New York State Budget Summary

Courtesy NYS Senate Media Services

By Julie Marlette, Hinman Straub, Special for NEAFA

The New York State fiscal year 2024 State Budget totals $229 billion, $2 billion more than the Governor’s original proposal. Highlights of the 2024 final budget related to NEAFA include:

Minimum Wage Increase 

The final budget creates designated annual minimum wage increases beginning January 1, 2024 and concluding January 1, 2026. 

For the downstate region (New York City, Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk County) the designated minimum wage is as follows:

• $16.00 on and after January 1, 2024.

• $16.50 on and after January 1, 2025.

• $17.00 on and after January 1, 2026.

For the rest of the state, the designated minimum wage is as follows:

• $15.00 on and after January 1, 2024.

• $15.50 on and after January 1, 2025.

• $16.00 on and after January 1, 2026.

Beginning January 1, 2027, the minimum wage is automatically increased each year to keep pace with inflation. After reaching the maximum designated rate ($17 per hour downstate and $16 per hour upstate) the minimum wage would increase consistent with the year-over-year Consumer Price Index-W for the Northeast Region. 

Exceptions

There is no automatic increase in the minimum wage for the following year if any of the following conditions are met, provided that such exception be limited to no more than two consecutive years:

• CPI-W or any successor index as calculated by the United States department of labor, is negative.

• The three-month moving average of the seasonally adjusted New York state unemployment rate as determined by the U-3 measure of labor underutilization for the most recent period ending the thirty-first of July as calculated by the United States department of labor rises by one-half percentage point or more relative to its low during the previous twelve months; or

• Seasonally adjusted, total non-farm employment for New York state in July, calculated by the United States department of labor, decreased from the seasonally adjusted, total non-farm employment for New York state in April, and seasonally adjusted, total non-farm employment for New York state in July, calculated by the United States department of labor, decreased from the seasonally adjusted, total non-farm employment for New York state in January.

The commissioner of the Department of Labor is required to publish the adjusted minimum wage rates no later than the first of October of each year to take effect on the following first day of January.

Farm Labor Specialist

The final budget appropriates $401,000 for the farm labor specialist program, an increase of $199,000 over the Executive proposal.

NY Farm Viability Institute

The final budget includes $1.9 million for this program an increase of $900,000 over the Executive proposal.  

Climate Adaptive Research Farms: Applied Infrastructure & Demonstration Projects

The final budget includes a new $5 million capital investment in this program, which was not included in the Executive proposal. This represents level funding.

PRO-DAIRY 

Core Program: The final budget includes $1,463,000 to support the Pro-Dairy core program, an increase of $250,000 over the Executive proposal.  

Agribusiness Child Development

The final budget includes $10,410,000 in funding for the child development program, an increase of $110,000 over the Executive Proposal. 

Investment Tax Credit for Farmers

The final budget makes the investment tax credit (ITC) fully refundable for eligible farmers through December 31, 2027 and assist farmers with investments in their agri-enterprises. 

Farm to School Initiatives

State Administered programs: The final budget includes $1,508,000 to the Department of Agriculture and Markets to support development of farm to school initiatives, an increase of $750,000 over the Executive proposal. 

Farm to School Flexibility: The final budget provides greater flexibility for local governments, including school district and BOCES procurement by allowing  purchases to be made from additional New York State producers. It also removes the limitations on the direct purchases of milk from licensed milk producers, regardless of the number of employees the processors employ. Districts and BOCES will also be allowed to purchase food products, grown, produced or harvested in New York, without a competitive process, so long as the amount is less than or equal to $250,000 and the purchases are reported.

Farm Fresh, Locally Grown Food:  The final budget appropriates $10 million to support an increase for reimbursement for school lunches from $0.06 per meal to $0.25 per meal for any school districts that purchases at least 30% of its food from New York farmers and growers. 

All Electric Buildings 

The final budget includes a provision that will require the building code to prohibit the installation of fossil-fuel equipment and building systems, in any new building not more than seven stories in height, except for a new commercial or industrial building greater than one hundred thousand square feet in conditioned floor area, on or after December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-five. The prohibition on the installation of fossil-fuel equipment and building systems extends to all new buildings after December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-eight.

Exemptions

The prohibition in new buildings allows exemptions for the generation of emergency back-up power and standby power systems, in a manufactured home, or in a building or part of a building that is used as a manufacturing facility, commercial food establishment, laboratory, car wash, laundromat, hospital, other medical facility, critical infrastructure, including but not limited to emergency management facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, and water treatment and pumping facilities, agricultural building, fuel cell system, or crematorium.

New buildings that fall under the exemption, except for agricultural buildings, need to limit the use of fossil fuel systems to the area of the building that is difficult or infeasible to electrify and need to be constructed in a manner that is electrification ready. Exemptions need to be periodically reviewed by the building code council.

The code shall also allow for exemption of a new building construction project that requires an application for new or expanded electric service when electric service cannot be reasonably provided by the grid as operated by the local electric corporation or municipality.

NEAFA Member Profile: Cargill

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

This month’s NEAFA member profile focuses on Cargill, an agricultural conglomerate based out of Wayzata, MN, with numerous farm and consumer based products and divisions. The company was founded in 1865, and is privately owned by the Cargill/MacMillan family. NEAFA spoke with Matt Sheffer, a sales manager that has been with company since 2014 to learn more about their operations in New York and the rest of the Northeast. “I work with consultants and nutritionists west of Interstate 87 to Buffalo, NY, along with the support and technical teams that are in the field,” said Sheffer. “My team is in the animal nutrition group, specifically the dairy group in New York. Cargill works in the retail space at a variety of levels. We do anything from bagged feed and things for backyard animals at a hobbyist level, to full commercial scale, where we work with dairy producers on nutrition and farm consulting.

For Sheffer, Cargill was a natural fit for his interests and family upbringing. “I’m originally from Corning, NY in the Finger Lakes,” said Sheffer. “Agriculture is in my family’s blood. I have family that have worked in agriculture their entire career, and I still have cousins that are running a dairy in Hoosick Falls. I received my Bachelor of Science from Oswego in finance and economics, and I started as an intern at Cargill in 2014. It was a perfect fit. In 2015, after I graduated, I was offered a full time position in Cargill Animal Nutrition’s rotational management division, and had the opportunity to learn about and work in agriculture across the country. After the program, I led dairy pricing and formulation for the US dairy business, staying connected to commodity trading and risk management.”

Cargill is a long time member of NEAFA. “We’ve always spoken and thought highly of NEAFA,” said Sheffer. “It’s great that as an organization, they’re action based. They’re focused on getting things done, and it’s great to see NEAFA’s focus on legislation, leadership, education, and the good works program. I loved the annual meeting this year and the collaboration with NEDPA. I thought it was an invaluable effort to bring industry personnel and dairy producers together at one event. Transportation is such a pressing topic for our industry right now, that it’s good to see it being addressed. Cargill is very committed to northeastern dairy and seeing it flourish. We are focused on continuing our commitments to the communities that our consultants are working with. The relationship our consultants have with our farmers is crucial, and we are focused on growing our on farm consulting and nutrition program so that we can bring the best of the best to our producers and help them thrive.”

For more information about Cargill and their animal nutrition group, click here.

NYS Budget Update

Photo courtesy of NYS Senate Media Services

By Julie Marette, Hinman Straub

The New York State Legislature has now adopted, and the Governor has signed four short term budget extenders, covering the three weeks that have passed since the April 1st budget deadline. The current extender will fund payroll and government operations through Monday April 24th. At that time an additional extender or a budget will need to be adopted to continue meeting state payroll and other obligations. 

Negotiations continue to be held up by several big-ticket items, including bail reform, housing and charter schools. Financial targets for spending beyond the Executive Budget have not been set. 

Legislators have now been released to return to their districts for the weekend. However, many legislators will also be participating in local observances of Eid al-Fitr - marking the end of Ramadan, which could make it difficult for the conferences to discuss proposals, should they materialize over the weekend. At this time, it is anticipated that another extender rather than a final budget will be considered Monday. 

Maine Dairy Seminar Recap

Submitted by Glenda Pereira, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Maine

The Maine Dairy Seminar and MDIA annual meeting was held on March 16th, 2023, in Waterville Maine at the Elks Lodge. With 127 attendees, there was a packed room where many vibrant discussions took place. This was also a great opportunity for the dairy industry to socialize and learn from invited speakers. 

Keynote Speaker Dr. Michael Hutjens, Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois was sponsored by the Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance and presented a talk titled “Strategies with the 2023 Feed Outlook”. Some of the highlights from Hutjens’s presentation included: forage quality as a tool, building on milk components, the use of feed additives, evaluating feed ingredient costs, and learning about using tools such as feed efficiency, milk profitability, kernel processing and fecal starch. 

Madlyn Daley from Dairy Management Inc presented a talk titled “Consumer trends”. Some of the presentation highlights included: economic uncertainty, shifting demographics, proactive health, responsible consumption and sustainability, and specific dairy trends. 

