News Release
Date: Jan. 11, 2008
Contact: Rebecca Schuelke, communication specialist
Telephone: (315) 453-3823 extension 103
Cell phone: (315) 427-2714
Email: rschuelke@nyfvi.org
NY Farm Viability awards $3.5 million in farm research grants
The New York Farm Viability Institute awarded more than $3.5 million in
farm-based research grants in 2007. The grant awards will support 31 diverse
projects, from bioenergy feedstock and gasification developments, to organic
grain and dairy initiatives.
Efforts to improve the marketing and distribution of local food and a project to
increase use of new hybrid wine grapes received grants. A project to link
farmers to recycling markets for agricultural plastics, such as silo bags and
greenhouse pots, as well as an effort to expand research and outreach education
of manure management systems, were tapped for grants.
``In 2008, this young organization, the New York Farm Viability Institute,
strives to stay on the forefront of the state’s agriculture,’’ said John
Lincoln, president of the Institute board of directors. ``The Institute is
distinguishing itself as a group that keeps a sharp eye on investments in New
York agriculture that have short-term, farm-level impacts.’’
Founded through a federal grant to Cornell University in 2003, the Institute has
evolved into an independent nonprofit group that receives annual appropriations
from the New York State legislature and Department of Agriculture and Markets.
The Institute provides grant funding to farm-based research projects. Each
project includes farmers in designing, implementing or evaluating the project,
and all projects are designed to result in farm-level impacts and increases in
profits.
``The Institute views New York’s diversity in agriculture as one of its
strengths,’’ said Tom Sleight, executive director.
Funded projects reflect a variety of agricultural sectors, commodities,
production practices, farm sizes and regions around New York.
An all-farmer volunteer board of directors selects projects for funding. The
board collects input from producers in related agricultural sectors across the
state.
Projects funded in late 2007 will commence in early-mid 2008. Project duration
may last up to two years.
Grant Awards to Agriculture Projects in 2007
The following projects received grants from the New York Farm Viability
Institute in 2007. Projects were funded through the Institute’s grant programs -
Agriculture Innovation Center, Applied Research Partnership, Education
Innovation Network or Focus Opportunity – or through the Institute-led
initiative, the New York Center for Dairy Excellence. Project start dates and
duration(up to two years) vary. For more information, contact the project leader
or the Institute.
Agro-forestry/Natural Resources
Quality Improvement and Market Expansion of Maple Value-Added Products, Cornell
University Maple Program: $90,521
Train a minimum of 70 maple producers to improve quality of maple value-added
products and increase profitability through increased sales of higher-end
products.
Contact: Peter Smallidge, (607) 592-3640,
pjs23@cornell.edu
Bioenergy
Demonstrating Improved Yield and Adoption of New Varieties of Fast-Growing Shrub
Willow Bioenergy Crops, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry:
$125,000
Demonstration trials of willow varieties expected to increase yield by 20
percent, compared to conventional varieties, and outreach efforts to encourage
increased production of willow for biofuel in New York with an emphasis on
performance on marginal land.
Contact: Lawrence Smart, (315) 470-6737,
lbsmart@esf.edu
New York Crops for Bioenergy Production, Zero Point Clean Tech: $100,000
Evaluate the energy conversion efficiency through gasification for various
agricultural crops and conduct economic analysis that will assist farmers in
making biofuel feedstock production decisions.
Contact: Kurt West, (212) 920-7151,
west@zeropointcleantech.com
Crops and Forage
Biological Control of Alfalfa Snout Beetle: Spreading the Success, Cornell
University: $75,000
Project focus is the use of nematodes to control invasive species, whose larvae
can be devastating feeders of alfalfa fields in northern New York.
Contact: Elson Shields, (607) 255-8428,
es28@cornell.edu
Economic and Environmentally Sound Manure Management Options for Reduced-Till
Systems, Cornell University: $197,623
Demonstrate and document technological methods of incorporating manure into soil
while assessing corn yield, forage quality, energy and labor use, crop
production costs, and nutrient losses.
Contact: Quirine Ketterings, (607) 255-3061,
qmk2@cornell.edu
Impact of Mowing Time on Wide Swath Haylage Components and Milk Producing
Potential, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer: $6,100
This effort includes testing and outreach education efforts to show how time of
day when mowing hay may influence quality of wide-swath harvested forage on milk
production.
