Strategic Plan: Summer Topic for NEAFA Board

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

The Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance (NEAFA) Board of Directors will be engaging in a strategic planning process this summer. In preparation for this work, we are requesting members’ input on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis of our organization. If you have not already done so, we respectfully request about 15 - 20 minutes to complete this survey because your input is important to us. The deadline for completion of this survey is June 15 and you can access the survey at the following link:

NEAFA SWOT Survey 2021

“We are soliciting input from a wide variety of stakeholders, members and nonmembers alike,” said NEAFA President Danielle Penney-Stroop. “Please provide your honest and frank observations. Your input will be valuable to the Board as it goes about its strategic planning efforts in the coming months.”

The last strategic planning meeting was 2015, and while a meeting was due in 2020, it was postponed due the covid-19 pandemic. “The plan has caused us to focus on our strengths, and to build programs from there,” said Penney-Stroop. “We’re dedicated to the strategic plan because it has allowed us to focus on and to realize that advocacy, collaboration, and education remain our core objectives. Our programs and focus have been around these three elements, and it has reaffirmed the work that we’ve been doing. Now is the time to re-assess and see if this is the direction that we want to continue.”

According to Penny-Stroop, we are at a pivotal moment. “There are so many changes in agriculture as we are watching potential legislation concerning animal welfare and handling, overtime, along with the effect on the view that the general public has on the industry based upon what social media influencers, magazines, etc. are putting out. Things are coming at us fast and furious, and we need to make sure that we look at how to address misinformation when it arises, and how do we play the game to make sure that the best interests of the industry are put before the public.”

Although some questions in the survey ask for demographic information (e.g. name, organization, type of business), please note that this information will be used for analysis purposes only, and none of your responses to individual questions will be associated with your identifying information.

Again, your survey responses are due back by June 15th, and you can reach the survey by clicking here. Thank you for your input and support!

Matt Lohr to Keynote NEAFA Annual Meeting

NEAFA is proud to announce that Matt Lohr, the 16th Chief of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), former Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and former Virginia State House of Delegates Representative will keynote the upcoming 2021 NEAFA Annual Meeting. “NEAFA’s Immediate Past President John Clark is a long time friend of mine,” said Lohr. “I’m part of his territory in Harrisonburg, VA. We’ve wanted to do something together for NEAFA for a while now. While I was the Chief of NRCS however, I couldn’t do personal events and then Covid hit. I’m excited to speak to a live audience again instead of being in my living room and doing something on zoom. I like that NEAFA’s mission is to realize as an industry that we can accomplish so much when we work collectively. I’m excited to have a chance to come up, learn more, and to meet with the attendees and share a positive message.”

Lohr and his family have a long history with agriculture. “I’m a fifth-generation farmer in Shenandoah valley,” said Lohr. “I got involved with FFA when I was young, and that gave me my love for communicating and speaking and telling the story of the agricultural community.” Besides his advocacy through politics, Lohr also runs his own business called Lohr Leadership, which focuses on motivational speaking based on his experiences in agriculture, life and political service.

“I’m a farmer in and out, it’s my true passion,” said Lohr. “I’m happiest when I’m here on the farm and I get to take care of the animals. I got involved in politics at an early age however. I was very blessed to come from a family that was very involved in public service; My parents and grandparents served on the fire department and the rescue squad, in the rotary club, etc. They taught me that serving your neighbor is an important way to live your life. I spent time serving as a state and national FFA officer, which gave me the opportunity to meet with President Bush on three different occasions, and I had the chance to meet other leaders at the state and national levels. That really fueled my interest to run for office, and give me an avenue to help make a difference for the agricultural industry.”

Lohr’s farm raises 750,000 broilers annually, along with 180 head of feeder cattle, and 250 acres dedicated to crop soy beans, corn, and hay production. “We’re a century farm,” said Lohr. “It’s been in my family for over 100 years, and is placed under permanent conservation easements so that it will stay in production agriculture forever. When I was Commissioner of Agriculture in Virginia, farmland preservation was a big initiative of mine. The initiatives that were in place before me, they weren’t viewed as farmer friendly for large scale animal operations. I made it a priority to make easements that were a better fit for confined animal farms. Once I was out of public office, I had the opportunity to apply it for my farm, so I could keep this land for production agriculture for future generations. Our farm is located off of Interstate 81, which is a major intersection, which potentially makes it a very developable area of land. I didn’t want it to become just another truck stop or box store in the future.”

Lohr has also worked as the Knowledge Center Director for Farm Credit of the Virginias, a customer-owned financial cooperative of 72 Farm Credit associations. “I spent 4 years working for Farm Credit to develop the educational aspect of their business,” said Lohr. “They wanted to educate farmers about business plans and farm succession. They work hand in hand with producers to help them be successful from the educational aspect. We focused a lot on young, beginning, small, and minority producers with an emphasis on the next generation.”

Lohr’s keynote is a combination of 3 topics. “The first part is also an important part of NEAFA,” said Lohr. “It’s about coming together and speaking with a collective voice. It’s about being able in agriculture to have our voices heard on the topics of climate change and other issues that surround agriculture. That as a community we can come together and speak with a collective voice. The second part is overcoming setbacks. You have to live life with determination and adapt and overcome setbacks. Lastly, it’s about living with a servant’s heart. I think for all of us, that giving back and looking for ways to serve and make our communities a better place is so important, to not lose sight of the importance of serving other people.”

Lohr’s keynote address will take place during the August 31st Annual Meeting Luncheon at the Turning Stone Resort and Golf Club, Vernon, NY. Registration and agenda details can be found by clicking here.

Call to Action: Grow NY Farms Coalition takes on Farm Labor Campaign

Photo by Jed Owen on Unsplash

New York farms are faced with a serious threat to the 60-hour overtime threshold. Even though 60 hours per week was set in law in 2019, a wage board has the authority to tell the NYS Labor Commissioner to lower that threshold. This threatened action promises to change the face of agriculture as we know it. The Wage Board will be making their recommendation later this year, and NEAFA, along with the NY farm community, is launching a campaign to convince the wage board to keep 60 at 60. NEAFA recognizes the damage that changes to this threshold can have for New York Farms, and the dangerous precedent that it could set for other Northeastern states to follow in the future.

This 60-hour standard was a major compromise for the NY farm community, and farmers know that anything less than 60 hours per week will irreparably alter the face of NY agriculture. If we are to remain competitive in national and world markets, NY farm labor costs cannot be significantly higher than our cohorts or other regions.

“The agricultural workforce is vital & essential to all our farms and agricultural industry throughout NY State,” said NEAFA President Danielle Penney-Stroop. “We have intense labor needs for most of our agricultural operations, such as nurseries, fruit & vegetables farms, dairying, viticulture, etc., especially in comparison to the other agricultural regions throughout the country. To implement new innovated technologies or increase mechanization on many operations would require such a large investment of capital, that in many cases it becomes a barrier of entry. As an industry, we need to demonstrate & emphasize how the overtime threshold has impacted New York farms, employees, and their families, and that a 60-hour overtime threshold is the absolute line in the sand for New York agriculture. New York’s dairy farmers will face some tough choices and, regardless of the choice, farmworkers come out on the short end of the stick with potentially fewer jobs, shorter hours, and less take-home pay.”