This conference also included virtual messages from Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and Representative Chellie Pingree. Several farmer and industry leader awards were presented during the Maine Dairy Shrine Award presentation. 

• The 2023 Dairy Pioneer Award was presented to the family of Russell Libby of Mount Vernon, ME, in memory of a lifetime of outstanding leadership and service to the Maine Dairy Industry.

• The 2023 Maine Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder Award was presented to Elroy, Connie, Steve, and Eric Chartrand of Chartrand Farm of Norridgewock, ME, in recognition of excellence in the breeding of Holstein cattle and service to the industry.

• The 2023 Maine Dairy Leader Award was presented to Julie-Marie Bickford of Augusta, ME, in recognition of her outstanding leadership and commitment to building a sustainable and profitable Maine Dairy Industry.

Lastly, there was a virtual presentation of the 2022 Maine Dairy Farm Family of the Year, which was awarded to Dean and Juanita Paine of Paine Dairy Farm in Madison, ME. 

Our sincere thanks go out to our sponsors and supporters for their participation and engagement.  We look forward to seeing everyone again next year!

Be sure to join us next year. 

Dr. Rick Grant Receives Distinguished Service Award

By Charlie Elrod, Ph.D.

President & CEO Natural Biologics and V.P. NEAFA

Rather than present this year’s Distinguished Service Award in absentia at NEAFA’s annual meeting, we elected to make the presentation at the recent Herd Health & Nutrition Conference when the recipient could be present.  It turned out to be a most fitting audience for the presentation as everyone in the room had benefitted directly from the work of this year’s recipient.  Indeed, at the announcement of Dr. Rick Grant as this year’s recipient, the room exploded in a standing ovation.

Rick grew up on a dairy farm near Potsdam, NY and went on to Cornell to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science.  Moving west, Rick earned a Ph.D. in ruminant nutrition from Purdue University and then further west to take up a faculty research and extension position at the University of Nebraska.  In 2003 Rick moved back closer to his roots when he was selected as President of the Miner Institute, succeeding Dr. Charlie Sniffen in that position.  He has won numerous awards for his contributions to the industry and is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Vermont, Cornell University and Plattsburgh State University.  Rick also chaired NEAFA’s education committee for several years and served a term as our President.

Over the last 20 years at Miner Institute, Rick has led a team of dedicated scientists and outreach specialists in fulfillment of Miner Institute’s Mission of Research, Education and Demonstration across their focus areas of dairy and equine management, crops and environmental conservation in Northern NY.  In his typical gracious way, Rick suggested that the award was not for his contributions, but rather those of the whole Miner Institute team.  

The breadth of Rick’s contributions are widely recognized.  The research from the Miner Institute in his 20 year tenure has made significant inroads into many important topics:

• Forage quality and digestibility, fiber analytics and metabolism

• Feeding behavior, stocking density, cow comfort and time-budgets of dairy cattle

• Dairy ration modelling and formulation

• Milk fatty acid synthesis and analysis

• Dairy innovation and sustainability

• Transition cow metabolism, inflammation, management and health

As several of the conference participants related to me after the award, it wasn’t just the depth and breadth of Rick’s work that was so admirable, but really it was his ability to translate that work into information and practices that they could adopt for the betterment of dairy cows, their managers and farm profitability.  Rick’s contributions have truly made the global dairy industry more efficient, profitable and sustainable. To view the latest farm report from the Miner Institute, click here.

Ongoing Advocacy

By Charlie Elrod, Ph.D.

President and CEO, Natural Biologics, Inc. and V.P. NEAFA

There are a lot of different forms that NEAFA’s advocacy efforts take.  You have heard a lot about the work with our lobbyists; Rick Zimmerman in years past and Hinman Straub starting this year.  Many of you have participated in our annual lobby days where we meet with legislators and their staffs to highlight issues of concern to agriculture.  Some of these are budgetary, such as advocating for funding for PRODairy, FarmNet or the Diagnostic Lab.  Others are more policy-oriented such as opposition to the banning of neonicotinoids as a seed treatment.

One advocacy effort which you may be less aware of is the practice of “signing-on” to letters which add our support, or opposition, to various topics.  Generally, this takes the form of a draft letter coming from another organization such as NY Farm Bureau, NEDPA, AFIA or others.  The issue could be local, such as the proposed neonic ban in NY, or national, such as improving port access for agricultural crops.  Our process has been to circulate the letter among the board members and get their vote on whether to add our endorsement to the effort.  Going forward, the communications committee suggested, and the board approved, that we publish on the NEAFA website all the letters which our board of directors has agreed to sign-on to.  In that way we hope to keep you better informed about our ongoing efforts to support better agricultural policy.

Below are some of the letters the board has agreed to endorse in the past few months:

• Along with 65 other ag organizations from across the U.S. we supported a letter to President Biden encouraging the US Trade Representative’s consultations with Mexico concerning its ban on imports of biotech corn.

• A memorandum of support to VT’s governor for funding for the Working Lands Enterprise Fund and grants to small and mid-sized ag producers which were included in the Governor’s budget, but were cut in the legislature.

• Along with 67 NY-based ag entities we opposed the Senate and Assembly bills which would ban the use of neonicotinoids as seed treatments in NY.

• With 23 national and regional ag groups we wrote to the U.S. Senate and House chairs of the Committees on Environment & Public Works and Transportation & Infrastructure in support of the Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking (SHIP IT) Act.  

These are just a few of the state, regional and national issues which we have weighed in on your behalf.  If we continue to speak up, hopefully we can influence policy and funding in support of prudent legislation to support the industries which provide food, feed and fiber for our country and the world.

To view these letters, click here.

President's Pen, April 2023: Planting for Success

By Jenny Mills, NEAFA President

Spring has sprung in the Northeast – one week we were reaching for the t-shirts and shorts and the next week we were digging the winter jackets back out - a reminder of how diverse our weather and agricultural landscape is!  Spring’s cycle of planning and planting is not just seen in the many fields being worked, but also in our state capitols with legislative sessions in full swing as well as industry meetings and gatherings.  

It was wonderful to connect with many of you at the Herd Health and Nutrition Conference that was held April 3rd and 4th in Syracuse.  We held our NEAFA spring Board meeting just prior to the conference, and focused on advocacy updates with Hinman Straub, our lobby team in New York reviewing the current budget proposals.  There is a renewed effort in the legislature around the “birds and bees bill” that, if enacted, would ban the use of neonicotinoid class pesticides as seed treatments.  

This prohibition would significantly impact the ability of New York farmers to successfully raise sufficient crops, including corn for grain and silage, beans, wheat, barley, oats, pumpkins, and soybeans, which are valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars to NY farmers.  This bill came up last session as well.  Hinman Straub continues to monitor committee agendas and we have written a memo articulating why NEAFA is opposed to this bill, citing economic, environmental and production impacts.  

We are excited to continue advocacy efforts in Vermont by collaborating with the Vermont Dairy Producers Association.  NEAFA will work with VDPA to have representation in Montpelier, with the goal of having a consistent pro-ag message.  Thank you to our board members Charlie Elrod, Kevin Kouri, Mike Thresher and VDPA members Amanda St. Pierre and Bill Rowell for brainstorming what a successful relationship would look like moving forward so both organizations keep a clear identity while multiplying advocacy efforts.  

On the education front, kudos to the Cornell Pro Dairy team and our education committee, headed up by Dr. Kristan Reed, on planning and delivering a great Herd Health and Nutrition Conference.  It was wonderful to catch up with many of you, and we were able to welcome several new members at our table over the two days.  Relevant presentations around current nutrition research including particle size of corn silage on performance, heat stress with varying heat abatement strategies, impacts of crossbreeding on feed efficiency from pasture and confinement environments, as well as a great presentation on the dairy economic outlook and a fantastic producer panel around managing the herd utilizing wearable technology which gave the audience several ideas that can be implemented with producers.  Thank you to the many sponsors of the conference.  We look forward to your feedback to continue to improve the program and topics for next year!

The Herd Health and Nutrition Conference was also a very fitting place to present our final Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Rick Grant.  As a past President of NEAFA and Chair of the Education committee, Rick’s impact on our Northeast agricultural industry has been huge.  Please check out the article by Dr. Charlie Elrod on this special presentation by clicking here. 

Looking ahead, we are excited to see you at our Annual Golf for Good Works event to be held on Tuesday August 22, with a reception to be held Monday evening August 21 at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, NY.  Great golf combined with a first class networking event are in store again for this year.  Please note, due to the many conflicts that our June date posed with graduations, we pivoted this event to hopefully accommodate your schedule!

I look forward to seeing you soon – Happy Spring, stay safe as we plant and plan for a successful harvest all over the Northeast – in the fields, state capitols and with many industry happenings!

