the Northeast Center For Occupational Safety And Health For Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing launched an effort to create the life-saving ROPS Rebate Program, which covers approximately 70 percent of the cost for a farmer to install a ROPS rollbar kit on their tractor.

In most cases, this means farmers only pay $500 or less for this life-saving equipment that can otherwise cost up to $1,200. NEC also provides information to farmers throughout the country on how to find and install the right rollover bar. Since its inception in 2006, the NEC reports that more than 2,150 tractors have been retrofitted with protective structures in seven states, with more than 1,500 of those retrofits occurring in New York State alone.

Farmers throughout the country benefit from the hotline and administrative support that is provided through CDC funding. Furthermore, Schumer said, participants in New York reported 221 close calls and 19 serious incidents in which death or injury was likely without the protective ROPS structures.

Schumer said now that the CDC has agreed to administratively fund the program, critical outreach and infrastructure surrounding the ROPS program can continue and grow. Schumer lauded the CDC and vowed to do everything possible to ensure that the CDC administratively funds the program now and in the future so that the inroads the ROPS program has made can continue beyond 2020.

Area beef producers invited to pasture and farm walk of Garry Wilson Beef in Stafford

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Join us as we walk Garry Wilson’s rented pastures where he grazes stocker cattle and discuss improvements.

Nancy Glazier, Small Farm specialist for Cornell Cooperative Extension’s NWNY Team, will lead discussion at 8962 Transit Road, Stafford (approx. address) starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 17.

Wilson will begin the discussion his objectives for the summer grazing season in regards to improvements, rotating the cattle through the pastures, and supplemental feed at the old railroad right-of-way. He has some ideas, but is open to suggestions.

We will end the evening at Garry’s home farm at 9420 Warsaw Road, LeRoy, for further discussion and refreshments. The evening is scheduled to end by 9 p.m.

Registration is required by May 15 for planning purposes. The cost for the event is $10 per person. To register contact Cathy Wallace at 585-343-3040, ext. 138 or cfw6@cornell.edu.

Hawley announces $5.5 million available in new grants for farmers

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) has announced $5.5 million is now available to farmers and agricultural producers as part of two new grant programs. The awards are aimed toward farmland conservation, assisting farmers in identifying available land and ensuring that arable land is permanently protected from development and non-farm uses.

“Farming is one of the cornerstones of our community and extremely important to our local economy, traditions and way of life,” Hawley said.

“Too often, farmers lose the ability to work the land due to environmental concerns or development, and these new grants will help protect our producers and ensure that family farms remain family businesses. I remain committed to giving our farmers a voice in Albany, and I look forward to advocating their concerns as we progress through this year’s session.”

More information can be found on the state’s Agriculture and Markets site and interested applicants can access grant information here. Applications will be processed until all funding for the program has been exhausted.

Hawley is the former owner/operator of Hawley Farms in Batavia and sits on the Assembly’s Agriculture Committee.

2018 Soybean & Small Grains Congress to be held Wednesday in Batavia

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Looking to improve soybean and small grains production in 2018! Cornell Cooperative Extension’s NWNY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team will be offering their annual congresses for soybean and small grain producers throughout the region. 

Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the Quality Inn & Suites, 8250 Park Road, Batavia

Guest Speakers:

Dustin Lewis PhD, District Manager, BASF Crop Protection

Dicamba Tolerant Beans: Learning from the Past, Looking Forward to the Future.” * This session will cover the label requirements to fulfill the certification needed to use dicamba tolerant products on DT soybeans.

Adam Gaspar PhD, Field Agronomist, DuPont Pioneer

"The Intersection of Soybean Physiology and Management with Tight Margins and Greater Environmental Variability."

Other topics to be discussed by Cornell University researchers, Cornell Cooperative Extension and local industry:

·         Marestail and Waterhemp Herbicide Resistance

·         Disease Management Issues in Wheat and Soybeans

·         2017 Soybean Yield Contest Winners: How’d they do it!