The Grow NY Farms Coalition, formed in 2019, includes leading farmers and farm organizations in New York State. Coalition leaders are requesting your support for another successful farm labor campaign this year. A public relations/ communications firm (The Martin Group) has been retained to help with the fight and the coalition is reaching out to all potential supporters for financial support.  Organizations including Northeast Dairy Producers Association, New York Farm Bureau, dairy cooperatives, and individual dairy farms, stepped up to the plate with significant contributions. NEAFA pledged $5000 to the cause and we challenge you to support the effort as well.

“Agriculture contributes greater than $5 Billion to the state economy, and has a significantly greater impact on the rural/local economies throughout the state,” said Penney-Stroop. “Therefore, it is imperative to advocate and support all our farm operations in becoming more competitive in attracting & retaining employees thus ensuring their viability and sustainability in our local & global markets. Producers will not remain competitive with the latest recommended OT threshold; we must keep it at 60 hours. In 2019, Farm Credit East published that farm income could decrease 23% due to combined minimum wage and overtime rules. That impact on overall farm income, combined with many other variables of increased costs will be the demise of many agricultural operations throughout our state, forever changing the landscape.”

“As we often say, without a healthy, growing production sector, the agribusiness community does not exist,” said NEAFA Executive Director Rick Zimmerman. “This issue threatens to dramatically change the face of New York’s agriculture industry and warrants our direct engagement. Please consider a significant contribution. You may send your pledge directly to the address below or NEAFA can forward your contribution through paypal by clicking here.

Grow NY Farms
8351 Lewiston Rd #3-304
Batavia, NY 14020

Thank you for supporting this important cause.

Danielle Penney-Stroop, NEAFA President

2021 HHNC Conference a Success

The Herd Health and Nutrition Conference, which was held virtually this year, was a success, with approximately 129 attendees on the first day, and 115 attendees the following day. The conference took place as three-hour afternoon sessions on April 5th-6th. Presented by NEAFA and PRO-DAIRY, the event featured live presentations on a wide variety of subjects, including an informative panel discussion on innovative methods to managing during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The panel featured Andy Dugan, of Gold Star Feed and Grain, Dr. Kaitlyn Lutz, of Keseca Veterinary Clinic, and Tonya Van Slyke, Executive Director of the Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA).

HHNC also featured presentations by Dr. Gerard Cramer, of the University of Minnesota, Dr. Heather White, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Chris Wolf of Cornell University, Dr. Julio Giordano of Cornell University, and Dr. Mike Lormore, of Zoetis. Topics focused on cow health at the macro and metabolic level, a retrospective analysis of how the pandemic effected the dairy market at large, and ways to maximize herd performance, profitability, and the drivers of financial success at a dairy.

For more information or to view a recording of the event click here.

NEAFA Announces 2021 Scholarship Winners

NEAFA is proud to announce the winners of the 2021 Scholarship for Future Agriculturalists. NEAFA awards four $500 scholarships to eligible high school seniors planning to pursue a field of study that will lead to a career in agriculture, with a specific emphasis on animal science, agronomy, agriculture education or agribusiness. The 2021 Winners include Anna Western, of Lowville, NY, Brittany Martin, of Attica, NY, Grace Dunham, of Richmondville, NY, and Tyler Ziehm, of Greenwich, NY. These young scholars represent the ideals that NEAFA hopes to see in the future of agriculture, and we wish them well as they start their collegiate journeys.

Anna Western will be attending SUNY Cobleskill in the fall of 2021 to study Agri-Business. “Even though I did not grow up on a family farm, I have developed a fondness for agriculture, and specifically issues involving food insecurities in our country and world,” said Western. “I look forward to furthering my education so that I can make a difference in the industry that will lead to more stability in the access all people have to obtain the nutrition they need to survive.”

Brittany Martin will be attending Delaware Valley University in the fall of 2021 to study Agri-Business. “Agriculture is the most important industry in the world, and I am privileged to have

been involved in it my entire life,” said Martin. “I look forward to making a difference in my personal life, but also in the industry I love so much.”

Grace Dunham will be majoring in Food Science/Biology in the fall of 2021, at a school to be determined. “I have always been curious about where our food comes from, and that has transitioned to become my passion,” said Duham. “I want to broaden my experiences so that I can be a part of the solutions that help small farms succeed and thrive in the future.”

Tyler Ziehm will be majoring in Dairy Production at a school to be determined in the fall of 2021. “Growing up on a dairy farm, this is the career I have always wanted to be engaged in,” said Ziehm. “My plans are to one day become a partner in my family’s operation. I take great

pride in completing a day’s work, knowing that my efforts are helping to feed our nation.”

For more information on the NEAFA Scholarship for Future Agriculturalists, click here.

NEAFA Active in Albany, Montpelier

By Rick Zimmerman and Margaret Laggis

Advocacy is the common theme for NEAFA as it engages with lawmakers in various Northeastern capitals. State legislative sessions generally run from January through the spring months, however Massachusetts drags their session on throughout the year. There was a time when these citizen legislatures hustled through their work in time to get home for spring planting. But that orientation is long gone and so have most of the farmer legislators. Today, we are fortunate if there are any farmer-state lawmakers in the northeastern states which makes the challenge of advocating for agriculture policy ever more difficult.

In New York where there are only nine out of 63 majority party senators representing districts north of the Tap Pan Zee Bridge (oops! Mario Cuomo Bridge) which makes agriculture’s voice within the majority party rather faint. The situation is a bit less lopsided in the State Assembly, yet the overwhelmingly large number of urban based legislators make it difficult for agriculture interests, to break through. Nevertheless, the strong leadership of Agriculture Committees Chairs Assemblymember Donna Lupardo and Senator Michelle Hinchey, along with the collaborative efforts of upstate legislators from both parties, help significantly to bring the ag community’s voice into the debate. This fact was particularly apparent during the state budget debate.

The State Budget was finalized during the early days of April and the ag lobby’s efforts to restore funding to critical programs came to fruition. Despite huge deficits threatened by the COVID Pandemic, the Governor and legislative leaders dedicated sufficient funds to make sure programs like PRO-DAIRY, FarmNet, Farm Viability Institute, Integrated Pest Management and the NYS Diagnostic Laboratory received full funding. We are appreciative for the leadership in the Assembly and Senate, particularly Agriculture Committee Chairs Donna Lupardo and Michelle Hinchey, for their strong support of NEAFA’s legislative priorities.