Contact: Tom Kilcer, (518) 272-4210,
tfk1@cornell.edu
Risk Management Recommendations for Organic Grain and Forage Production, Alfred
State College: $40,372
Project focus is outreach education to inventory strategies of experienced
western New York organic grain growers and offer recommendations to new growers.
Contact: Matthew Harbur, (607) 587-4797,
harburmm@alfredstate.edu
Dairy
Improving Control of Streptococcal Mastitis on New York Dairy Farms, Quality
Milk Production Services: $71,754
Demonstrate modern laboratory techniques for identifying streptococcal mastitis
in dairy farms and outreach education to increase farmers’ knowledge of causes,
prevention and treatment on farms.
Contact: Ruth Zadoks, (607) 255-8202,
rz26@cornell.edu
Organic Dairy Initiative, Cornell University Small Farms Program: $150,000
Increase availability of organic grain for dairy farms and increase market
opportunities for grain growers.
Contact: Anusuya Rangarajan, (607) 255-1780,
ar47@cornell.edu
Profit-focus Discussion Groups for New York Dairy Farms, Cornell University Pro
Dairy: $339,930
Initiate regional discussion groups comprised of farmers, agribusiness
professionals and educators that will implement strategies to improve dairy
production and business management on individual farms.
Contact: Tom Overton, (607) 255-2878,
tro2@cornell.edu
Manure Management Technology, Cornell University Pro Dairy: $242,475
Jumpstart manure management outreach education program and research of
technology for dairy farms.
Contact: Karl Czymmek, (607) 255-4890,
kjc12@cornell.edu
Measuring the Impacts of Stress in Transition Cows on Commercial Dairy Farms,
Cornell University: $59,316
Develop and deploy best management practices guidelines for farmers to assess
the non-nutritional factors that influence stress levels in postpartum cows
improve animal health, productivity and reproductive performance.
Contact: Tom Overton, (607) 255-2878,
tro2@cornell.edu
Wyoming County Dairy Institute, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wyoming County:
$67,850
A series of short-courses to enhance herdsman skills on dairy farms is the pilot
effort of a program to address the need for mid-level management skills in
agriculture.
Contact: William Maddison, (585) 786-2251,
whm9@cornell.edu
Equine
CCE Equine, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County: $100,000
Program to offer outreach education to enhance the sustainability of existing,
and develop new, equine farms and businesses.
Contact: Paula Schafer, (518) 885-8995 extension 230,
pjb11@cornell.edu
Fruit
Farm to School, Hudson Mohawk Resource Conservation and Development Council:
$17,100
Work with Hudson/Mohawk Region farmers, and especially apple growers, to
increase food sales to local schools.
Contact: Bernadina C. Torrey, (518) 828-4385,
hudsonmohawkrcd@hotmail.com
Development of Enhanced Web-based Tree Fruit Pest Management Guidelines, Cornell
University: $100,000
Effort to coordinate resources for pest management of tree fruit, incorporating
“real time’’ data, such as weather reports, pest forecast models and more.
Contact: Harvey W. Reissig, (315) 787-2336,
wrh1@cornell.edu
Training Video to Enhance Apple Grower Adoption of NY Tall Spindle Production
System, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County: $30,500
Develop instructional video training of tall spindle production technology in
English and Spanish, for distribution on web and DVD, with a goal to increase
profits through higher crop yields and fewer production mistakes.
Contact: Michael Fargione, (845) 691-7117,
mjf22@cornell.edu
Improving Fruit Composition and Wine Quality of Hybrid Grapes in New York State,
Cornell University, $174,000
This project will work with a minimum of 25 grape growers to demonstrate canopy
management practices for growing hybrid wine grapes, focusing on improving fruit
quality, establishing economic data for hybrid growing practices, and sharing
production practices with new growers.
Contact: Justine E. Vanden Heuvel, (315) 945-7022,
jev32@cornell.edu
Green
Curbing the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Invasive Crane Fly Pests on
Production Sod Farms, Cornell University: $198,948
Develop best management practices guidelines for monitoring and the selection
and timing of pesticides to control an invasive pest that is detrimental to
production sod, as well as reach out to, forage and vegetable growers about
management practices and economic impact.