·         Small Grains Management Updates: Wheat & Malting Barley

·         Industrial Hemp for Small Grain Production

Registration fee: $50 per person includes AM Refreshments & Hot Buffet Lunch DEC Recertification points and Certified Crop Advisor credits will be available PLEASE PRE-REGISTER to guarantee a lunch: Call Cathy Wallace @ 585.343.3040, ext. 138, or cfw6@cornell.edu.

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service to host producer workshops Feb. 8 in Bergen, RSVP by Feb. 6

By Billie Owens

Press release:

On Feb. 8th, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service will be hosting a producer meeting from 9 a.m. to noon at Gillam Grant Community Center in Bergen. It is located at 6966 W. Bergen Road.

This informational meeting will feature producer workshops and question/answer sessions. It is free and open to the public. Donuts and coffee will be provided.

Anyone interested in agricultural planning, construction project management, manure application technology and/or funding opportunities is encouraged to attend. RSVP by Feb. 6 to Heath Eisele at  heath.eisele@ny.usda.gov or by phoning (585) 201-5633.

If you fall into any of these categories, you will want to attend this meeting:

1.      You are interested in applying for state and/or federal financial assistance programs in 2019 and beyond;

2.      Your farm is looking to construct a large manure storage and you’re wondering how to manage the project;

3.      You would like to improve the overall nutrient management on your farm with the use of manure injection/drag hose;

4.      You’re curious about the financial assistance that is available, especially for the Genesee River Watershed and Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Focus Area;

5.      You’re interested in learning about the lending opportunities from the USDA-Farm Service Agency;

6.      You have never heard of the Soil & Water’s AEM program.

Workshop/Presenters will be:

Planning -- Heath Eisele, USDA NRCS

Contruction Management -- Gina Lathan, Lathan Equipment Co. LLC

Manure Application Technology -- Dan Athoe, Cuff Farm Services

FSA Loans / Other Programs -- Christen Trewer, USDA Farm Service Agency

AEM Grant Funding Opportunities -- Jered Elliott / Molly Cassatt, Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District

Onion growers need to make crop insurance decisions soon, NY deadline is Feb. 1

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds onion growers that the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2018 crop year is Feb. 1. Current policy holders who wish to make changes to their existing policies have until Feb. 1 to do so.

Federal crop insurance is critical to the farm safety net. It helps porducers and owners manage revenue risks and strengthens the rural economy.

Coverage for onions is available in select counties.

The 2018 price election, per hundredweight, for red onions is $24.90; white onions is $18.50; yellow onions is $11.80. Additional information can be found on the Actuarial Information Browser page on the RMA website.

Growers are encourage to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2018 crop year, including insurance for onions, which may be eligible for coverage under a written agreement.

Crop insurance decisions must be made on or before the sales closing date.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of agents is available at all USDA service centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator.

Producers can use the RMS Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online.

For more information about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net visit www.rma.usda.gov

Corn Congress in Batavia offered to area farmers on Jan. 10, pre-register

By Billie Owens
Press release:
 
Looking to improve corn grain and silage production in 2018! Cornell Cooperative Extension’s NWNY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team will be offering its annual congresses for corn producers, one of which will be held in Batavia 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, at the Quality Inn & Suites, 8250 Park Road.

 

Registration fee: $50 per person includes proceedings booklet, morning refreshments & hot buffet lunch.     

DEC Recertification points and Certified Crop Advisor credits will be available.

PLEASE PRE-REGISTER to guarantee a lunch: Call Cathy Wallace @ 585.343.3040, ext. 138, or cfw6@cornell.edu

 

J. Julian Smith, Ph.D.: “Why is 300 bu/ac Corn the Goal when the Genetic Potential is 1000?”

Smith is currently president and co-founder of CZO Agronomics, a global consulting group devoted to technical advisory and end-to-end project management services in agribusiness and horticulture. Before founding CZO Agronomics, Smith was the firector of Discovery & Innovation for Brandt Consolidated Inc. in Springfield, Ill., leading the company’s plant health research and new product development team.