2023 US Dairy Situation & Outlook: Chris Wolf at NEAFA Annual Meeting

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

Chris Wolf, the E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics at the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University spoke at the recent 2023 NEAFA Annual Meeting, held at the Albany Marriott in Albany, NY on February 8th, 2023. Wolf gave NEAFA members and attendees an update on the current 2023 United States (US) dairy situation and outlook for the upcoming year.

As many of NEAFA members are well aware, dairy prices have been volatile over the past several years. According to Wolf, the 2022 class III price averaged $20.96/cwt. “Butter supplies have been tight,” said Wolf. “With milk production going into butter, we’ve seen prices come down some small amount. The NY Mailbox price averaged approximately $25, with higher milk prices than what we’ve seen in the past. Prices nationally hit an all time high in May 2022 of $27.30.”

Overall, the milk production in the US saw a small increase year over year for 2022. “There was a .2% increase overall this year,” said Wolf. “Production dipped in the first half of the year… but as restrictions from base programs relaxed, higher prices built some momentum in the second half of the year. New York milk production saw an increase of .8%. Nationally, 40,000 milk cows were added this past year.”

When comparing US milk prices to both the European Union and New Zealand, the US is significantly higher for the past several years, though as of November 2022, prices in the EU edged out the US. “Europe’s milk production has been stagnant, and their costs have increased at the farm level,” said Wolf. “It’s fairly typical to see the lower prices from New Zealand. The products that they’re producing are mostly for export. About 90% of their milk is leaving, generally as whole and skim milk powder, which doesn’t receive the prices of other products.

At an export level, the US is competitive and growing. “There was 25% more value exported in 2022 vs 2021, which was a driving factor for the high farm milk prices,” said Wolf. “Looking forward at demand, it really comes down to consumer income and spending, both in the US and internationally. Nationally, US consumer income and spending is the focus; are we going to have a recession, how deep could it be, and what will it do to demand. Internationally, it’s largely about China, though we hope exports to Mexico, South Korea, Japan, etc., keep doing well as well.”

Wolf shifted his talk at this point to deal with the economy. “Interest rates, the federal funds rate, increased seven times in 2022,” said Wolf. “New loans have significantly higher rates now, so anyone that is looking for an operating loan, housing, land, etc., and hasn’t already locked in a rate can expect to pay more. Looking at unemployment, it’s a little misleading to say that we’re at the lowest level in 50 years. The US is currently at 60.2% employed, which is lower than before the pandemic. However, unemployment only counts those that are looking for employment. There was a large number of people that left the workforce due to Covid-19, and decided not to come back. We’re still facing inflation rates that are higher than desired. We’re quite a ways away from 2.5%. Any forecast that says interest rates drop by the end of 2023 are unrealistic currently. Wage growth however, continues to be strong”

Looking towards crops and weather implications, 2023 is likely to be the third consecutive year that we have a La Nina weather pattern. “This is the colder counterpart of El Nino, affects crops and pasture around the globe. In California for example, snow pack has lowered the drought conditions that we’ve seen there. We’re expecting to see dry to almost drought conditions in Brazil, Argentina, Texas/Central Plains, Africa, and New Zealand. We’re expecting a colder and stormier Northern US as well, with more Atlantic hurricanes. Australia and Southeastern Asia will likely have more precipitation than normal.” Because of this, Wolf predicts that New Zealand milk production will be “flat to slightly lower, due to La Nina and high input costs. The drought seen in the EU in 2022 forecasts a drop below 20 million head in 2023. This will lead to a continued decrease in milk production and deliveries for factory use, despite higher farm gate milk prices. In the US, milk production for 2023 is expected to increase by 0.3 billion pounds, with higher than expected cow numbers, and slightly faster growth of yield per cow.” According to Wolf, expect US dairy policy to be driven by the Farm Bill, federal milk marketing orders, as well as environmental concerns, labor, energy, and trade.

Panel Discussion Dives into Social Media at NEAFA Annual Meeting

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

The producer panel during the February 8th NEAFA Annual Meeting focused on using social media to promote agribusiness and farms. Eileen Jensen, from the NY Animal Agriculture Coalition moderated the discussion. Panelists included Carrie Edsall of Black Willow Farm, Johanna Bossard of Barbland and White Eagle Dairy and an agricultural teacher at Hamilton Central School, Paul Fouts of Fouts Farm, and Keith Franklin of Miller Farm.

Each panelist utilizes social media and the different platforms in a number of ways so that they can best tell the story of their respective businesses. “I’m very much a fly by the seat of my pants person,” said Edsall. “Instagram has been an easier platform for that for me. From moving sheep, gathering turkeys, etc., I gather video and photos as I go. I look at Facebook as more of an advertisement. That’s where I post really good pictures, push that we’re lambing, have new products, pastured poultry for the season, things like that. The ability to connect in two different ways, is great to have.

For Bossard, social media use is more about planning out her posts. “It’s the teacher aspect in me,” said Bossard. “I use scheduling apps to my advantage; the meta business suite is my friend. I don’t have the time to do posts in the moment, but I do know what I want to highlight and when it should go out. Someone is doing something at every moment of the day, and that’s not going to always be me. I’m not in the tractor, I’m not milking cows, or spreading manure. I have to rely on employees to get me footage. I do a lot of stuff at night time and on weekends, making posts and reels for the week. Most of the employees know to send me photos or video, even when spreading manure. The thing is, most people don’t know what we’re doing on the farm. Whether it’s changing a tire, welding a gate, or spreading manure, the general consumer wants to know that, and it’s good to get that footage from the people doing it.”

The panel also spoke on the challenges, positives, and negatives that come from using social media regularly. “It can be challenging coming up with new creative content,” said Franklin. “My role on the farm changed, for example. When I was around the cows, it seemed that they presented a lot of opportunities for photos. But being buried in an engine and fixing something, well that doesn’t seem as intriguing to me.”

Making sure that you use the right medium for each social media platform can be a challenge as well. “I try to use reels a lot in instagram; video or picture put to fun music,” said Bossard. “Videos on Facebook don’t do as well.”

As anyone that has spent a modicum of time in the comments section of a post will well know, posts can also have a negative interaction. “I’ve been fortunate not to have that many,” said Edsall. “When it happens it can be really frustrating. I try not to get defensive, because you really have to educate the general public about agricultural practices. They don’t know what they don’t know. We all have to share what we’re doing when we raise and consume meats and animal products. I do my best to turn the conversation to be educational and not take it personal.”

“I use a banned words list,” said Bossard. “You can block phrase or moderate comments based off of those words. With those safeguards set, they filter out 90% or so of the bad stuff. You have to ask yourself, do I want to deal with this, and is this a discussion with someone in the moveable middle. If not, banning is very easy.”

Conversations however, with those that are open to them, can be rewarding. “Quite a few times I’ve thought I don’t want to do this, it’s not worth it,” said Fouts. “But then I quite often get people that say that I’m one of the only things that they look at on Facebook, and that they use me as a resource to show people what agriculture is really like. There was one time that a person that my wife knows, they live in Los Angeles, and they shared an animal activist video, and I explained what they were actually seeing versus what they were being told by the video. It took several hours of back and forth before we reached an understanding. But I got through to them, and I changed their opinion on agriculture. That was when I decided I wanted to be able to get information out there that I wanted people to have access to. Social media is an easy way to have a connection with people.”

Those connections on social media can go far beyond someone’s friend’s list as well. “I think one of the first times that I felt that my little voice could reach a lot of people was during a corn harvest,” said Franklin. “I had a GoPro camera mounted on the combine to give multiple different video angles. Well I got done editing and posted it, and it got 10,000 views overnight! Throughout the day you’re getting dinged from people watching. It gave me the idea of the power of what you can do with just a little bit of tech.”

Bossard added that it is also a great way to educate the next generation. “The youth are always watching,” said Bossard. “They’ll come to me and say ‘I saw xyz thing, what’s going on here?’ If it spurs a conversation with someone not in agriculture, if it helps me connect with them and makes me more relatable to them, then it’s worth it. It’s not just kids too, it’s the same with other people in my life. I see a lot of other teachers in my life, and they’ll say “we had no idea you milked the cows this way, or that there was so much science that goes into feeding them.” If we all did that a little bit more, it wouldn’t be so overwhelming for advocating for agriculture on social media. You might not think you posting would make a difference, but I guarantees it does to someone; and that’s a win.”

For some, getting started posting to social media can be intimidating. “We’re all doing the same things,” said Bossard. “You can start by following others, and seeing what they’re doing. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Figure out a way to use a topic to highlight your farm. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask younger people in your life for help. Don’t know what kids want to see? Ask them. They’ll show you how to do reels. They’re an awesome generation. Let’s bring them in to the ag industry and have them teach us things when we need help too.”

Franklin adds, “Just do your thing. I was pretty computer illiterate when I started, but it’s not hard. We’re not going to be out there dancing on tiktok, but you can do other things. The people that you’ll reach are different from the people I reach, but you can look at how it spiderwebs out. If we all put out positive messages about agriculture, it’s harder for negative messages to get a foothold.”