Contact: Daniel Peck, (315) 787-2342,
dp25@cornell.edu
Demonstration of Sustainable Silicon-Based Powdery Mildew Management Program for
Greenhouses, Cornell University Department of Horticulture: $59,242
Demonstrate in 10 floriculture greenhouses how silicon can be used as powdery
mildew control agent, as an alternative to fungicides that may create greenhouse
reentry issues, and encourage more growers to adopt the practice.
Contact: Neil Mattson, (607) 255-0621,
nsm47@cornell.edu
Evaluation of New and Underused Varieties of Flowering Herbaceous Perennials for
NY Growers, Cornell University Horticulture Department: $74,814
Field trials to evaluate plant material adaptability to New York growing
conditions, and outreach efforts to encourage increased production and sale of
plant varieties best suited and to increase sales for NY growers.
Contact: William Miller, (607) 227-2780,
lsm4@cornell.edu
Livestock
New York Livestock Producers Processing and Marketing Assistance, Hudson Mohawk
Resource Conservation Council: $86,350
Work with livestock producers to improve accessibility to processing facilities,
provide processing oversight and coordination, and increase markets for meat
products.
Contact: Bernadina C. Torrey, (518) 828-4385,
hudsonmohawkrcd@hotmail.com
Multi-sector
Chenango Bounty: Mobile Farmers Market, Chenango County Agriculture Development
Council: $28,630
Develop a direct farm to consumer home delivery mechanism for vegetables, honey,
cheese and other value added farm food items.
Contact: Name: Kim Eaton, (607) 334-5841 extension 20,
kae29@cornell.edu
Fostering the Use of High Tunnels for Season Extension in New York State through
Applied Research Extension, Cornell University: $217,155
This project addresses production constraints, and develops an interactive
website for information exchange, to increase use of high tunnels as growing
season extenders for vegetables and cut flowers; demonstrations at nine applied
research sites.
Contact: H. Chris Wien, (607) 255-4570,
hcw2@cornell.edu
Produce Marketing, Upstate New York Growers and Packers: $189,090
Increase sales of upstate-grown fruit and vegetables through collaborative
marketing and distribution of fresh and value-added food; expand group
membership and markets.
Contact: Martin Broccoli, (315) 736-3394 extension 121,
mjb83@cornell.edu
Enhancing Farm Viability via Business Planning, New York Farm Net: $216,208
Business consultants will assist a minimum of 75 farms statewide in developing
business plans to enhance existing business or evaluate the viability of new
ventures.
Contact: A. Edward Staehr, (607) 255-4121,
aes6@cornell.edu
Value-Added Local Food Promotion, Center for Agricultural Development and
Entrepreneurship: $79,458
Increase sales and markets for 10 central New York producers through targeted
approaches with consumers, retailers and distributors.
Contact: Chris Harmon, (607) 433-2545,
charmon@cadefarms.org
Taste the Regions: Gift Basket Marketing of New York Products, New York Farms:
$49,500
Farm-based value-added producers will increase sales with regional New York
themed gift baskets.
Contact: Mary Jeanne Packer, (607) 535-9790,
info@fallowhollow.org
Improving Market Access for Small and Mid-Sized Producers, Cornell Cooperative
Extension of New York City: $75,000
Increase use of Market Maker in New York State; the web-based program features
searchable demographic data for use in marketing and linking farmers and buyers.
Contact: John Nettleton, (212) 340-2937,
jsn10@cornell.edu
Managing Agricultural Plastics for Recycling, Cornell University: $226,890
This project focuses on outreach education efforts to develop and raise
awareness about recycling markets for agricultural plastics, including silo
bags, greenhouse pots, plastic mulch, etc.
Contact: Lois Levitan, (607) 255-4765,
lcl3@cornell.edu
Media and Public Relations Training for Producers, Cornell Cooperative Extension
of Ontario County, $31,150
Develop training program for farmers to interact with media on farm related
stories and to improve neighbor relations.
Contact: Jim Ochterski, (585) 394-3977,
jao14@cornell.edu
Vermi-compost as a Substitute for Synthetic Inputs to Horticulture and Nursery
Production, Cornell University Department of Plant Pathology: $120,000
Demonstrate use of vermiculture compost in vegetable, berry and nursery
production for plant disease control and as an economically feasible and
environmentally friendly substitute for synthetic soil or potting media.
Decreased fertilizer and pesticide costs will translate to farm profits.
Contact: Eric Nelson, (607) 255-7841,
ebn1@cornell.edu
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.