Smith is a widely published agricultural professional in the fields of agronomy, environmental issues and precision agriculture. His career has been primarily concerned with plant nutrition and specialty products, as well as their positioning within the agricultural market-places of North America and Europe. The latter half of Smith’s career has focused on micro-nutrient, biostimulant, biological and plant growth regulator product application for all crops.

Jim Hershey: “Managing Corn in a No-Till System”

Hershey owns and operates a 600-acre livestock and grain farm located in Elizabethtown, Pa., and has been operating a Crop Management Service that covers several thousand acres.

Hershey is presently serving as president of the Pa No-Till Alliance where their mission is to promote No-Till, Cover Crops and Soil Health. He has been practicing No-Till for more than 25 years and Cover Cropping for 15 years. Hershey’s operation has been a leader in Cover Crop Interseeding where they have been marketing interseeders commercially. One has planted several thousand acres in NY the last three years with great success.

He has also installed a ZRX roller on his corn planter to be able to roll and plant into green cover. This has helped reduce weed pressure, less herbicide, build organic matter while conserving moisture and nutrients.

Other topics to be discussed by Cornell researchers, Cornell Cooperative Extension and PRO-DAIRY:

  •  Using Corn Yield Data to Develop Yield Stability Zones
  •  Corn Silage Trials, so Much More than Yields
  •  GMO Free Corn Pest Management: Insects and Weeds
  •  Western Bean Cutworm Resistance: Where do We Go from Here?

Hawley named to Farm Bureau's 2017 'Circle of Friends'

By Billie Owens

Statement from Assemblyman Steve Hawley:

“I am honored to be named to the Farm Bureau’s Circle of Friends for 2017. Agriculture is such an important part of Western New York’s economy, and we have so many dedicated farmers and producers locally who battle excessive rain, drought and other obstacles to feed our state. Whether it’s dairy, livestock or vegetables, our products are in grocery stores across the nation and that is a testament to the devotion and will of our area’s farmers.

“As the former owner and operator of our family-owned farm in Batavia for many years, I know the challenges our producers face, and that is why I will always have the backs of these dedicated men and women. I look forward to another productive year in Albany and will strive to keep New York’s farming industry the best in the nation.”

GCEDC announces revolving loan program for ag industry

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) in conjunction with Empire State Development has created a new revolving loan program to assist the agricultural industry in the Finger Lakes Region.

“Growing the Agriculture Industry Now” (GAIN) Revolving Loan Program is an initiative to capitalize local agricultural businesses that are using new technologies and expanding operations.

Through funding provided  by Empire State Development, the program will provide loans to qualifying businesses in Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties all of which are in the top 10 agricultural counties in New York State.

“Growing our agriculture and food processing industry is one of the utmost priorities of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council (FLREDC) as it represents a crucial part of the region’s economy,” stated FLREDC Co-Chairs, Monroe Community College President Anne Kress and Wegmans Food Markets CEO Danny Wegman.

“GAIN’s revolving loan pool to support the capital needs of agriculture and food processing companies, including new technology, diversification and expansion, will further advance the needs of the industry.”

According to the most recent Census of Agriculture (2012), farm-gate sales throughout the region totaled $1.6 billion, comprising 30 percent of statewide farm sales, with food processing and other support businesses as additional multipliers.

"Genesee County is one of the top ten agricultural regions in New York State," said State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer. "This new loan program will help to support our hardworking farmers, giving them a better chance at growing their business and our local economy. By supporting our farmers, we all can continue to enjoy fresh, local and quality food."

“As the former owner and operator of our family farm, I am always eager to help New York’s farmers and agriculture industry,” said Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia). “In a profession where profits are not guaranteed year to year and weather can wreak havoc on products, our small farms need all the help they can get.

"I am excited to announce that the Growing our Agriculture Industry Now (GAIN) Loan Fund is available. The loan pool will help fund capital projects that foster job creation, renewable energy creation, farm diversification, and investment in technologies, among other things. I look forward to spreading the word about this tremendous opportunity and helping local farmers succeed at their craft.”