Fouts agreed. “You don’t have to know what you’re doing,” said Fouts. “Starting out it boggled my mind that my routine is strange and interesting to so many people, but I know that I’ve reached a lot of different people and showed them what agriculture is all about. Just do it, be yourself, and be respectful.”

2023 NEAFA Scholarship Winners Announced

Pictured Here: Grayson Erion, Lauren King, Mary Padavan, and Holly Niefergold.

NEAFA is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Scholarship for Future Agriculturalists. NEAFA awards four $1000 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 2023 Winners include Lauren King, of Schuylerville, NY, Holly Niefergold from Lawtons, NY, and Mary Padavan from Seaford, NY, and Grayson Erion from Byron, NY.  NEAFA wishes them well as they start the next step in their educational goals.

Lauren King– Schuylerville, NY

“I am a Senior at Schuylerville High School, and the daughter of Jeff and Becky King,” said King. “I am a part of Kings-Ransom Farm and King Brothers Dairy where I enjoy working with our cattle, working in our farm store, and helping with ice cream production. I am a member of the FFA, currently serving as the chapter Vice President, as well as being elected the Saratoga County Dairy Ambassador. I play basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse, while also participating in the Tri-County Jr. Holstein Club, Cornell Junior Dairy Leaders, and New York State Junior Holstein Executive Committee. I love the farm and especially showing my Holstein cattle. I’ve been showing at the Saratoga County Fair, Tri-County Jr. Holstein Show, and various other shows such as the New York State Spring Carousel, New York State Show, and World Dairy Expo for the last several years. I will also be furthering my studies at Cornell University majoring in Animal Science and plan to continue advocating for the agriculture industry.”

Holly Niefergold– Lawtons, NY

”I am the 18 year old daughter of David and Emily Niefergold,” said Niefergold. “I am a third generation dairy farmer, and I am a senior at North Collins Jr./Sr. High School. Being valedictorian of my class kept me busy with my studies, but I found time for extracurricular activities as well. I am active in FFA, 4-H, Junior Dairy Leaders, Senior High Band, Jazz Band, Dairy Ambassador Promotion, National Honor Society and I work multiple jobs. I work on my family’s and neighbors dairy and crop farms, the Erie County Agricultural Society. I have an internship with Northeast AgriSoultions Force and Milk for Health. I have a passion for agriculture and have become a great advocate through all of my experiences. Serving as Erie County Dairy Princess, New York State Alternate Dairy Princess, and Springville FFA Vice-President I have gained an incredible amount of communication and leadership skills. I want to continue advocating for the agricultural industry and further develop my skills. I plan on attending SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill to pursue a degree in Agriculture Business Management.”

Mary Padavan– Seaford, NY

My name is Mary Padavan. I am a Senior at Seaford High School located in Nassau County on Long Island. I have been riding horses for 10 years. I have been attending the Horse Science and Management class through BOCES at LIU Post for the past two years. I am the Treasurer of our Future Farmers of America (FFA) club. I am a member of the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS), National Honor Society (NHS), 4-H, Girl Scouts and the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. I volunteer at the New York Equestrian Center where I also take riding lessons, work, and participate in horse shows. When I am not at the barn, I enjoy taking care of our family pet bunny and guniea pig.

Grayson Erion– Byron, NY

Grayson has been involved in agriculture since she was 10 years old. The purchase of a flock of chickens when she was four years old began her family’s small farm. Her family added two lamancha dairy goats to the farm when she was 10 years old, and the herd currently consists of eleven Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats. Since the original purchase of the dairy goats, Grayson has learned more about the animals every day, and today manages the small herd almost entirely on her own. From daily care to barn management and breeding lineups, Grayson has been managing the herd for almost two years. She also works on a jersey dairy, where she discovered her love of cattle and the dairy industry as a whole. Working on this dairy, she learned to bottle feed calves, operate a milking machine, pull a calf, and other skills that have helped to make her who she is. Grayson also learned to show dairy cattle, and now shows dairy cattle along with her dairy goats. She participates in 4-H and shows her livestock at the Orleans County 4-H fair. She is also involved in student council, served as the Vice-President of her FFA chapter, and is in the National Honor Society. Grayson is a high-honor roll student and is graduating a year early with plans to attend SUNY Cobleskill to major in Animal Science, with plans to become an agriculture teacher.

For more information on the NEAFA Scholarship for Future Agriculturalists, visit http://www.nyffafoundation.org/neafa-scholarship.html 

NEAFA LOBBY DAY AND LEGISLATIVE BUDGETS

By Julie Marlette, Hinman Straub

On Wednesday March 15th, NEAFA members gathered virtually for the 2023 lobby day. The initial plan had been to host an in - person event, however, a very severe storm in the Capital Region caused this event to be shifted to virtual. The night before our advocacy event, the legislative or “one house” budgets were released. Members had great conversations about what was in these proposals and how they aligned with NEAFA priorities. On Monday March 20th, Joint Budget Conference Committee meetings commenced, and the houses noted the similarities in their respective proposals. An overview of the status of  some of NEAFA’s priorities is below. 

Farm Labor Specialist

State support has allowed for a professional farm business / human resources cooperative extension specialist to provide timely, valuable information and guidance to farmer employers throughout the state. Recent increases in state investment have allowed the program to expand career growth and services for the Hispanic farm workforce, to improve farm employee housing management, and to improve employee training and workforce availability in New York agriculture. 

NEAFA supported the Executive’s proposed appropriation of $202,000 and requested a restoration of $199,000 to maintain the support for the Spanish speaking farm workforce. Both houses of the legislature included this restoration in their proposals.

NY Farm Viability Institute

The 302 projects that this program has supported have returned nearly seven dollars to the State’s economy for every dollar invested, and farm profitability has been enhanced by approximately $149 million. Projects have included the development of IPM practices in onions, reduced tillage on vegetable farms, biological controls for pest management, and the use of profitable winter forages as cover crops. They are growing to include climate change and green operations.

NEAFA supported the Executive’s proposed appropriation of $1 million and requested an additional appropriation of $1.5 million. The Assembly proposal would include and additional $1 million while the Senate proposal would seek to add the full $1.5 million. 

New York State Occupational Health Clinic Network (OHCN) and New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH)

The OHCN, through its nine member centers, serves as an essential resource for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of occupational disease and other work-related injuries and illnesses. The nine member centers are facing funding challenges, forcing the OHCN member centers to consider implementing future cuts to some programs and services. 

One of the centers, the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) - serves tens of thousands of agricultural workers around the state. NYCAMH offers the critically needed staff and expertise to carry out on-farm safety trainings, respirator fit testing, assisting with retrofitting farm equipment to enhance safety, and support the health of farm workers. 

NYCAMH requires $1 million increase in funding just to maintain current programs and services. Such a funding increase can only be possible if the overall funding for OHCN was increased. 

NEAFA supported the Executive’s continued funding for OHCN – including NYCAMH, and requested an increase in support, with $1 million of that increased dedicated to NYCAMH. The Assembly proposal included no increase. The Senate proposal includes a proposed $10.5 million increase for OHCN.   

Dairy Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub

The dairy entrepreneurship and innovation hub will help develop the next generation of dairy products and processing. This would drive success for New York’s farmers and strengthen the industry. 

NEAFA requested $500,000 to support the establishment of a dairy entrepreneurship and innovation hub. Unfortunately, this program was not funded in either proposal. 

Climate Adaptive Research Farms: Applied Infrastructure & Demonstration Projects

$5M in capital funding has been provided in recent years to support a series of practices and technologies designed to showcase agro-ecological approaches to managing climate adaptation, sequestering carbon, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on NYS-owned research farms including Cornell CALS dairy teaching and research farm. 

NEAFA requested an additional $5 million capital investment, which was included in both legislative proposals.

PRO-DAIRY

Pro-Dairy Core Program: Through PRO-DAIRY’s core program, New York’s dairy farmers are better prepared to implement business management, agronomic, environmental, herd health, nutrient management, and forage systems. The core program’s funding, continues the 32-year tradition of essential programming to ensure New York’s dairy farmers remain economically competitive. 

Additional investments in recent years have allowed the program to provide more support to New York’s dairy farms in achieving NY’s ambitious goal of a 15 percent reduction in GHG emissions from agriculture by 2030. Investments in on-farm research in GHG emissions reduction and improving stewardship and collaboration will be critical as the state moves towards a net-zero economy. 

NEAFA requested maintenance of the Executive’s proposed appropriation of $1.213 million and restoration of $250,000 included in the 2023 Enacted Budget. This restoration was included in both legislative proposals.

Dairy Profit Teams: Dairy Profit Teams have assisted over 250 dairy farms with strategic business planning to improve operational efficiencies to support the next generation on the farm. This program continues to serve an important need of the dairy industry.