Now that we are in the second half of the NYS legislative session, pesticide bans are garnering steam. There is a concerted effort by environmental groups across the country to demonize neonicotinoid pesticides and put corn and soybean production in peril. Most of the corn and soybean planted throughout the northeast are treated with imidacloprid or another neonic to protect the seed and seedling from numerous critters. Farmers know that treated seed is a good risk management tool, well worth the investment because they could lose an entire crop to soil born insects. Treated seeds and neonics are in the cross hairs of state legislature and NEAFA, in collaboration with several agricultural and horticultural organizations, are working hard to solve the pollinator challenge without losing neonics. Our challenge this year is greater due to the political dynamics referenced above and we are looking to our agriculture committee chairs to help us find a way forward.

In Vermont, the bills that we have been tracking have passed out of their final committees and are headed to the floor of the House or Senate. From there a conference committee will work out the differences between the two houses before the legislative session draws to a close next month.

House Bill 434 would install an Agriculture Innovation Board to replace the existing Pesticide Advisory Council. The board will include wide array of farming interests and it will report annually to the legislature on pesticide use and other agricultural practices and could make recommendations for incentive programs. The existing Seed Review Committee, created two years ago in response to the Dicamba tolerant GE seed issue, will be folded into the Innovation Board. We continue to work to remove their authority to override the Secretary of Agriculture’s ability to approve the sale, distribution and use of new seed traits. NEAFA, with the assistance of Cubby Bourdeau, testified and submitted a letter to Senate Agriculture Committee Bobby Starr guiding him on finetuning the proposal.

Senate Bill 102 is a wide-ranging regulatory proposal that deals with post-consumer compost and chicken foraging as well as the regulation of pet and livestock animal health supplements, soil amendments and plant biostimulants. The bill sets up labeling and registration programs for these items. The Food and Drug Administration has been attempting to regulate this area of animal health supplements for 20 years and they appear to be on the verge of coming up with a regulatory program. Regardless, the State Legislature is poised to create this new state-level regulatory program.

We pushed hard to remove livestock supplements from this bill and a letter from NEAFA and the Vermont Feed Dealers Association to the House Agriculture Committee appealed for exclusion. But legislative leaders have been insistent on leaving them in. Agency of Agriculture has seen a rise in unproven claims by some livestock supplements products and they want the ability to go after companies selling products that do not work as advertised. However, language was included that will disengage Vermont’s regulatory program if the FDA picks up the responsibility. NEAFA will continue to work with the Agency of Agriculture to assure that Vermont dairy farmers continue to be able to acquire the new feed supplements necessary to keep the industry competitive.

Plant biostimulants represent a new area of research and innovation into natural ways to boost a plant’s ability to resist pests and disease and they are on the Agency of Agriculture’s radar screen. Fortunately, we successfully lobbied for a definition and labeling language consistent with other states.

Soil amendments are also being brought into the Agency’s regulatory shop as they see more farmers looking for alternatives to traditional fertilizers. With the issues surrounding PFAS and other little-known pollutants being found in unexpected places, the Agency wants to track what is being put onto Vermont’s fields and to be sure that soil amendment claims are based in sound science. NEAFA will continue to monitor this program to assure farmers are able to get the products they desire and that suppliers are not restricted from serving their farmer customers.

NEAFA Elects New Officers, New Members Appointed to BOD

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

NEAFA congratulates President Danielle Penney-Stroop and Vice-President Jenny Kelsey Mills on their newly elected positions. Both have been integral members of the NEAFA leadership and board, and we are excited to have them at the helm of the association. 

Penney-Stroop is currently employed by Novus International as Senior Sales Manager of US Ruminant East.  “We provide cow comfort expertise to dairy producers, as well as offer producers a wide variety of products that enhance overall health & production,” said Penney-Stroop. “I have had a variety of roles in the dairy industry for the past 20 years – from large herd management in northern NY & VT, nutrition & dairy management consulting throughout the Northeast, with specialization of calves & heifers. I participated in Class 17 of the Cornell LEAD NY program.”

According to Penney-Stroop, she has “a love for all of agriculture, but my passion, core, and roots lie with the dairy industry.” As part of that passion, Penney-Stroop believes education is key. “I look forward to, and will continue my efforts in working to bridge the educational gaps between the general populous and production agriculture. Additionally, I look forward to increasing my lobbying efforts and becoming more involved in the political process on the behalf of our producers, as we’ll as other ag industry manufacturers and professionals.”

Mills has been a part of the agricultural fabric of the Northeast since she was a child, growing up on a dairy farm in central New York. Mills currently works as the strategic marketing dairy industry lead for Provimi North America, the premix and nutrition business subsidiary of Cargill. Prior to that, Mills worked for Elanco Animal Health for fifteen years, straight from graduating from Cornell University with a masters in calf nutrition in 2004.  

The NEAFA Board appointed four individuals to fill five open positions open due to officer elections and board term expirations. These appointments will have a chance to be elected to the board by the membership during the August 31st Annual Meeting. New members include Alan Wright, of Purina Animal Nutrition, Charlie Elrod of Natural Biologics, Karl Bitz of Central New York Feeds, Kevin Kouri of Phoenix Feeds & Nutrition, and Mike Thresher of Morrison’s Custom Feeds.

Alan Wright is currently a senior feed formulator with Purina Animal Nutrition, doing custom dairy feeds for the Northeast, based out of the Caledonia, NY feed mill since 2004. He graduated from Penn State University in 1984 with a degree in Animal Production. After 5 years in a confinement farrow to finish operation; he joined Agway in 1989. Starting as a swine feeds sales person; Alan had many roles over his 15 years with Agway, including Mill manager and Regional Sales manager. He resides in Piffard, NY with his wife Sue; they have 6 grown children, and 10 grandchildren.

Charlie Elrod has been involved in the livestock industry for over 40 years. After building and operating his own dairy in the early 80s, he went on to work with the dairy and beef herds at Berry College while completing his Bachelor of Science degree. Moving north to Cornell University, he completed a Ph.D., focusing on the intersection of protein nutrition and fertility in dairy cattle. After his Ph.D., he spent the next 10 years as a member of the Cornell University extension faculty and directing the New York State Cattle Health Assurance Program. Over the last 20 years, he has worked as a business development manager, tech service consultant and leading R&D and technical support for the dairy division of an animal health company. He is currently the co-founder and President of Natural Biologics, a product development and innovation company focused on solving significant animal health challenges. In 2018 he was appointed as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Animal Science Department at Cornell University.

Karl Bitz is currently co-owner and President of Central New York Feeds, a family business that manufactures animal feed for dairy farms in upstate NY. Previously, he spent eight years working at Palantir Technologies, a Palo Alto, CA based software company where he helped create, transform, and lead operations teams as the business grew from 200 to 2000+ employees. Karl received his B.S. from Cornell University in 2009. He lives in Skaneateles, NY with his wife Kristi and their three kids: Addie (5), Josie (3), and Eli (1).