The GAIN revolving loan program will give priority to agricultural and related business projects, including food processing and operating farms, which support job creation and job retention, as well as farm diversification (i.e., participate in farm-based retail & wholesale markets).

The program will also support businesses that invest in new technology, including renewable energy projects and new processing equipment, as well as ones that demonstrate growth in net revenue for agriculture enterprises; leverage other sources of funding; and provide secondary economic multipliers (i.e., business expansions).

“This is another example of the ongoing collaboration between the public and private sectors,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the GCEDC. “While we are excited about advanced manufacturing opportunities such as STAMP we also cannot forget that the foundation of our regional economy is the agricultural sector.”

Those interested in learning more about the application process and the program can contact Chris Suozzi, GCEDC V.P. of Business Development, at (585) 343-4866 or csuozzi@gcedc.com.

For more information about the program, visit http://www.gcedc.com/pdf/marketing/Gain%20Loan%20Fund%20Brochure.pdf

Soil health workshop draws a large crowd

By Alecia Kaus

 

Farmers from three counties packed the Generation Center on Center Street in Batavia this morning to learn how they can improve their yields and be better stewards of their land.

The first ever "Soil Health Workshop" was put on by the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District and the event attracted about 60 farmers from Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

Presenters talked about how to tell if your soil is healthy, disturbing your soil less, soil function and what works for you.

Molly Stetz, an AmeriCorp student intern for Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation, did an infiltration demonstration with donated soil from local farms.

Stetz says, "Many farmers do not know how to increase infiltration unless they visually see it using displays. It is an awakening for them to see how healthy their soil really is."

Farmers are always trying to increase infiltration because it causes less soil run-off into streams and creeks and there is also less compaction, which then optimizes plant roots and yield.

According to Heath Eisele of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, "Those of us in the conservation area thought this was something we needed to share with farmers. We are extremely surprised and glad to see that there is this much interest in soil health and that farmers want to treat their land better than what they are doing."

Stetz says "Farmers are looking for a way to network farmer-to-farmer and today was a good way to do that."

The Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District is hoping to have a field day event in the summer to do field demonstrations for area farmers.

To contact Gensee County Soil and Water about future workshops call 585-343-2363.

Son of a farmer, Tillotson makes his own way in the dairy business

By Howard B. Owens

This is the fourth in our series on Genesee County's farms and farmers. For previous stories, click here.

When Brent and Polly Tillotson bought their house -- a farmhouse on nearly five acres built on Sparks Road in 1855 -- it wasn't necessarily with the intention of going into the dairy business.

The property put the young couple with two children close to the 1,100-cow dairy farm of Brent's father, Dave Tillotson.

Brent worked at the farm sometimes. He also drove trucks. He liked the idea of being his own boss, especially growing up in a family of farmers, but he hadn't quite arrived at that decision yet.

Then he started to hear about how Upstate Farms needed more dairy farmers who could deliver quality organic milk.

He and Polly started to talk it over, did a little research, tried to figure out what it would take and decided they liked the idea.

It wouldn't be easy -- there's more paperwork, different yields, higher feed prices and just more work -- but it also made a lot of sense, even for a guy who wasn't into organics for health or environmental reasons.

"It was just a business decision," Tillotson said while sitting behind a small, black metal desk in  his cube of an office next to his milking parlor. "You get a contract. The price doesn't fluctuate like it does in a normal milk market. I can bank on what we're going to get paid, make plans and know I'm going to have this place paid off in a certain number of years if I just follow the plan."

Getting a little help from his father certainly made it easier to get started, Tillotson said. He could, of course, tap into his father's expertise, but Dave Tillotson also had pasture land to lease and the kind of strong reputation that helps secure bank loans, even into six figures.

"The banks weren't busting to give me a loan," Brent said. "My father helped. They know he's a good dairy man and a good business man. He's also the best resource in the world with his knowledge of cows."

Dave Tillotson down plays his role in his son's business. He says Brent is his own man. He said he doesn't want to take anything away from what his son has accomplished. He won't take credit for anything.