NEAFA supported the Executive’s proposed appropriation of $370,000 which was included in both legislative proposals.

Dairy Advancement Program: The Dairy Advancement Program (DAP) has provided assistance to over 400 small to mid-sized dairy farms with environmental planning. The cost associated with professional planning is a barrier for many dairies, particularly those with fewer than 300 cows. The DAP helps farms engage the services of business and environmental planning professionals.

NEAFA supported the Executive’s proposed appropriation of $700,000 which was included in both legislative proposals.

NY FarmNet

This network of 46 consultants across the state are in place to respond to farmers’ requests for assistance. Professional financial and mental health consultants help farm families and businesses deal with the financial and emotional issues characteristic of an industry under severe stress. In 2021, FarmNet professionals worked with over 729 farmers on issues ranging from economic and mental health to business and estate planning. 

NEAFA supported the Executive’s proposed $1.4 million appropriation which was included in both legislative proposals.

Agricultural Education and Outreach Programs

These programs, including Future Farmers of America (FFA), Agriculture in the Classroom, and Agricultural educators create a pipeline for the next generation of farmers, agribusinesses, food companies, and industry leaders. Significant private industry support is leveraged with public funds to maximize the success of these programs.

NEAFA supported the Executive’s proposed appropriations totaling $2 million; $1 million for FFA, $500,000 for Agriculture in the Classroom and $500,000 for Agricultural Educators, all of which were included in the legislative proposals.  

Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Control

This program provides essential funding for assisting New York’s animal agriculture industry facing costly water quality regulations prescribed by DEC and EPA. Farmers are stewards of soil and water resources, yet comprehensive nutrient management plans can require more than what a farm business can reasonably afford. 

NEAFA supported the Executive’s Appropriation of $20 million for this program. Both legislative proposals included a proposed increase of $2 million.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

For over 32 years, this nationally-recognized program has provided the research and education necessary to develop and employ a “toolbox” of options that provide effective pest control in dairy barns, crop fields, orchards, vineyards, greenhouses, farmsteads, golf courses, and gardens. Reducing pest threats, protecting the environment, and protecting New Yorkers are part of the IPM Program’s mission.

NEAFA supported the Executive’s proposed appropriations for IPM; $2 million for agricultural nonpoint and $1 million for community nonpoint. These appropriations were included in both legislative proposals.

Investment Tax Credit for Farmers

The Executive Budget Proposal would make the investment tax credit (ITC) fully refundable for eligible farmers through December 31, 2027 and assist farmers with investments in their agri-enterprises. Additional changes would allow eligible farmers to receive relief that would enable them to continue to update, modernize, and invest in their farming operations.

NEAFA supported the Executive Proposal which was included in both legislative proposals. 

Vice-President's Pen: Investing in the Future of Our Industry

By Charlie Elrod, Ph.D.

Vice-President, NEAFA

President, Natural Biologics, Inc.

As I write this, we are preparing to hold our annual New York lobby day with Assembly members and Senators in Albany.  Advocating on behalf of Northeast agriculture is a cornerstone, and probably the greatest value proposition of NEAFA.  In addition to our usual budgetary requests for programs such as Pro-Dairy, the NY Farm Viability Institute, Integrated Pest Management, etc., we are also advocating for budgetary support for FFA, Ag in the Classroom and training for Agricultural Educators, to help ensure the next generation of motivated and well-trained agriculturalists follow in our footsteps.

As you know, this year we have engaged with Hinman Straub as our lobbyists in Albany.  We are also in discussions with the Vermont Dairy Producers Alliance and Vermont Feed Dealers Association to collaborate on advocacy in VT.  These activities require not only the time and energy of NEAFA volunteers, but also significant financial resources that come from you, our members.  One way to go above and beyond simply being a member of NEAFA is to sign up for our Sustaining Sponsors Program.  Ranging from a $1000 up to $5000 annually, these sponsors have committed to making substantial investments in the activities of NEAFA and the future of agriculture in the Northeast.  

Some of the businesses in NEAFA are only a few years old; others are multi-generational.  Regardless of age of the company, we have all committed ourselves to the hope that a vibrant agricultural industry will be around for many years to come.  Effective advocacy is one way to move the needle in support of a regulatory and business environment conducive to sustainable agriculture in the Northeast.  Thank you to the nineteen companies that currently support NEAFA’s Sustaining Sponsor Program.  My hope is that more of the NEAFA members will step up and make additional investments in the future of Northeast agriculture.  You can sign up for the sustaining sponsor program here.

Lastly, I want to give a shout-out to Debby and Corwin Holtz for their recent investment in undergraduate education in dairy science at Cornell.  Their generous gift will support practical, real-world learning experiences for future generations of dairy science students.  Your support of the NEAFA Sustaining Sponsorship Program will help make sure there is a dairy industry in which those students can enjoy rewarding careers.

NE-DBIC Dairy Grants Available – SHARE WITH YOUR DAIRY FARM CUSTOMERS

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC), hosted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, provides support to dairy businesses through projects that promote the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products. The NE-DBIC serves an eleven-state region, which includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.  The NE-DBIC investment and project strategy uplifts innovation and resiliency for regional production of dairy products. Key projects center dairy farms and processors, providing additional support through market research and technical assistance.

To date, $38.77 million has been awarded to the NE-DBIC for projects extending through 2026. More than half of all federal funding awarded for the NE-DBIC is granted directly to dairy businesses. Past and current projects have offered health and safety training, marketing strategies, grazing transition support, technical assistance, community networks, and industry training to project recipients and interested region constituents. The NE-DBIC is one of four regional USDA Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBII) in the nation.  For more information on grants specifically, click here.

For more information on the overall program, contact Laura Ginsburg at Dairy Development and Innovation Lead, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. http://agriculture.vermont.gov, by phone at 802-522-2252, and by email at laura.Ginsburg@vermont.gov.

Hinman Straub Budget Summary

Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her FY 2024 Executive Budget address on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, in the “Red Room” at the State Capitol in Albany. Her budget proposal totals $227 billion, a $5.4 billion increase (2.4%) over FY 2023.  She reiterated her recent pledge not to raise income taxes this year. 

Tax receipts have surged in recent months, resulting in a General Fund surplus of approximately $8.7 billion. More than half of the surplus will be used to accelerate deposits to “rainy day” reserves planned for FY 2024 ($2.4 billion) and FY 2025 ($2.9 billion).

Highlights of the 2024 Executive Budget proposal of historic and particular interest to NEAFA members include the following:

APPROPRIATIONS

PRO-DAIRY 

• Cornell University Core Program $1.213 million: The Executive Budget proposes level funding to the last Executive proposal but does not include the $250,000 legislative add adopted last year. 

• Dairy Profit Team $374,000: The Executive Budget proposal would provide level funding for this program. 

• Dairy Advancement Program $700,000: The Executive Budget proposal would provide level funding for this program.

FARM VIABILITY INSTITUTE

• $1 million: The Executive Budget proposes level funding to the last Executive proposal but does not include the $850,000 legislative add adopted last year. 

NY FarmNet

• Cornell University Core Program $1 million: The Executive Budget proposal would provide level funding for this program.

• Mental Health Initiative $400,000: The Executive Budget proposal would provide level funding for this program.

FARM LABOR SPECIALIST

• Cornell University Farm Labor Specialist $202,000: The Executive Budget proposes level funding to the last Executive proposal but does not include the $199,000 legislative add adopted last year. 

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

• Future Farmers of America $1 million: The Executive Budget proposal would provide level funding for this program. 

• Agricultural Educators $500,000: The Executive Budget proposal would provide level funding for this program.

• Agriculture in the Classroom $500,000: The Executive Budget proposal would provide level funding for this program.

ENVIROMENTAL PROGRAMS

• Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Control $20 million: The Executive Budget proposal would provide level funding for this program.

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) $3 million: The Executive Budget proposal would provide level funding for this program.

• $2 million for Agriculture non-point IPM.

• $1 million for Community non-point IPM. 

• Pesticide Safety Education Program $250,000: The Executive Budget proposal would provide level funding for this program.

POLICY PROPOSALS

Modify the Investment Tax Credit for Farmers

The Executive Budget Proposal would make the investment tax credit (ITC) fully refundable for eligible farmers for five years, through December 31, 2027 and assist farmers with investments in their agri-enterprises. Additional changes would allow eligible farmers to receive relief that would enable them to continue to invest in their farming operations.

Cap and Invest Program & Climate Action Fund

The Executive Budget proposal would implement a “cap-and-invest” program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 40% by 2030 and no less than 85% by 2050.  This bill is part of the effort to meet the goals enacted in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) to provide a framework for the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to establish an “effective and affordable” cap-and-invest program.

Minimum Wage

The Executive Budget proposal would increase the minimum wage automatically each year to keep pace with inflation. After reaching $15 per hour, each region’s minimum wage would increase consistent with the year-over-year Consumer Price Index-W for the Northeast Region. The bill caps annual increases at three percent and provides that the minimum wage will not increase in the event of certain economic conditions, such as increases in the rate of unemployment.

