Current Projects
2021 Working Paper by John Hanchar and Aaron Ristow
John Hanchar, Farm Business Management Specialist
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Working Paper
Achieving Improved Soil Health Outcomes While Maintaining or Improving Economic Viability: Case Study of a Dairy Farm Business in the Genesee River Watershed, New York
John Hanchar, Cornell University/College of Agric. & Life Sciences/CCE/Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program
Aaron Ristow, American Farmland Trust
Summary
- The owners and primary operators of the Mulligan Farm, a dairy farm business in the Genesee River Watershed of New York, like many farm business owners today, seek to achieve improved soil health and related outcomes while maintaining or improving economic performance.
- The Mulligan Farm has successfully planned and implemented numerous cropping system changes designed to achieve improved soil health and related results.
- Economic analysis suggests that successful implementation of soil health improving practices coincided with improved economic performance.
Economics of Producing Industrial Hemp, Costs of Production, NYS, 2017
John Hanchar, Farm Business Management Specialist
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Costs of Production Analysis, Industrial Hemp, NYS, 2017
- Variable costs of production estimates for 2017 are $282, $268, and $269 per acre for industrial hemp for fiber only, fiber and seed, and seed only, respectively
- Fixed costs of production estimates for 2017 are $145, $183, and $160 per acre for industrial hemp for fiber only, fiber and seed, and seed only, respectively
- Total costs of production estimates for 2017 are $427, $451, and $429 per acre for industrial hemp for fiber only, fiber and seed, and seed only, respectively
Know a Better Pasture
Nancy Glazier, Small Farms & Livestock Specialist
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops

Pasture is a great way to feed your livestock during the growing season.
Meet the Specialist, Nancy Glazier

Meet Small Farms Specialist Nancy Glazier as she works with Peter Lehning and John Lehning, new beef producers.
Improved Meat Marketing for Small Scale Farms in the Northeast

Part 1. Understand the customer and their needs: Developing marketing strategy.
New Video: "Determining the Market Readiness of Beef Cattle"

Knowing when an animal is ready for 'finish' or 'slaughter' is extremely important for getting a premium price and satisfying the unique needs of your customers. The Cornell Small Farms Program and the Baskets to Pallets project are pleased to announce a new educational video for livestock producers titled, "Determining the Market Readiness of Beef Cattle". Mike Baker, Cornell Beef Cattle Extension Specialist, takes the viewer on a visual tour of features to assess of both finished and unfinished steers and heifers, including beef breeds and dairy crosses. The video will be an excellent resource for livestock farmers and educators alike. Special thanks to Mike Baker and Lynn Bliven of Allegany County Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Can value be added to Holstein bull calves?

With favorable market conditions, it can be profitable raising dairy beef.
Feeder Calf Pool Sale Set, December 16
Nancy Glazier, Small Farms & Livestock Specialist
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops

Two groups of producers, one in central NY and another in northern NY have come together to market their cattle cooperatively in hopes of building a reputation which over time will increase price of their feeder cattle.
Cornell Bull Test Sign-up is Underway
Nancy Glazier, Small Farms & Livestock Specialist
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops

Cornell All Forage Fed Bull Test is looking for a few good bulls. This will be the fourth year of the stored feed test; a new addition is an optional 84-day pasture component.
Crop Cam
Mike Stanyard, Team Leader and Field Crops & IPM Specialist
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops

Tune in as the NWNY Teams' Extension agronomists put on their GoPro cameras and head to the field.
Varying Corn & Soybean Populations, Varieties, & Down Force
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops

Considering varying your corn or soybean populations? Curious about multiple hybrid planters and planting two corn or soybean varieties in the same field? Maybe you're trying to decide between a planter with hydraulic or air bag down force pressure? If so check out this AgFocus Newsletter article from April of 2015.
Proposed FAA Drone Rules Released
Bill Verbeten, Field Crops
Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops

On Sunday February 15th, 2015 the FAA released it's proposed rules for commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly called drones, for public comment for 60 days. A summary can be found in the PDF below.
Upcoming Events
Growing Great People: Training Skills for Dairy Farmers
June 29, 2022
Clifton Springs, NY
Become an Effective On-the-Job Trainer! This hands-on workshop is for all farm managers, supervisors and employees who are involved with training other employees. More than one participant per farm is encouraged to attend. Learn together in both English and Spanish.
Growing Great People: Training Skills for Dairy Farmers
June 30, 2022
Pavilion, NY
Become an Effective On-the-Job Trainer! This hands-on workshop is for all farm managers, supervisors and employees who are involved with training other employees. More than one participant per farm is encouraged to attend. Learn together in both English and Spanish.
Calving Workshop: Ontario County
July 1, 2022
Stanley, NY
Registration Now Open! To pull or not to pull? That is (one of) the questions dairy farm personnel have while working in the maternity area on a farm.
This workshop will teach best calving management practices to minimize stillbirth rates and improve calf and cow health during and directly after the calving process.
Announcements
State Agriculture Commissioner lifts ban on poultry shows, auctions in NYS
On June 3, New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced the end of the bans on live poultry shows, exhibitions, auctions, sales, meets, and swaps in New York State. The decision to lift the bans comes as cases decrease nationwide, including in New York state, which has not had a detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in nearly two months.
The NWNY Team Blog
Our goal for this blog is to share with farmers and allied industry professionals, technical and applicable resources regarding all aspects of dairy farming, livestock and small farms, field crops and soils, and topics related to farm business management and precision agriculture.The blog will feature Crop Alerts, Dairy Alerts, Bilingual (Spanish) Resources, Upcoming Events and more from our team members. This blog is free for everyone to use, explore and enjoy. When new material is published, subscribers will receive an email notification.
We hope you enjoy this new platform, and are looking forward to engaging with you in the future!