Join us for presentations and discussions focusing on soil health concepts and best management practices for vegetable growers. Topics include tarping, maintaining soil health in high tunnels, cover cropping, reduced tillage, compost microbiology, and more!

1.75 DEC pesticide recertification credits available in categories 1A, 10, and 23.

Cost: $30 per person

Please join us for our winter advisory meeting, join the team and provide input for the 3rd Annual WNY Tree Fruit Conference on February 4-5 in Rochester. Please pre-register by December 2th.

For this lunchtime webinar, Cornell Dyson school agricultural and extension economist Wendong Zhang will share recent research findings that examines the property value impacts of large-scale solar facilities and energy infrastructure for residential homeowners as well as farmland owners.

Agritourism Accessibility 

Save the dates for the Labor Roadshow VIII.  In person sessions on Dec 11 and Dec 13 and online sessions on Dec 17 and Dec 18

Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety as well as growers who are covered by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule or who anticipate being covered in the future should consider taking this course.

The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires 'At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.'

At this grower-focused meeting, ag industry experts will discuss pest control in vegetables, weed management strategies and best practices, seed germination, an introduction to foliar nutrient uptake in vegetables, and grouping flowers by growth needs. Plus we'll hear from a grower panel from Kutztown Produce Auction, moderated with NYS specific pest control from Judson Reid.

2.25 DEC recertification credits will be offered in categories 10, 1a, 23, and 24.

Unit 1: Introduction to Business Planning and the Business Plan (Liz Higgins)

• Session 1: The 30,000-foot view, what are you trying to accomplish? What resources do you have?

Do you need a business plan for your farm?  Do you have an idea for a new venture, but aren't sure if it will work? This program is for you!

This course is designed for existing farm businesses or those planning to undertake a new farm business venture. Students will work with their farm's data, and the goal of the class is for participants to have a draft of a written business plan for a specific business venture.

During the course, you will learn to:

• Assess whether or not a business idea is a good fit for you.
• Develop a marketing strategy to make a profit
• Use financial tools to evaluate if your business has the potential to be profitable

This online course meets from January 7-March 4, 2025.  All course content is available online so you can work on it at your own pace.  There will be weekly webinars where you can meet other students and interact directly with the instructor on the content.  These webinars will be recorded. 

Unit 1: Introduction to Business Planning and the Business Plan (Liz Higgins)

• Session 2: Introduction to Project Management

Join us for a free webinar on electric weeding in organic perennial crops.

Are you planning to apply to the NYS Beginning Farmer Grant Program, but you have hit a wall in completing the application?  This webinar is for you.  Meet with Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators statewide who are providing support to farmers applying for this program.

Are you planning to apply to the NYS Beginning Farmer Grant Program, but you have hit a wall in completing the application?  This webinar is for you.  Meet with Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators statewide who are providing support to farmers applying for this program.

This grower-focused meeting will include information about pesticide applicator recertification and record keeping requirements, disease control in cole crops and vine crops, and using biocontrols for insect management in greenhouses. Several seed and ag input companies will be on-hand to share product news.

2.75 DEC recertification credits will be offered in categories 10, 1a, 23 and 24. CORE credits (0.5) offered too!

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!

Unit 1: Introduction to Business Planning and the Business Plan (Liz Higgins)

• Session 3: How Business Planning Becomes a Business Plan

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!

Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm (Bonnie Nelsen)

 Session 4: Your Market and Your Competition

This event is a blind wine tasting for ENY grape industry members to get feedback from fellow growers and Cornell Enologists on unfinished white wines (hybrid, vinifera, etc.)

We respectfully request that only professional winemakers or commercial vineyard owners attend, as space is limited. Limit two wines per winery/vineyard.

Pre-registration is required and ends on January 14th.  For questions, please contact Jeremy Schuster at jds544@cornell.edu

Are you planning to apply to the NYS Grown and Certified ITRD Grant Program, but you have hit a wall in completing the application?  This webinar is for you.  Meet with Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators statewide who are providing support to farmers applying for this program.

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!

For the 2nd year in a row, we'll be having the Western NY Fruit Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Rochester!  It will be another 1 1/2 day conference. Stay tuned for program and registration info as we get closer.

Date: February 4th, 2025

Snow Date: February 5th, 2025

Time: 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

Place: The Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home

Address: 4079 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538

Join Cornell Cooperative Extension for a day-long intensive focused on leafy greens production! This intensive will focus on both summer and winter growing and will feature grower insights and research. Topics include: soil steaming, spinach variety trials, pest management, heat tolerant varieties and a moderated grower to grower conversation.

DEC credits applied for.

Cost: TDB, lunch is included.

Registration will open when the details are confirmed, check back soon!

Do you need a business plan for your farm?  Do you have an idea for a new venture, but aren't sure if it will work? This program is for you!

This course is designed for existing farm businesses or those planning to undertake a new farm business venture. Students will work with their farm's data, and the goal of the class is for participants to have a draft of a written business plan for a specific business venture.

During the course, you will learn to:

• Assess whether or not a business idea is a good fit for you.
• Develop a marketing strategy to make a profit
• Use financial tools to evaluate if your business has the potential to be profitable

This online course meets from January 7-March 4, 2025.  All course content is available online so you can work on it at your own pace.  There will be weekly webinars where you can meet other students and interact directly with the instructor on the content.  These webinars will be recorded. 

Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm (Bonnie Nelsen)

• Session 5:  Revenue and Product Mix to Achieve Your Goals

Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm (Bonnie Nelsen)

• Session 6: Marketing Plan and Evaluation of Marketing Efforts

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!

Unit 3: Developing a Financial Plan for Your Farm Business (Steve Hadcock)

• Session 7: The Basics of Financial Statements

This virtual workshop will serve two purposes: 

• For produce farms just interested in learning about farm food safety, this program will introduce principles and best practices.
• For produce farms look for a GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) training needed to meet buyer demands for audit/certification, this program will provide that as well.

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!

Unit 3: Developing a Financial Plan for Your Farm Business (Steve Hadcock)

• Session 8: Enhancing Confidence in Your Numbers

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!