Eliminating Food Scarcity 

The Executive Budget proposal includes a grant program to target food scarcity. The proposal would provide $10 million in grant funding to aid retail food stores in creating new access points for markets, shorten supply chains, and promote equitable food distribution. This new program will work toward the establishment of farm markets, supermarkets, food cooperatives, and other similar retail food stores, along with supporting infrastructure in underserved communities and regions of the state.

Waste Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act 

The Executive Budget proposal would seek to establish an extended producer responsibility program for packaging and paper products. The proposal would define the products and entities covered, establish minimum convenience standards, recycling rates, recovery rates, post-consumer recycled content rates, source reduction rates, and create a funding mechanism.

Farm to School Flexibility

The Executive Budget Proposal seeks to allow greater flexibility for local governments, including school district procurement by eliminating the restriction that limits purchasing from associations of more than ten producers or growers. The proposal would also remove the limits on the amounts of eggs, livestock, fish, dairy products (excluding milk), juice, grains, and species of fresh fruit and vegetables that could be purchased directly from New York State producers or growers, or associations of New York State producers or growers. It also removes the limits on the direct purchases of milk from licensed milk producers, regardless of the number of employees the processors employ. If adopted, this proposal would allow for purchase of food products, grown, produced or harvested in New York without a competitive process, so long as the amount is less than or equal to $250,000 and the purchases are reported.

Farm Fresh, Locally Grown Food

The Executive Budget proposal would appropriate $10 million to support an increase for reimbursement for school lunches from $0.06 per meal to $0.25 per meal for any school districts that purchases at least 30% of its food from New York farmers and growers. 

NEDPA - Dairy/Transportation Summit Recap

NEDPA joined forces with the Northeast Agribusiness & Feed Alliance (NEAFA) to host the Dairy & Transportation Summit February 7 in Albany, NY. This summit was a follow up to the November 2021 Dairy Roundtable NEDPA hosted to identify the challenges and opportunities impacting the long term viability of the dairy industry in New York State. Milk hauling surfaced as critical issue, specifically driver shortages, maintenance costs, and plant delays, all of which have intensified since COVID.

NEAFA is a logical partner to further explore the transportation challenges for two primary reasons. First of all, NEAFA members are businesses that depend heavily on dairy farm customers for their survival. Secondly, transportation is also a critical issue for businesses sourcing and delivering feed, commodities and supplies to dairy farms. Panelists were invited to explore this perspective as well, citing many of the same challenges milk haulers face.

Dairy Farmer Perspective

Moderated by Tom Overton PRO-DAIRY, a panel of dairy farmers and Upstate-Niagara Cooperative Economist and Policy Analyst Jodi Smith- Krzysiak launched the summit to provide an overview of challenges and concerns ahead. Jodi Smith- Krzysiak began with an update on milk marketing. After the banner year of 2022, 2023 will fall short due to lower milk prices, higher input costs and inflation. She pointed out that inflation will cut from the consumer side as well. The price of dairy products are up approximately 15 percent from last year and these increases along with cost of other food is impacting what consumers are buying. The dairy industry’s reliance on export sales is another concern. Currently, one day’s national milk production per week needs to find a home overseas. The need for a better system for crisis management relief is imminent, especially in the face of more frequent extreme weather events. She also identified New York’s lofty net zero goals as a concern for both farmers and processors, beginning with limiting access to natural gas and also the prospect of packaging recycling responsibility.

NEDPA producer members Keith Kimball, Kendra Lamb, Stuart Ziehm and AJ Wormuth shared personal perspective on the challenges they see ahead for their dairies. The cost and availability of labor (including the state’s increasing minimum wage and overtime regulation), inflationary increase in input costs, growth limitations, and uncertainty of the impact of initiatives to meet CLCPA goals. All of these challenges with the reality of being price-takers and the inability to add cows.

“The model broke,” stated AJ Wormuth, “We used to be able to get bigger to cover increasing costs. Then base restrictions and quotas limited growth, forcing consolidation to gain market share. What is the new model? We have more costs, more regulation, no ability to price our product and we can’t grow our way out of it.”

Transportation Challenges

“Challenges in milk transportation are not new,” began Farm Credit East’s Chris Laughton introducing a white paper he prepared on Challenges in Northeast Milk Transportation. He quoted a 1943 report identifying “a lack of drivers

and related personnel, low volume routes, and insufficient compensation for transporters as major challenges 80 years ago as well.

“The average age driver in the American fleet is 57, as compared to 42 in other sectors,” began Michael Howlett, moderator of a panel to address driver availability, training and licensing. His Howlett Farms operation includes a fleet of trucks for grain and commodity transportation. “Our drivers want three things: predictable work, predictable pay and predictable home time.”

“First of all, as a society, we need to respect and value blue collar careers,” began Chris Laughton identifying a solution path. “We need to identify and remove barriers to entry to those careers and we need to effectively market ourselves. We need to spend as much effort marketing to potential employees as we do marketing our products to consumers.”

Attracting/introducing young people to truck driving as a vocation at an early age was one solution identified by several on the panel. Robert Faley, Vermont Agency of Transportation, shared they’ve started an internship program for 16-year-olds. Kendra Hems, president of the Trucking Association of New York suggested the need to communicate the opportunity as a respected career to parents and students at a young age. There were suggestions to reach out to charter schools and be part of career exploration events. Commissioner Ball highlighted Ag Career Days at State Fair as an opportunity to plant seeds for future drivers. Chris White, NY DOL Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Development, suggested contacting your local BOCES to offer a program and talk to community colleges, which are hungry to be relevant in communities. New York has made it possible for 18-year-olds to begin CDL training, but additional training is required, insurance costs may be restrictive and they would not be qualified to drive in other states. 

Hems and White both identified grant and funding sources to help cover CDL training costs. Simulator training is also an option and NYS DOL is launching these training opportunities in corrections facilities.

As a marketing suggestion, White suggested asking an employee or driver who has been with you a number of years,

“Hey, why are you here? Why do you do this?” Then use his/her answers as your talking points to recruit prospects. He also warns not to take current employees for granted -- ask what you could do better.

Hems pointed out that culture is important. Drivers want to know who they work for and what they stand for. Agriculture has a great message,” she pointed out.

Raw Milk Hauling Bottlenecks/Solutions

In an industry that operates 24/7 producing a perishable product, with no possibility to shut down production at the source (the farms), any disruption from farm to processing plant delays can cause a bottle necks. A panel discussing these challenges and possible solutions was moderated by Tonya Van Slyke. Panelists Eric Ericksen, who shut down his Greene Trucking milk hauling business last spring, Keith Kimball, who hauls his own milk, Barney McConnell, DFA Senior Director of Transportation, and Mike Davis, Upstate-Niagara Coop General Manager, Membership & Bulk Sales Division identified the following challenges:

■ Delays/ reduced hours/ slow turnaround time at plants – causing long waits, disruption of routes, driver frustration and resignations. Solution: investment in infrastructure/storage, unloading efficiencies, expanded hours

■ Pick up efficiency at farms. Solution: more storage, high-speed pumps, better/faster cooling capacity, improved accessibility of tank

■ State road closures due to weather events. Solution: provide exemption options for milk trucks/processing plant workers

■ Varying weight restrictions on roads and bridges/ different highway weight restrictions state to state. Solution: investment in NYS roads and bridges/ work with other states to update regulations

Panelist Laura Ginsburg, who leads the federally-funded Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center, hosted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, encouraged producers and processors to contact The Center for grant funding available for many of the capital project solutions identified to improve supply chain logistics, both on farm and at processing plants. (email: laura.ginsburg@vermont.gov/ phone 802-522-2252)

Panelist Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture Jennifer Trodden stressed Ag and Markets commitment to the dairy industry. She explained that the Dairy Think Tank has challenged the Department to focus on workforce development and processing expansion. The Department is taking an interagency approach to meeting the goals of these priority areas.

Feed Commodity Bottlenecks

Andy Dugan of Gold Star Feed & Grain moderated a panel to discuss the bottlenecks existing in feed transportation. Panelists Blake Lutz, Lutz Feed, Kevin Kouri, Phoenix Feed & Nutrition, Greg McCulloch, Feed Ingredient Trading Co. echoed the challenges voiced in previous panels, adding a 25% increase in the cost of new trucks and maintenance to the list. Consolidation of farms has stretched delivery distances. In some cases, smaller customers have been dropped to improve efficiencies.

Panelist Jim Walsh of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP addressed New York’s proposed aggressive transition to EV trucks. The industry is lobbying to slow it down, as there are currently no EV heavy trucks on the market that can travel the distances required. There is currently not one EV truck recharging unit in New York State. The weight and mileage limitations of current battery technology would require 30 to 50 percent more trucks to meet current demands.