Mr. Kevin M. Kouri has a B.S. from the University of Vermont and a M.S. from the University of Connecticut, upon completion of his M.S. in May of 2003 he took his first role within Poulin Grain Inc., Newport, VT.  He spent 15 years with Poulin Grain Inc. working in various capacities for them servicing accounts in Franklin County, Vermont along with supporting colleagues in other counties.  His roles covered field nutrition sales, territory sales manager and in the last couple years while living overseas heading up special projects and sales/tech support.  Kevin established his own consulting business Summit View Consulting in 2017 which focused on integrated solutions for the modern dairy cow with hopes of traveling further overseas developing nutrition program and management recommendations to further the dairy clientele.  This exposed him to the Asia dairy market working with feed additive distributors within Asia advising nutrition and farm management practices within a rapidly growing dairy industry.  In 2018, Kevin’s family had an abrupt change in plans and moved back to Vermont from France at which time he took up a full-time position as Dairy Portfolio Product Manager for Performance Minded Ingredients (PMI) within Land O’Lakes.  His time with PMI, Fall 2018 to Spring 2021, allowed him to continue and travel throughout the United States working within different dairy regions and different feed manufactures.  In March 2021, Kevin turned back to being closer to the heartbeat of the industry and accepted the position within Phoenix Feed and Nutrition as their Director of Nutrition and Sales.  Being back involved in the day-to-day workings of dedicated dairy producers working alongside a dedicated team at Phoenix Feeds and Nutrition is very exciting for him.  Having the opportunity to lead and grow a team within this organization along with a company focused on expansion within the region will bring new challenges and rewards daily.  Outside of work Kevin is an avid downhill skier with his family, enjoys road biking, fishing and camping with his family throughout New England in the summertime. 

Mike Thresher is a 3rd generation Vermont farmer with a passion to see the farms in Northern New England survive and flourish. He is a graduate of VTC with a degree in Agribusiness Management, then joined the family dairy and took over the farm in 1997. In 2000, Mike joined with Morrison's Custom Feeds and found a passion for organic dairy farming and was instrumental in leading to the growth in the Northern New England organic dairy industry. Additionally, he created a Non-Gmo line of feed for Morrison’s.  Today he still works with farms all over Northern New England, assisting farms to improve forage quality from the soil up.  He also serves on the Board of Directors for NOFA-VT.  He lives in Danville with his wife Julie, in his free time they enjoy helping others, or can be found out snowshoeing, hiking, biking or kayaking.

NEAFA Thanks Exiting President John Clark for His Service

Exiting President John Clark

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

NEAFA extends its thanks and best wishes to exiting President John Clark for his leadership to the organization. Leading an organization is never an easy task, and the Covid-19 pandemic created new and unanticipated challenges to surmount. Under Clark’s leadership however, the organization continued to serve the needs and promote the hard work of our members, no matter the difficulties that we all faced.

"It has been my honor to be the president of NEAFA for the past 2 years," said outgoing NEAFA President John Clark. "While I doubt any of us could have foreseen the difficulties of the past year for our industry and the world at large, I think it highlights the importance that our organization has to promote and create opportunities for the agricultural industry during unprecedented challenges. I look forward to remaining active with NEAFA, and seeing the continued success of all of our members.”

While Clark’s shoes will be difficult to fill in the organization, NEAFA is confident that incoming NEAFA President Danielle Penney-Stroop will maintain and build upon the work done by her predecessors.

Executive Director Rick Zimmerman expressed his sincere appreciation for John’s service to the organization.  “John’s dedication to the mission of our organization was unwavering and tireless” said Rick. “A volunteer leader is often a thankless job.  Therefore, on behalf of the entire NEAFA membership, I thank John Clark for a job well done!”

“John, on behalf of the board and myself, I want to express how much we greatly appreciate your time and devotion to NEAFA,” said incoming NEAFA President Danielle Penney-Stroop. “I know it sounds cliché, but I will have big shoes to fill. I often saw and admired as you were taking the bull by the horns or just taking the plunge approach to solving issues. Your dedication to this organization has always been steadfast, with an undeniable passion for serving the industry and its members. You embrace the 3 pillars and set such an example for Advocating, Collaborating, and Educating. Your devotion for recognizing and fostering the engagement of our youth has always been a priority.   Your inspiration and commitment to the sponsorship drives for our meetings and events is contagious. The tenacity to bring forth and lobby critical issues on behalf of our members and the agriculture community with our legislative representatives at all levels is also incredibly motivating. You have never asked anyone to do something that you, yourself would not do.  And it has truly been enjoyable observing you for many years, at the forefront with mic in hand at numerous events and I truly hope that continues.  On behalf of the board – we thank you!”

First Ever: All New England Dairy Nutrition Conference

By Rick Zimmerman, Executive Director

More than 100 farmers, nutritionists, cooperative extension agents, Land Grant faculty and NEAFA members gathered on March 11th for the first ever all New England Dairy Nutrition Conference.  This virtual event, co-hosted by NEAFA, Cornell, UConn, UMass Amherst, U of Maine, UNH, UVM and URI, focused on key issues impacting successful dairy production throughout New England.  

Justine Deming, of URI kicked off the program with a presentation on farm labor management.  Cover crops was the topic for Richard Smith of UNH and Quirine Ketterings from Cornell.  Bill Weiss of Ohio St talked about profitable grouping of dairy cows and Cornell’s Tom Overton focused on feeding and managing for milk components.  The conference finished up with Pete Ericson of UNH presenting on the importance of colostrum in a successful dairy farm business.

The conference was strongly supported by many businesses serving the New England agriculture community.  NEAFA and its Land Grant co-hosts appreciates the following agribusinesses for their co-sponsorships: Adisseo, Balchem, Gold Star Feed and Grain, Gramco Inc., Jefo Nutrition, Papillion Agricultural Company, Phoenix Feeds and Nutrition, Poulin Grain, PMI Nutritional Additives, Westway Feed Products, Vermont Feed Dealers Association, and Zinpro Corp.

Planning for 2022 will begin soon. 

NEAFA Member Profile: Bayer Crop Science

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

NEAFA recently spoke with Darren Wallis, the head of communications and Kimberly O’Brien of the Government Relations Department for Bayer Crop Science to learn more about the company and its commitment to the agricultural industry.

“Bayer Crop Science is 100 percent focused on farmers and the success of farmers,” said Wallis. “We have an incredible portfolio of high tech seeds, biotech traits, a leading crop protection portfolio, and digital farming platform. All of those tools combined are meant to help farmers do what they do best; raise the very best and most profitable crop they can, and get it to market to provide food, feed, and fiber to the country and around the world.”

While many may hear the name Bayer and automatically think of aspirin, the 150 plus year old company has roots in agriculture all the way back to its beginning. “The first product that Bayer ever developed was actually an insecticide for farmers,” said Wallis. “Bayer’s crop science predates even aspirin in our catalog of products. It’s been a focus for the company since the beginning.”

In 2018, Bayer acquired Monsanto in a bid to increase its crop science catalog and provide a wider selection of products to its customers. “After the acquisition of Monsanto, we have the largest catalog out there,” said Wallis. “Monsanto was strong in seeds and bio-tech traits, while Bayer was strong with crop chemistries and that portfolio. By coming together under Bayer, it’s been incredible opportunity to serve our customers even better than we could as two separate companies. We have something for every farmer regardless of what corner of the US they’re in, as we have so many different products to meet the specialized needs that any crop may have.”