"I don't stick my nose in it," Dave said. "I let him run his own business. I don't have a clue about their financials or what they're doing day-to-day. They take care of all that stuff. I have my own business to run. If he needs my help, he asks for it and I give it to him. If he doesn't want my advice, he doesn't get it."

If that sounds harsh, know that Dave was smiling and laughing as he said it.

He's clearly proud of his son's business, which has been up and running for about four years.

"I came from a family where there were three brothers and the farm got split up," Dave said. "I have two boys and a daughter. I always wanted to give them the opportunity to have their own farms."

Life on a dairy farm is never laidback, especially when the farm is organic and cows need to be regularly rotated from pasture to pasture and into and out of the milking parlor. The tasks of herd management include the proper timing and care for calving, and filing out of piles of paperwork.

To remain certified organic, Polly -- who has a full-time job away from the farm but also handles the bookkeeping -- needs to file forms that cover daily animal and paddock movements for the animals, what they're eating in pasture and what they're being fed in troughs.

Organic means no herbicides or pesticides in the food the cows eat and no hormone injections to boost production.

"The cow is as good as she is," Tillotson said. "There's no pumping her up to get more production. We can change her feed around, but only as long as it's all organic."

Just to get their initial certification, the pasture had to be properly prepared, which took three years. A mix of rye, fescue and alfalfa was planted and then the grasses had to grow without any ground sprays before the organic herd could set hoof on it.

When it came time to choose cows, Tillotson went for Jerseys. The black and tan cows may be smaller and don't produce as much liquid milk, but their milk contains more protein and is said to have a creamery taste.

That higher fat content -- what the industry calls components -- commands a higher price. 

A Holstein's milk might be three pounds per hundred weight of protein, the Jersey's milk is about five pounds per hundred weight.

It costs more to raise an organic Jersey and there's less liquid, but the higher milk fat concentration makes up the difference.

"We make more off the components than off fluid," Tillotson said. "Our milk production is lower, but the compenents are higher, so that makes up for a little bit of the milk production deficit."

The organic milk market is still a fraction of the entire milk market, but the demand for organic milk grew 2.3 percent last year, according to Mark Serling, who markets organic milk for Upstate.

The boom in Greek yogurt has also meant a boom for organic Greek yogurt.

"We signed their farm and others because we continue to see nice growth on the organic milk side," Serling said. "There is also additional demand on the yogurt said. It takes three times as much milk to make Greek yogurt and that really drives the need for additional milk."

The organic milk market is one largely built on myth. There's no scientific evidence, both Tillotson and Serling note, that says conventional milk posses any problem for human consumption. The nutritional benefits are the same.

"There's nothing wrong with conventional milk," Tillotson said. "The flavor is a little different. It's processed differently, but it's good milk. It's all about what you want for your family. If you don't want the antibiotics or the hormones in your family's food or what you drink, then that's what you want for your family."

Serling said it's a lifestyle choice, a choice driven by consumers so it's what retailers demand Upstate offers as a product choice.

Asked whether it's the flavor of the milk or health concerns that spurs the demand for organic milk, Serling said, "It's all of that and more. It's the feed, the flavor, the potential for avoiding pesticides, even approved pesticides, things of that nature.

"For our organic farmers, for all of our farmers," Serling added, "we really drive hard on quality, the highest quality milk they can produce. That's our focus."

When it came time to buy the start of Brent's Jersey herd, he and his father had to travel around the Northeast a bit. Many of the cows came from Pennsylvania, but there was one memorable trip.

On the way back from picking up Jersey calves in Vermont -- calves that cost $1,200 a piece -- Brent said he got a little tired of looking at the back of his dad's trailer, so he decided to pass him on the Thruway.

Brent had a full trailer. Dave was hauling four calves. The two trucks were going about 70 mph.

Jerseys have a reputation for being pretty smart animals and Brent doesn't doubt it. His stories about Jerseys often include the notion that they draw straws to try something and if the first one makes it, the others will follow.