“Overall the mandate the state has taken on sets a very high bar. It is up to us to make the point of how it will impact the average consumer,” Walsh explained. “We have raised all the technical obstacles, but those have fallen on deaf ears.”

President's Pen: February 2023

Jenny Mills

February 2023

As we look forward to spring, this chilly February day is a good time to reflect on the activity within Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance this past month and anticipate several events coming in the next several weeks.  As members and partners of NEAFA, I hope to see and connect with you soon!

A little reflection…….

First, you probably noticed that this isn’t Danielle’s face!  At the February board meeting, our new executive team was installed.  As the incoming President, I have been blessed with mentorship from Danielle Penney-Stroop these past two years, and thankful for the leadership she has demonstrated as we worked our strategic plan to action, including many changes to our core pillars of advocacy, collaboration, and education to ensure our success within an ever-changing agricultural landscape.  As Danielle transitions into the role of immediate Past President, I am thankful she is still a phone call or text away!  We are also excited to welcome Dr Charlie Elrod as our new Vice President.  Charlie’s contributions as a board member and Chair of our Communications Committee, combined with his forward-thinking outlook on all aspects of agriculture will help our Executive Committee as we tackle our next two years together!  I am also thankful to Corwin Holtz, our Secretary and Barry Baetz, our Treasurer, who have been huge advocates for our feed industry members, suppliers and dairy producers alike.   A huge thank you to John Clark, who retires from the Executive Committee and board.  John has put in countless hours this past decade plus to make NEAFA a better organization.  Lastly, thank you to three retiring board members, including Mark Anderson (thank you Mark for the many years as Conventions Chair), Michael Howlett, and Greg McCullouch.  Thank you for all the time spent volunteering for NEAFA.

I am excited to help welcome four new NEAFA board members: Bonnie Bargstedt, Jen Conard, Jeff Matuszczak, and Jason Zimmerman.  These four members represent different segments of our membership and their perspective, experience and leadership will be welcome in the next three plus years!

The theme for our annual meeting this year was “Tackling Today’s Disruptions.”  In addition to our meeting, a transportation summit was held the day prior as a collaboration with Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA) and several other dairy allied groups, with the goal of presenting the challenges and potential solutions of transporting milk and all the inputs up and down the supply chain to our collective members, government officials and allied industry.  Many collaborators worked countless hours to bring the transportation summit to life – thank you to Tonya Van Slyke, Alyssa Kealy and the NEDPA board of directors, as well as Danielle Stroop, Kevin Kouri, Blake Lutz, Mike Thresher, Sue VanAmburgh, John Mitchell and Rick Zimmerman. We are looking forward to continuing to collaborate with NEDPA and state government representatives to make real reform in the upcoming months within the halls of various Northeastern states and our federal government.  This will be one of our upcoming Lobby Day themes.  Stay tuned for a full report from both our Annual Meeting and the Transportation Summit.

Looking forward………

As Danielle recently highlighted, we are excited to work with Hinman Straub and Associates for our legislative and advocacy efforts.  They have contributed an article in this newsletter to introduce their team and we are planning the NEAFA Lobby Day in NY for March 15.  I hope you can attend this important advocacy event to show support for funding needs for programs critical to our industry.  Please register at this link if you are interested in attending Lobby Day: Click Here  

Agricultural advocacy goes beyond New York borders.  Several board members attended the Vermont Dairy Producers meeting on February 21 and explored options to grow advocacy efforts in Vermont, meeting with several industry groups, including the Vermont Feed Dealers and the Vermont Dairy Producers Association.  Stay tuned as we develop plans in Vermont as well as other New England states.  Your ideas and voice matters – please reach out with thoughts!

In addition to advocacy, plans are in full swing for our upcoming Herd Health and Nutrition Conference in Syracuse, to be held April 3-4.  An action packed agenda with great speakers is being planned – check out cals.cornell.edu/pro-dairy to learn more!

While our agricultural landscape continues to change, and some days we feel the brunt of “Tackling Today’s Disruptions,” I am excited about the future of our industry in the Northeast.  I am excited to collaborate with several allied groups and state government representatives around transportation reform.  I am excited to see NEAFA’s efforts grow with our Good Works program and assist youth interested in agriculture from all over the Northeast with educational opportunities and scholarships.  Most of all, I am excited to visit with our members (You!) and work with our board to collaborate, advocate and educate on behalf of NEAFA.  I look forward to connecting with you soon!

Your voice matters!

Jenny   

Share the Love of NEAFA!

By Charlie Elrod, Ph.D, President & CEO Natural Biologics, Inc., Board of Directors, Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance

Once a month, this newsletter lands in your inbox, and about 45% of you click through to read an article.  That’s an amazing open rate for a newsletter!  I recently analyzed the click-rate by the type of article and it will be no surprise to you that nearly 80% of the people who open the newsletter click through to read the President’s Pen article (Nice job, Danielle!). Getting over 50% click throughs are member profiles and NEAFA announcements.  About a third of readers will go on to read an article on our lobbying efforts and recognition of other members’ achievements. We really have a very high level of engagement with the NEAFA News.

I recently started sharing the NEAFA News with the rest of my team, most of whom live and work outside the Northeast. Their feedback was very positive, and they asked that I keep sharing it. Why don’t you try sharing the newsletter with your team, or other colleagues who may not be members of NEAFA?  We all benefit from having wider exposure of the topics that we deal with and tackle every day, and it could very well help drive some people to enjoy the benefits of becoming a member! Try it out and see what kind of feedback you get from your friends, colleagues, and co-workers.

I’ll also make an appeal here for anyone interested in working with the communications committee to please get in touch with me directly (celrod@naturalbiologics.com ).  We would really benefit from the insight into your specific corner of the agricultural community. You could help drive the direction that the newsletter takes each month.  NEAFA is the voice for agribusiness throughout the northeast, and the more that you interact with us, the better we can serve as an organization.

NEAFA Member Profile: Global Agri-Trade

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

This month’s NEAFA Member Profile is Global Agri-Trade (GAT), a member of NEAFA since 2014, and a leading importer of palm oil in the United States since their formation in 2004. “I joined GAT in 2014 because I had been a customer of theirs,” said Barry Baetz, Director of Sales at GAT and NEAFA Executive Board Treasurer. “I was one of their earliest customers, and I left my prior job to join GAT because of my knowledge and confidence in the product from my experiences with it at Shur-Gain, and I was interested in supporting the sales and growth of their market.” Baetz has a long history with agriculture. “I’m from Canada originally, and I received my animal science degree in Ontario at the University of Guelph. After graduation I became involved in the agriculture industry, focusing on the dairy side of things. I was with Shur-Gain for 20 years, working on dairy nutrition and general management.”

GAT is based out of  Rancho Dominguez, California, but has offices and warehouses throughout the United States. “When the organization started in 2004, their primary port was in Los Angeles, which is the largest in the country,” said Baetz. “Since then, the group has grown substantially, and we have warehouse locations throughout the states and on both coasts. We have a location in Alexander, NY that I work out of. GAT’s focus is palm oil, its basic importation and its derivatives. There are two main divisions; human consumption, and the animal feed division. The food division is devoted to shortenings, baking products derived from palm oil, things like that. I’m part of the animal feed division.”

Baetz had prior experience with NEAFA before joining GAT, and he thought that the organization was a perfect fit for the business. “I’ve been on the NEAFA board of directors for 5 years, and I’m currently the treasurer on the executive board. NEAFA is great for so many different reasons. First, they are an organization that is proactive, and tries to enhance and improve the agricultural industry in the northeast. NEAFA’s focus is primarily on dairy, but we do have an overall interest in all agriculture. We’re a do-er type of organization vs an organization that has a lot of meetings, but doesn’t get much done in terms of legislation or out in the field. Our organization is very engaged in leadership, lobbying, advocacy, and education. The membership has always been interactive, and there’s a great social aspect to it as well with the annual meeting and the Golf for Good Works tournament.”

Speaking of the annual meeting, Baetz is looking forward to both the annual meeting and the Dairy/Transportation Summit the day before it begins. “The annual meeting this year is tremendous,” said Baetz. “It’s really great that NEAFA is working with NEDPA to come together and collaborate on this dairy/transportation summit the day prior to the annual meeting. It’s good that we can participate and bring value to such an important topic like transportation. It impacts all parts of agriculture and its community, and the whole country quite frankly. We’re excited to interact with the high level attendees that will be there. The NEAFA Annual Meeting has always been viewed as a value added benefit for our members because of the excellent speakers and the social component. It’s wonderful to have a chance to meet all of our fellow members and the industry leaders that attend. It’s an event that needs to be part of everyone’s schedule in agriculture in my opinion.”