Besides seeds and chemistry, Bayer has invested in its digital platform. “ We’re always seeing new upgrades and apps,” said Wallis. “With that technology, farmers are increasingly becoming able to farm acre by acre, and see how different competing seeds and systems work in their fields. Yield monitors let them see how this particular part of their field performed versus other sections. They can make decision on what seeds to plant where and optimize every acre of their ground and that’s really exciting. You can look at all that data and know exactly whether those investments you’ve made for growing panned out or not. You didn’t used to have that level of data. You might know at a field level with a visual of ‘I think this looked better in this section or not,’ or ‘I got more truckloads out of this section or not,’ but now you have this incredibly rich piece of data that takes a lot of that guess work out. You know without a doubt what part of your field yielded what, and that can allow you to make very powerful decisions based off that data.”

According to Wallis, Bayer Crop Science believes that associations are important for the growth and success for the industry at large. “Participating in NEAFA and other associations keeps us in touch with agricultural communities,” said Wallis. “Our focus is the success of farmers, and it takes an interconnected agricultural community to help continue that success. Engaging in associations like NEAFA keeps us closer to our grower customer and the issues and topics that are important to them. We all want to work together to make farmers succeed. When they succeed, Bayer and other companies that support them succeed as well. That’s part of being one big community.” 

For government relations focused O’Brien, the advocacy done by NEAFA is very important as well. “Being a part of NEAFA is great because of the work and advocacy they do with legislators and in education,” said O’Brien. “Before Covid-19, we used to do in person visits to legislators, and the ability to partner with NEAFA members and talk with them about our products and our work to aid agribusiness operations in New England and New York is great. It has been a real benefit to help us tell our part of the story and how it fits with northeastern agribusiness. When things moved to a virtual format, NEAFA Executive Director Rick Zimmerman has done a great job shifting to that format. The integral meetings with Agriculture Commissioners across six New England states and New York and continue the conversation on legislation; he’s kept that going.”

In a similar vein to NEAFA’s dedication to giving back through the Golf for Good Works Tournament, Bayer Crop Science believe in investing in the ag community and its youth. “We invest a great deal in youth and youth programs,” said Wallis. “It’s important personally and to the company. We’re a significant sponsor of the national 4H council and FFA. Both are important to us for many reasons, since they continue to attract a diverse talent into agriculture. I’m a 4H alum, I grew up on a farm, and I did great things through 4h on and off farm. It taught me public speaking, I got to grow tomatoes with Gran and taking them to the fair; those are experiences that have shaped my life. As the country has become more urban, we’re always looking for new ways to attract youth to STEM, and want people to know that agriculture is vibrant and exciting. There’s a home for them in agriculture and you don’t have to be a farmer to be involved. We know that if you can get to young people early and get them excited, that you have better chance to get them into STEM and agriculture.”

For more about Bayer Crop Science, you can find them at www.bayercropscience.us, or email Wallis directly at darren.wallis@bayer.com.

Work in a Feed Facility? You Need the NEW FMT!

Article provided by AFIA

Are you a feed mill manager with questions about manufacturing operations or plant management? Or, maybe you have an important inspection coming up and want to make sure your employees understand their responsibilities meeting current regulatory standards? Then, you may want to check out the American Feed Industry Association’s new Feed Manufacturing Technology (FMT) book!

This comprehensive online resource, written by nearly 100 industry experts and professors with decades of experience, is a great reference tool for everyday animal feed manufacturing operations, covering everything from employee safety and health to materials handling and storage, sanitation and pest management, quality assurance and more. It also includes detailed information on planning for new facilities or remodeling existing facilities.

“The book contains a wealth of knowledge about feed manufacturing from the history of this great industry to current regulations affecting how we operate,” said Gary Huddleston, AFIA’s director of feed manufacturing and regulatory affairs. “It’s an A-to-Z manual on how to manage a feed mill.”

Learn more and subscribe today on AFIA’s website.

New York Lobby Day Promotes State Budget Programs Key to Ag Community

NEAFA Representatives meet with NYS Assembly Member Donna A. Lupardo during Lobby Day.

By Rick Zimmerman, NEAFA Executive Director

Zoom is the go-to platform for legislative meetings, and NEAFA made the best of this opportunity on March 3rd when members of the NEAFA Board of Directors and the Governmental Relations Committee hosted a series of meetings with New York State lawmakers.  Ten legislators met with the NEAFA team who focused on legislative priorities including important State budget supported agricultural programs and legislative policies that could significantly hamper NY farmers’ ability to grow crops.  The State budget is due by April 1st. 

“The Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance prioritizes the advocacy work we undertake throughout our northeastern region, and the New York Lobby Day is one example of this outreach,” said John Clark, NEAFA president. “Our work in Albany is essential to assure that the state budget appropriately prioritizes New York’s agriculture industry. We are proud to be part of a collaborative effort to make sure agriculture’s voice is heard throughout northeastern state capitals.”  

NEAFA hosted a dozen meetings throughout the day, focused on legislative leaders from the Senate and Assembly, including the chairs of the agriculture committees, Senator Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Donna Lupardo. Other legislators who met with NEAFA advocates included Senators: Borrello, Mannion, May, Oberaker and Assemblymembers: Lemondes, Manktelow, Tague and Woerner.  

“NEAFA joins with a large cross section of the New York agriculture lobby to support essential budget-funded programs,” said Andy Dugan, chair of NEAFA’s Governmental Relations Committee. “Programs such as PRO-DAIRY, NY FarmNet, Integrated Pest Management and Farm Viability Institute provide critical services and assistance to New York’s agriculture industry.”

Budget priorities NEAFA discussed during New York Lobby Day include:

Resources to enhance Cornell’s PRO-DAIRY:

• Core funding for PRO-DAIRY of $1.201 million. PRO-DAIRY works with dairy farmers to address agronomic, economic and environmental challenges to enhance the overall sustainability of New York’s dairy industry.

• Dairy Profit Teams ($220,000) have assisted nearly 250 dairy farms with strategic business planning to improve operational efficiencies, uncover improvement opportunities and support the next generation of farms.

• The Dairy Advancement Program ($700,000) has assisted nearly 400 small to mid-size farms with environmental planning.

• The new Agricultural Environmental Stewardship Program (SPEAR) of $400,000 is a new initiative focused on the management of nutrients in the biological loop of crop production, animal feed and manure recycling to the land. 

Cornell Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Programs:

• The Animal Health Surveillance & Control Program ($5.43 million) is a comprehensive program dedicated to improving the health of food and fiber producing animals, companion animals, sport and recreational animals, exotic animals, and wildlife.

• The Quality Milk Production Program ($1.174 million) serves New York’s dairy industry by promoting the production of high-quality milk through the control of mastitis and the avoidance of antibiotic residues in milk.

Enhanced funding for the NY Farm Viability Institute ($1.9 million)

• This farmer-driven program funds projects to enhance farm profitability. It has returned more than $7 to the State’s economy for every $1 invested.

Enhanced funding for NY FarmNet.