"So, a lady pulled up beside him yelling hysterically 'you're cows are jumping out, your cows are jumping out,' but only one had jumped out," Brent said. "I think they drew straws again and said, 'you're going first. If you make it we'll go, too'. When my dad stopped the trailer, the cows were all up front saying, 'we're not going.' "

Of course, Dave worried about what sort of damage a calf could do to a moving vehicle and when he pulled over he could see a car on the shoulder about a half mile to three quarters of a mile behind him.

Unable to turn around, Dave walked back and found a lady had used her car to pin the calf against a guard rail.

"I think she watched too much Crocodile Hunter or something," Brent said. "She had a bandanna tied around the calf's head to cover his eyes."

Dave made a leash from his belt and walked the calf -- which wasn't injured -- back to his trailer.

"We were trucking along, so you know that first step was a doozy," Brent said.

There's some other advantages of milking Jerseys that Tilltoson has picked up on the past few years -- the cows, both because of their build and because they get plenty of exercise grazing -- stay in production about twice as long, or longer, than Holsteins.

The Jerseys do seem to like to walk, Tillotson said. In winter, they'll make several round-trips up the gravel road from the barn to the backwoods and back.

"I've always wanted to put a pedometer on one of them to see how many miles a day they walk," Tillotson.

The other advantage: organic inspectors know all the cows are his, raised on his land.

"Everybody always asks why I picked Jerseys instead of Holsteins and it's because we're organic," Tillotson said. "Nobody can say we're bringing my dad's cows over and milking them."

Tillotson's Grassland Farms Dairy is still a small operation. He only has a couple of employees.  The employees do most of the milking, including one old guy who just loves to come to work at 3 a.m. -- a real godsend for Tilltoson since he has a long enough day as it is.

"It's tough getting up in the morning and working until eight at night and then doing it all over again the next day," Tillotson said. "We've got a gentleman who is 66 years old. We put an ad in the paper and he said, 'that's right up my ally. I love getting up early. Even if I'm not working, I'm still up at two o'clock in the morning.''

"I said, 'perfect.' "

Tillotson has two sons, twin boys, Ethan and Cole, age 10. They help a little around the farm, but Tillotson wants them to be boys before they're men and he also wants to protect them from some of the more dangerous aspects of farmwork, so he doesn't demand many farm chores.

They do like helping with the newborns.

Brent enjoys their Little League games. He makes it a point not to let farmwork rob him of the joy of watching them grow up.

"I'm not missing a game because I've got hay to bail," Tillotson said. "The hay will be there tomorrow. I've missed things and then regretted it because they'll only be this age once."

Changes Regarding Slow-Moving-Vehicles (SMV)

By Jan Beglinger

 Effective January 1, 2009, the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law states - "Farm machinery … designed to operate at 25 mph or less whether self-propelled or used in combination, shall each separately display a slow-moving-vehicle emblem." The law prior to 1/1/09 requires an SMV emblem on either the tractor or the vehicle being towed, but not both. The intent of the new law is to improve visibility of farm equipment operated on public highways. The towed vehicle can block the SMV emblem on back of the tractor.

 Also effective 1/1/09 - "It shall be unlawful to operate, drive, or park self-propelled agricultural equipment on any public highway or street in this state, during the period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise and during other times as visibility for a distance of one thousand feet ahead of or behind such agricultural equipment is not clear, unless such agricultural equipment is equipped with lamps of a type approved by the commissioner which are lighted and in good working condition." This law codifies in the statute a Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) existing regulation. Lights and flashers on farm equipment will make you more visible to traffic in both directions.
 
Required Lighting Equipment for self-propelled Agricultural Equipment

Item
Number and Color
Location
Headlamps
Two, white
Front, same level, as far apart as practicable
Tail lamps
One, red
Rear, as far to the left as practicable
Combined hazard warning and turn signal lamps
Two, amber
At least 1.1 meters (42 inches) high, same level, as far apart as practicable, visible front and rear
Rear reflectors
Two, red
Rear, same level, as far apart as practicable
 
For questions about the NY State Vehicle and Traffic law contact your local New York State Police Troop Traffic Section.

 

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