Transportation is a large issue for GAT. “It has the potential to stop our business if import ships aren’t moving,” said Baetz. “Exorbitant costs are being charged to all parts of agriculture. Shipping and transportation is the backbone of business. All of our product comes in via containers. GAT is the number one importer of palm oil and products used in animal feed in the nation. When things in our world get slowed up, it has an impact on the industry nationwide. The costs that are being incurred from shipping drove up the palm oil market throughout the pandemic, and to this day it is keeping costs elevated. Trucking comes into play once our product gets to a sea port in the country. It needs to be transported to a warehouse and then trucked to customers. Trucking and the impacts that they’ve had from the pandemic has been a double whammy of costs being incurred by us, and sad to say by the end user as well. It is a direct impact on profitability on dairy in the nation. But palm oil is a product that is a staple for dairy nutrition formulation and diet. It’s a nutrient that is needed for dairy milk production. It has been a very tumultuous time, and things still aren’t back to normal. That’s why the upcoming Dairy/Transportation Summit is so important and comes into play. I’m looking forward to seeing our members at the upcoming meetings, and hearing their thoughts and experiences.”

Tackling Today’s Disruptions - NEAFA Annual Meeting and Dairy/Transportation Summit 2/7-8 in Albany!

You are Invited! – We Need YOUR Voice at our Transportation Summit and Annual Meeting that is quickly approaching.  The Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance is proud to partner with NEDPA to host the first dairy/transportation summit on Tuesday February 7, 2023.  The summit kicks off at noon and will cover topics that impact the feed industry, suppliers, dairy producers, and processors, including:

• Supply Chain Challenges

• Truck Driver Availability, Licensing and Training

• Bottlenecks in Raw Milk Procurement

• Transporting Feed Commodities – Bottlenecks

These topics will include several panels of individuals who are working to solve these disruptors as well as shape messaging for regulators.  We hope you will consider attending and share your experiences at the summit!

Tuesday evening will feature a reception where we hope you will continue the conversation, as we continue to solution through the transportation disruptors and opportunities we have to make our ag industries remain competitive in the Northeast!

Wednesday’s agenda shifts into the Annual Meeting for NEAFA.  Breakfast with vendors kicks off at 7:30am, please join us!  The Annual Meeting will start at 8:15 am with opening ceremonies from our NY State FFA officers and the morning will be hosted by MC John Clark focused on the following topics:

• Economic Update: Chris Wolf, Ph.D. – Professor of Ag Management & Policy, Cornell University

• Producer Panel: Social Media Moderator: Eileen Jensen – NY Animal Agriculture Coalition 

• AFIA Update: Constance Cullman, President & CEO - AFIA 

We will break into our Awards Luncheon to recognize Distinguished Service Awards, retiring board members and introduce Hinman Straub – NEAFA’s New Lobbying Team to the audience.

Our Keynote speaker is one not to miss at the Awards Luncheon!  “China’s Future and the Impact on American Agriculture” will be presented by Todd Thurman – Consultant, SwineTex Consulting Services, LLC.  Todd is very well known in the swine industry, a native of Texas and brings messages that will help us understand the global agriculture market landscape.

We hope to see YOU in a few short weeks at our Dairy/Transportation Summit and NEAFA Annual Meeting as we continue to work as an agricultural industry to tackle today’s disruptions!  Registration, hotel and sponsorship opportunities can be found at: 2023 NEAFA Annual Meeting — NEAFA— Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance (northeastalliance.com)

January 2023 President's Pen

By Danielle Penney-Stroop NEAFA President

Greetings and Happy New Year Everyone! January is typically a time for reflection and setting goals.  It’s energizing, a period of new beginnings filled with a sense of purpose and hope. How do you reflect? Is it focusing on segments of professional or personal aspects, or is it looking at all the facets of your life? Reflection requires focus and being honest with yourself, while recognizing the achievements and failures of the prior year. What did we learn and how do we set new achievable and measurable goals for future success? Herein lies some of my reflections…

The timing to reflect is perfect, as this will be my last President’s Pen article since my tenure heading up this wonderful group is coming to a close. On February 8th, at our annual meeting, current Vice President Jenny Mills will transition to the presidency of NEAFA. I am most excited to see Jenny take the reins and continue to work on transitioning our organization to a sustainable, viable voice for our members, as well as making a brighter future for agriculture in the northeast as a whole.   

Two years ago I transitioned to President under the guidance of John Clark and Rick Zimmerman, and a couple words encapsulate that time period; uncertainty and angst.  

We were still in the midst of the Covid pandemic, and there was a charged political climate with legislative issues coming hard and fast. Immigration policies, labor and wage board negotiations, neonic ban, truck weights, even Happy the Elephant. On top of that, we were working on how and when would we conduct our Annual Meeting and Golf for Good Works Tournament, and how/when would we review our strategic plan. And that was just the first few months of my tenure as president. Initially, I likened it to drinking from a fire hose.  

The first major order of business was having Dr. Larry Van De Valk, of Cornell University, facilitate our strategic meeting with the newly appointed board of directors.   In July of 2021, the board spent a day and half engaging and deep diving into our organization and the value we provide for our members. It was necessary to reflect on our previous strategic plan from 6 years earlier. Our analysis revealed that we needed to revise our strategies due to industry consolidations, the political climate, and change in our leadership within NEAFA, while continuing to meet the needs of our membership.   The decisions from this retreat would become NEAFA’s leading principle, determining our goals and direction for the remainder of my presidency.

At the end of August 2021, we conducted our delayed annual meeting, in combination with the Golf for Good Works Tournament. Even with Covid mitigation protocols in place, this turned out to be a celebratory and successful meeting and golfing event. In that year, we recognized the valuable modern tools available for communicating with one another from afar, but nothing beat seeing one another in person, and having face to face meetings and collaboration efforts.   

Much to my chagrin, it was announced shortly after that Rick Zimmerman would be retiring at the end of 2021 as our Executive Director, and would focus solely on lobbying for 2022. The Executive Team was charged with determining how we would fill the void of Executive Director, while moving the needle forward with our strategic plan. Graciously in December 2021, former NEAFA President John Mitchell stepped out of retirement and accepted the role of Interim Executive Director. 

This past year, John focused on the growth of our membership, and analyzed areas of opportunity. He assisted with our ten very active committees, helped with the planning of our annual meeting and upcoming transport summit, and provided feedback to the board on strategic alliance plans. We thank John for all that he accomplished this past year.   

Legislatively, there was never a shortage of policies, priorities, and actionable items for NEAFA to address all year long. We were key participants in the Happy the Elephant case, addressing truck weights and a myriad of transportation issues throughout New York and New England, and recognizing the loss of farms (conventional and organic) throughout New York and New England. NEAFA also participated on the ruling of origin of livestock, the judicious use of pesticides and antibiotics in constructive manners regarding the viability of our soil and livestock, and climate change initiatives. We also had another successful lobby day session with Rick Zimmerman leading the charge, with ten of our board members present and involved with thirteen legislators.   

Rick Zimmerman kept the board abreast of numerous issues facing our industry, and was key in the involvement of the GROW NY Coalition and Campaign, focused on the overtime threshold. While the OT threshold seems to have passed and is largely out of our hands now, the coalition has committed to remain intact and continue our work regarding labor unions and minimum wage fight.

At our annual meeting two years ago, I stated that “Our role of lobbying and involvement in political policies has never been more immediate and critical, especially as the rural vs urban population gap increases. We have an incredibly large freshman legislative class that needs information, guidance, and relationships with us, not just their non-agricultural constituents. We need a seat and voice at the table every time.” This grows more true and vital with every passing year, and our recognition of the value and importance of effective lobbying and advocacy led us to the hiring of Hinman Straub.    

We are confident that Hinman Straub Associates will help NEAFA build off the advocacy platform that Rick Zimmerman developed and grew for us over the past 15 years. The board and our members will continue to reach out to educate our downstate and new elected officials. We’re excited for the resources that Hinman Straub Associates has for effective lobbying on our behalf.  

Collaboration with our industry partners remains critical in all of our efforts to effectively communicate legislative issues, identify processing and transportation bottlenecks throughout our region, and preserving our industry as we consolidate. I am excited that the time invested with industry partners for the past two years will continue to grow and benefit our membership long term. We will continue our involvement and investment in the Grow NY Coalition, as well as partnerships with Northeast Dairy Producers Association, VT Dairy Producers Association, Dairy Food Association, and VT Feed Dealers.  

I thank you all for your constant support as well as patience as we transitioned through our leadership and management as an organization these past couple years. I greatly appreciate the staff of resources I had through this process; Sue VanAmburgh, Rick Zimmerman, John Clark, John Mitchell, Jenny Mills, Barry Baetz, Lon Stephens, and Corwin Holtz, as well as my incredible board of directors, both past and present.    

To our incoming President, Jenny, the advice I offer is to find and maintain your balance personally and professionally. Utilize your team’s gifts and strengths… lean on them the next 2 years. Don’t be afraid to delegate or ask for help… It takes a village applies here as well.  And finally, I believe you are the ideal next leader, as we continue this next phase of our leadership transition and growth for NEAFA.