• Core funding for NY FarmNet ($872,000) 

 Mental Health Initiative ($400,000)  

Through NY FarmNet, financial and mental health consultants help farm families and businesses deal with financial and emotional issues related to farm stress. Last year, FarmNet professionals worked with more than 635 farmers on issues ranging from economic and mental health to business and estate planning.

Funding for a Cornell Farm Labor Specialist ($200,000)

• A professional farm business/human resources Extension specialist provides timely, valuable information and guidance to farmer employers throughout the state. The program is especially important this year due to the significant farm labor law changes.  

Another legislative priority includes keeping the State Legislature from passing bills to ban pesticide use in New York.  Currently Senate Bill S.699-A and Assembly Bill A.4082, would ban the neonicotinoids class of pesticides, including those used as seed treatments. These bills would severely hamper New York agriculture, particularly corn and soybean crops.  Of course, much of NY corn and soy is used to feed NY dairy cows.  Both bills have not been acted on by the legislature, and NEAFA will continue to speak out about the serious consequences posed by legislative pesticide bans.  

HHNC Panel Focuses on Innovative Approaches to Managing During the Pandemic - 4/6

By Eric Jenks, Special for NEAFA

The Herd Health and Nutrition Conference will be taking place as three hour afternoon sessions on April 5th-6th as a virtual conference. Presented by NEAFA and PRO-DAIRY, the event features live presentations on a wide variety of subjects, including an informative panel discussion on innovated methods to managing during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The panel will feature Andy Dugan, of Gold Star Feed and Grain, Dr. Kaitlyn Lutz, of Keseca Veterinary Clinic, and Tonya Van Slyke, Executive Director of the Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA), and will be moderated by Corwin Holtz of Holtz-Nelson Dairy Consultants and NEAFA Board member.

“The pandemic has required us to be focused and creative as we continued to serve our dairy farm customers, “ said Andy Dugan, Vice President and General Manager of Gold Star Feed and Grain and former President of NEAFA.  “As essential workers, my team of dedicated employees remained committed to our company’s mission despite the peril they were individually facing. We proved how to stay healthy while on the front lines as essential workers.  I am extremely grateful for my dedicated team.”

Dugan’s feed career began in 1982 when he became employed by Wayne Feeds as a dairy feed salesman.  “Wayne Feeds provided great training and gave me opportunities in sales management as well as the opportunity to move to Iowa,” said Dugan. “ In 1997 I joined the IL Richer Co as Sangerfield Area Manager. John Mitchell mentored me, and gave me several opportunities for growth. He expected me to give back to our industry and guided me to membership in NEAFA.  We purchased the Agway mill in 2002, and operated it as Sangerfield Grain Company, LLC. During 2012 Gold Star Feed was formed, and I was named VP and General Manager.”

Dr. Kaitlyn Lutz, earned her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011. Since graduating, Lutz’ career includes working as a livestock practitioner in academia and private practice in Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Zealand and New York. Currently based in Geneva, NY, as an associate veterinarian with Keseca Veterinary Clinic, Lutz is passionate about education opportunities for farm workers, as well as dairy cattle health and welfare.

Tonya Van Slyke, is the Executive Director of, NEDPA, a roll she took over in 2013. During her tenure with the organization  Van Slyke, has represented NEDPA on the Ag Workforce Development Council, FARM Workforce Development Task Force, NY CAFO Workgroup, NYS Milk Market Advisory Council, NYS OSHA Workgroup, and Water Quality Workgroup. She has also represented dairy members on the Strategic Interagency Task Force on Lessening Obstacles to Agriculture (SILO), and the NYS Ag & Markets/DOL Ag Labor Advisory Workgroup.

HHNC will also feature presentations by Dr. Gerard Cramer, of the University of Minnesota, Dr. Heather White, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Chris Wolf of Cornell University, Dr. Julio Giordano of Cornell University, and Dr. Mike Lormore, of Zoetis. Topics focus on cow health at the macro and metabolic level, a retrospective analysis of how the pandemic effected the  dairy market at large, and ways to maximize herd performance, profitability, and the drivers of financial success at a dairy.

For more information or to register, visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/pro-dairy/events-programs/conferences-seminars/herd-health-and-nutrition-conference.

Annual Meeting, Good Works Tournament Rescheduled to 8/30-9/1, Turning Stone Golf Club and Resort

The NEAFA Board of Directors made the difficult decision to reschedule the 2021 Annual meeting and Golf for Good Works Tournament from June 23 – 25 to August 30 to September 1, 2021 at the Turning Stone Golf Club and Resort in Verona, NY. “The NEAFA conventions committee and the Board of Directors agreed that hosting an annual meeting and golf tournament this June would not allow us to meet in a manner that we are accustomed to”, stated Mark Anderson, NEAFA Conventions Committee Chair. “Physical distancing and restrictions are likely to remain in place through this July which would inhibit us from hosting a conference and golf tournament that allows the essential networking and meetings our events are well known for.  We anticipate the opportunity to gather without strict social distancing requirements by the end of August.”

The event will include a welcome reception Monday evening on August 30th, followed by a day long annual meeting and forum Tuesday August 31st. The Golf for Good Works Tournament will be Wednesday September 1st. “The Golf for Good Works Tournament has been a marque event, where we raise funds for NEAFA’s Good Works Program,” said John Clark, NEAFA Board President and Good Works Committee Chair.  “Our Good Works donations are completely funded through tournament proceeds, and we’ve donated over $120,000 to worthy causes over the past decade. Funds from the Good Works Program have supported youth in agricultural programs, agriculture leadership development, public/agriculture awareness initiatives such as “fun on the farm days” and the NYS Fair Birthing Center, along with outstanding farmer recognition programs.”

The Turning Stone is a world class resort/casino/golf club facility that will serve us well for this combined event. Traditionally held as separate events, the annual meeting and golf tournament has been combined due to the extraordinary circumstances presented by COVID-19. Turning Stone’s Shenendoah Golf Course offers 18 holes of PGA-level golf in a spectacular natural setting. The course was designed, constructed, and is maintained to PGA standards.  In 2006, Turning Stone Resort’s Shenendoah Golf Club was host of the PGA National Club Professional Championship. Current list of accolades: 2018 Golfweek - Best Casino Courses, 2017 Casino Player Magazine - Best Golf Course in New York, 2018 Northeast Golf Magazine - Best in New York Golf - Public Courses (#7).

The Conventions Committee is excited to assemble nationally known speakers addressing provocative topics. The annual meeting will also feature a farmer panel, that will gather to talk about current challenges moving forward from the pandemic.

NEAFA would like to thank all our members for their continued support throughout the pandemic as we pursue goals that will make the agricultural industry and our communities a better place. We look forward to having the chance to gather again this August and September, and we hope to see you there.

Member Alert: FMCA extends hours-of-service relief for livestock feed

Article Provided by NGFA (www.ngfa.org) 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced Feb. 17 that it has extended the hours-of-service relief stemming from the coronavirus relief effort through May 31, 2021, for haulers of livestock and livestock feed in all 50 states. FMCSA provided the exemption from Parts 390 through 399 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.  

The closures of many feed manufacturing facilities due to extreme weather conditions has resulted in a backlog of shipments that requires extra regulatory flexibility to resolve.  

Additionally, FMCSA added hours-of-service relief for drivers providing direct support to relief efforts related to the severe winter storm. The relief applies to efforts in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The hours-of-service relief for the winter storm effort expires at the end of the day on March 4, 2021. This relief is only for drivers transporting supplies, goods, equipment, heating fuels, including propane, natural gas, and heating oil, and other fuel products including gasoline into and from the affected states. The hours-of-service relief for haulers and livestock feed expires at the end of the day on May 31, 2021.

Turn Obstacles into Opportunities at the Animal Ag Alliance’s Virtual Summit

Article Provided by Animal Ag Alliance

Challenging times. Unprecedented times. Uncertain times. We’re all over the clichés. But  we’re far from over the impact COVID-19 and 2020 in general have had on agriculture and  the food industry. However, there is hope. With the right tools we can ensure the food chain  is stronger than ever. We can use this time to hone our messages, fine-tune our strategies  and connect, engage and protect like never before. Now is the time to turn the obstacles of  2020 into opportunities for the decades to come, and 2021 Virtual Stakeholders Summit  attendees will leave with the right tools and ideas to do just that. 

The 2021 event is set primarily for May 5-6, with preconference webinars scheduled for the  five business days leading up to the Virtual Summit. To open the event, Timothy Caulfield,  author and professor of health law and science policy at the University of Alberta, will deliver  a keynote presentation on addressing misinformation in the time of COVID-19. Caulfield is  an unrivaled communicator who debunks myths and assumptions about innovation in the  health sector — from research on stem cells to diets to alternative medicine — for the benefit  of the public and decision-makers. 

Speaking of misinformation, we know facts alone aren’t always enough to alter false  narratives about animal agriculture. We also know that starting with shared values is the  best way to start a conversation, so how can we apply this to conversations around hot  topics like cell-based meat? To kick off the preconference webinar series, Alison Van  Eenennaam, PhD, cooperative extension specialist, animal genomics and biotechnology at University of California-Davis, will take the virtual stage to address the role of animal  scientists and others in animal agriculture in these conversations and how can we learn  from past communication mistakes. 

To continue the conversation about why shared values and relationships matter, Michelle  “The Farm Babe” Miller will join Fernando Machado, chief marketing officer at Burger King, to tell the story of how she turned an obstacle into an opportunity when the burger chain  debuted a commercial that upset many in the farm community. Michelle is a testament that  farmers are our best allies, and that is why we must continue to elevate their voices in  dialogues surrounding food and agriculture. Four voices, from a beginning beef rancher to a  poultry veterinarian, will share their passions in advocating online and in their communities,  obstacles they face as they reach outside the choir and opportunities for the animal  agriculture community to better support their efforts. 

Other sessions will highlight ways to position animal agriculture as a path forward to climate  neutrality, how to reposition animal protein on the plate and strategies for virtual  stakeholder and influencer engagement. A preliminary agenda featuring many of the exciting  and high-caliber speakers you can expect to see at the 2021 event has been posted on the  Summit website. Also, if you refer a friend to attend the Virtual Summit who has never  attended a previous Stakeholders Summit and they list your name as the person who  recommended them when they register for the event, you’ll both be entered in a drawing to  win a $100 gift card! Each referral will count as one entry and there is no limit on the  number of entries for referrers. The Alliance will give away two $100 gift cards during the  Virtual Summit - one drawing for referrers and one drawing for those who were referred. All 

registrations with a referral listed made until online registration closes on April 30 will be  entered. Both the referrer and the person referred must be registered to claim the gift card. 

To register, go to http://bit.ly/AnimalAgSummit.

Net Zero: A Dairy Industry Reality

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

Sustainability is on the minds of many in numerous industries across America, the dairy industry included. The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy for example, has “set aggressive new environmental sustainability goals to achieve carbon neutrality, optimize water usage and improve water quality by 2050.” While these goals are not easy, the industry has tools to continue moving towards them during 2021. “The dairy industry has been working and focused on sustainability for a number of years,” said David Darr, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer for Dairy Farmers of America (DFA). “That work has continued to advance in the last 24 months to the point where we have been talking more openly about reaching net zero. A fundamental driver for that goal, at least ours at DFA and even broader, is the belief in the goodness of dairy farms and dairy farming, and the belief that dairy farmers are part of environmental solutions, not problems. We as an industry are engaged and proactively working to be able to better influence environmental policies and strategies for the betterment of dairy farmers.”

For the industry to reach these goals, Darr believes a major focus has to be at the farm level. “We know that across the US Dairy industry, a majority of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions lie at the farm level,” said Darr. “It’s a must to communicate, inform and have dialog with farmers across the country.” According to Curt Gooch of Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), approximately 70% of total emissions in the industry take place at the farm level. “That’s where the majority of opportunities exist,” said Gooch. Darr and Gooch both identified four specific areas on the farm to focus on. “When we look at the carbon or GHG footprint of a farm there are four primary categories of emissions where there are opportunities for improvement,” said Darr. “There’s manure management with anaerobic digesters, soil health and carbon sequestration for crops grown for animals, renewable energy production on farm from wind or solar, and the cow itself through the emissions that ruminant animals produce. The latter can be controlled through improvement in genetics and nutrition or in housing., Nutrition is a big segment of that GHG improvement.”  According to Curt Gooch, approximately 70% of total emissions in the industry take place at the farm level.   Gooch is currently taking leave from his position at Cornell PRO-DAIRY to provide his expertise to DMI’s Net Zero Program.

The approach for sustainability is different for each farm. “The farms in the northeast and midwest, the traditional dairy states, they’re farms that are made up of generations of farmers and have grown over time,” said Gooch. “It’s hard to find two farms that are the same, which means that each farm has its own areas of opportunity. Some of these farms will be able to make bigger changes to manure management, others to crops and to how the cow is fed, etc.” Darr agreed. “We know that in the US Dairy industry that you can be successful and build a viable business model in many different ways,” said Darr. “However, when we talk about nutrition or feed there is not one magic solution. It’s going to be farm by farm through various feeding strategies to show improvements in GHG emissions. You can start sourcing from lower carbon sources, using feed additives like cilantro, garlic, seaweed, etc. There are a lot of things that show up in a newspaper or website, and many have merit but none of them are a silver bullet.” 

“We need to meet farms where they’re at,” said Darr. “We have to be thinking about farms that are producing their own feed and how they source feed.. There are opportunities to strip till, no till, minimal till, or use cover crops; all agronomy practices that will enhance carbon sequestration in soils. That sequestration can apply to those making feed for dairy farms, even if the feed is manufactured off the farm.” 

Both Gooch and Darr agreed that maximizing feed efficiency is key to moving towards Net Zero on the farm level. “The biggest challenge is the enteric methane (EM) that’s produced within the cow’s digestive system,” said Gooch. “Methane has a higher global warming potential than CO2. A more efficient cow will have less EM per unit of milk production. Feeding cows lots of forages and less concentrates results in less CO2 and methane per unit of milk produced.” Darr and Gooch both urged farmers to work with a nutritionist for best results. 

“The best way to use rations to control GHG emissions is by working with a nutritionist and follow a program that maximizes dry matter intake per pound of milk,” said Darr. “The more energy that we can get into the cow generally lowers the GHG intensity associated with that cow. As we look at an intensity basis of GHG per hundredweight, there’s a correlation that as diets move towards higher levels of grain and concentrates, emissions trend lower. On an intensity basis, a cow on pasture will have a higher GHG per hundredweight than a cow that’s fed a total mixed ration. As we balance rations and target specific rations for cows, we’ll be more efficient in managing the GHG emissions associated with cows. 

“It’s also not only about the ration but how we’re managing feed, said Darr. “For every pound wasted, there is a portion of land that’s inefficiently used in growing that feed. Anywhere that there’s feed loss or shrink, there is an opportunity to increase efficiency by addressing that loss. You have to think about what your practices are for pushing up feed, and what we are doing to make sure cows have access to enough feed to maximize production while minimizing waste or lost feed.”

For northeastern states, some of this GHG reduction effort has potentially been complicated by climate change. “Droughts are not helpful,” said Gooch. “Research from the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University has predicted more rain in the spring, no rain in the summer, and the evidence shows it so far. Crops that are stressed means that their digestibility isn’t the same. It’s best to check in with your nutritionist and adjust your rations as necessary.”

Member Highlight: Lawes Agricultural Service Inc.

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

Lawes Agricultural Service Inc. (LAS), in Brandon, VT, has served the fertilizer and seed needs of the Northeast area since 1986, though its roots are older than that. “The business was originally Old Fox Chemical and then Old Fox Inc. when I started working there in 1981,” said Brad Lawes, owner of LAS. “My brother Dean and I took over the business in 1986. The nice thing about selling fertilizer is that I’m still doing business with a high percentage of the same farms. It may be a different generation you know, because a lot of times I’m working with their kids, grandkids, etc., but we still do business with a high percentage of the same farms. They’ve gotten larger, but they’re all honest and fun to work with. Being born and brought up on a dairy farm in the Northeast Kingdom, it’s a natural relationship for me.”

For LAS, dairy farms are a large portion of their clientele, though their organic business is growing. “About 90 to 95% of our business is dairy related. But in the past ten years we’ve developed a substantial organic market, usually for small scale, roadside mom and pop vegetable operations. We deliver organic materials through VT, NY, MA, NH. Organic fertilizer is typically more expensive, but there’s more margin to it, and we don’t have that excessive margin on our products, which people appreciate. The other aspect of our business is our turf and forage seed business. The organic and the turf businesses actually tie together nicely, as we carry them on the same truck, and can make 2-3 stops instead of just one, which is good for efficiency.”

LAS produces both dry and liquid fertilizers. “We blend components together,” said Lawes. “There’s no chemical reaction taking place, no heat, pressure, etc. We then deliver to the farms, and we also offer dry and liquid applications, which is primarily used on corn fields for silage, some soybeans, and also pasture renovations for horse farms.” 

While Lawes’ brother Dean Lawes retired recently, the business is very much still family oriented. “My son Nick works with me here doing sales and as an applicator,” said Lawes. “In this business, one person isn’t dedicated to one job. Everyone does what needs to be done. You might be on a spray rig today, or on the road selling or servicing or standing behind the bagger for fertilizer. You have to know how to do a little bit of everything.”

Besides expecting growth in the organic market to continue, Lawes sees promise in his seed business. “We’ve had a good run for the last three to four years with our turf seed,” said Lawes. “I think the seed business, primarily turf, is a good market. We’ve been selling to hardware stores throughout VT and even in Syracuse, NY. There’s some competition, but I think that the market has changed, and there’s some potential for growth right there.”

Cornell CALS Dean meets with NEAFA Board

Cornell CALS Dean Benjamin Houlton, Photo provided

By Rick Zimmerman, NEAFA Executive Director

Ben Houlton, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, met virtually via zoom with the NEAFA Board of Directors during their February 8th Board meeting.  Houlton started as the 12th Dean of Cornell CALS October 1st, 2020. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, Houlton is using virtual platforms to meet with and continue the CALS tradition of working agriculture community leaders. The meeting with NEAFA was informative for both the Dean and the Board, as they identified common ground on industry challenges and opportunities.  

Houlton’s upper Midwest dairy farming and feed manufacturing family background provided him with a formative platform for an academic career in global ecosystem processes, climate change solutions, and agricultural sustainability.  Houlton currently holds a faculty position in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, as well as in the Department Global Development.

During the meeting, Houlton recognized NEAFA for its leadership in successfully seeding two faculty positions within the Department of Animal Science. NEAFA led the drive to raise $1 million from the agribusiness community to fund these positions. Kristan Reed and Joe McFadden, the Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance Partners Sesquicentennial Fellows in Dairy Cattle Biology, were recognized by Houlton for their contribution to advancing animal science. Houlton further thanked the NEAFA Board for their support of key programs such as PRO-DAIRY, Integrated Pest Management, and FarmNet.  

NEAFA Active in Albany and Montpelier

By Rick Zimmerman, NEAFA Executive Director

Advocacy is one of NEAFA’s three primary objective pillars and NEAFA leaders implemented this objective when spending time (virtually) in Montpelier and Albany.  The Alliance was invited to present before Vermont’s House and Senate Agriculture Committees on February 17th and Governmental Relations Committee members Andy Dugan, John Clark and Art Whitman took the opportunity to brief the committees on agribusiness’s role in supporting Vermont’s dairy industry through feeding and nutrition recommendations driven by the latest animal science.  Precision feeding and precision agriculture were addressed as well as the need for a PRO-DAIRY like program for Vermont dairy farmers.  Alliance representatives referenced recent milk production statistics showing Vermont’s average milk production lagging behind comparable NY herds.  One asset New York Dairy farmers have over their counterparts in Vermont is PRO-DAIRY.

NEAFA’s New York Lobby day will take place March 3rd with a series of Zoom appointments with Assembly and Senate lawmakers.  Members of NEAFA’s Board of Directors and Governmental Relations Committee will spend a good part of their day zooming with legislators and their staff.  The State Budget will be the primary topic, given there are several key programs, like PRO-DAIRY, FarmNet and the Farm Viability Institute, that require annual budget appropriations to keep them going and serving the agriculture community.  Agriculture committee chairs, Assemblymember Donna Lupardo and Senator Michelle Hinchey, will be meeting with NEAFA members and we thank them for their support of NEAFA’s budget priorities.  

The virtual meeting platform has proven to be a reasonable alternative to face-to-face meetings and will probably continue for the foreseeable future.  We will continue to take advantage of this convenient platform to arrange future meetings with state lawmakers and their NEAFA member constituents.