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Madison County Agriculture’s Weekly E-Newsletter

February 3, 2010

Newsletter Includes:

Upcoming Events

- HOPS 101 — Coming March 20, 2010
- Calling all Madison County Farms – Sign up NOW for Open Farm Day
- Wood Biomass Energy Conference for the Adirondack Region
- Senator Valesky in Cazenovia
- Growing Market Opportunities-Farmers Market Managers Conference
- Grow Your Dream
- Master Beekeeper Program offers Apprentice Level Spring Course
- Berry Webinar Bramble Disease & Bramble Insects
- Beef Cattle Webinars
- FSIS MSU Webinar Recordings From Last Week
- Upcoming NY Certified Organic Meetings

In the News

New York Farm Liability Institute Action Alert
NYS IPM Program
Expanded Local-Food Home Delivery System and New Marketing Director
Expected freeze on domestic spending budget likely won’t affect farm programs, Peterson says
Proposed cuts to crop subsidies and EQIP

UPCOMING EVENTS
************************

Contact: Becca Jablonski

315-684-3001

Rb223@cornell.edu

Assemblyman Bill Magee, the Northeast Hops Alliance, the NYS Brewers Association, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County, and Madison County’s Agricultural Economic Development Program are pleased to Announce the launch of New York State’s Hops Institute.

The Hops Institute’s 1st Course, Hops 101 will be held as follows:

Saturday, March 20th

8am SHARP – 5pm

Saranac Brewery

830 Varick Street

Utica, NY 13502

February 3, 2010 – Assemblyman Bill Magee, the Northeast Hops Alliance (NeHA), the NYS Brewers Association, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County, and Madison County’s Agricultural Economic Development Program are pleased to announce New York State’s first Hops Institute. The Institute’s first hops course, Hops 101: an introduction to growing, processing and marketing hops in NYS, will be held on March 20th from 8am to 5pm at the Saranac Brewery in Utica. The course will be attended by current hop growers, prospective hop growers, commercial brewers, home brewers, government or agricultural extension agents, and hop enthusiasts.

In 2009, NYS Assemblyman Bill Magee gave Madison County’s Agricultural Economic Development Program funding to purchase a hops harvester and start the NYS Hops Institute. “I am pleased to be a part of hops returning to upstate NY,” said NYS Assemblyman Bill Magee. “We have a terrific opportunity in this historic hops growing region to produce hops for local micro-breweries. I believe this initiative will be an asset to the agricultural community, leading to economic development and job creation throughout Central NY.”

Hops 101 will be led by Gorst Valley Hops, based in Wisconsin. Gorst Valley offers knowledge and services in the growth and processing of hops to all Midwest farmers, including providing drying, pelletizing, and packaging capabilities for any regional hop grower. Gorst is working to re-introduce hops to the Midwest as a viable alternative crop to help ensure their region’s brewing heritage. In addition, Hops 101 will feature NYS hop grower and NYS commercial brewer panels.

Hops 101 will cover the following topics: Hop Horticulture and Botany; Hop Plantation Design; Production Overview; Hop Drying and Processing; Market Analysis/Brewer Relations; and, Regional Assistance Options. For more details on topics that will be discussed, please visit http://www.northeasthopalliance.org/

The course costs $75 for Northeast Hops Alliance (NeHA) members, and $95 for non-NeHA members. Become a NeHA member today! Course fee includes all course materials, lunch, and pizza/beer after the course. Registration is limited. Sign up today to reserve your spot.

“It is our goal that Hops 101 will be the first of many courses offered by the Institute,” said Becca Jablonski, Agricultural Economic Development Specialist for Madison County. “Hops 101 will provide an introduction to growing, processing and marketing hops in NYS. We hope to offer a 201 for a few farmers this summer who are ready to begin planting and growing hops.”

“There are over 50 breweries in NYS excited by the prospect of using hops grown in New York,” said David Katleski, Owner of the Empire Brewery and President of the NYS Brewers Association. “The conditions for growing hops in upstate NY are ideal. Having a proprietary varietal indigenous to NY will no doubt allow NYS breweries the ability to create beers uniquely NY.”

Larry Fisher, Owner of Foothill Hops Farm and President of the NE Hops Alliance said “it’s an exciting time for hops in New York. The goals of the Northeast Hops Alliance (NeHA) are being realized. Hops 101 is just one of several exciting projects that we anticipate for 2010. This course will provide technical information for everyone. Hopefully, Hops 101 will be just the beginning of a series of courses and networking opportunities for NYS growers and brewers. With continued effort, hops could become as viable an industry in New York as the grape/wine industry has become. We would like to thank the many people, both past and present, who have dedicated their time and resources to NeHa and its mission to promote and preserve hops in New York. A special thank you to Assemblyman Magee for his continuous support.”

For more information about Hops 101, please visit http://www.northeasthopalliance.org/ or call 315-684-3001

The Hops Institute is brought to you by:

Assemblyman Bill Magee

Gorst Valley Hops: www.gorstvalleyhops.com

Saranac Brewing Company: www.saranac.com

Morrisville State College: www.morrisville.edu

The NYS Brewers Association: www.thinkNYdrinkNY.com

The Northeast Hops Alliance (NeHA): www.northeasthopsalliance.org

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County: www.madisoncountycce.org

Madison County’s Agricultural Economic Development Program: www.madisoncountyagriculture.com

****

PRESS RELEASE
January 25, 2010

Calling all Madison County Farms
Sign Up Now to Participate in Madison County’s
3rd Annual Open Farm Day

Madison County’s Agricultural Economic Development Program is looking for farms interested in participating in the County’s 3rd Annual Buy Local Week and Open Farm Day (Sunday, July 18th through Saturday, July 25th). To participate, you or someone knowledgeable about the farm will need to be available between 10am and 4pm on Saturday, July 25th to welcome people to the farm, answer questions, give tours, etc. Open Farm Day is a great opportunity for your farm to get FREE publicity. Each participating farm will have its information distributed in the official Open Farm Day Passport and will be featured on farm maps/trails distributed throughout the County. Last year over 17,000 passports were distributed, resulting in over 1,000 visitors to 24 farms and 3 markets. Three participating farms reported inquiries from restaurants interested in cultivating a wholesale relationship (including one from NYC) – a direct result from press around the event; many farms reported sales over $500 on the day of the event, a few farms even sold out of product; and, many farms have reported Open Farm Day customers visiting the farm after the day’s event to purchase product.

“Buy Local Week presented a great opportunity to build our customer base. Our farm and farm stand are located on a town road, and not as visible as they could be. Through participating in Buy Local Week we had almost 100 people come to the farm, most of them for the first time. On top of that, because our farm stand is usually unattended, we had the opportunity to speak with many customers, some of whom had been visiting the farm stand for years and never met us. We look forward to participating again in 2010.” – Fay Lyon, Lyonwood Farm.

To register your farm, please call 315-684-3001 or email contact@madisoncountyagriculture.com.

Farms must register by Friday, February 26th, 2010.

****

Wood Biomass Energy Conference for the Adirondack Region

The Adirondack Research Consortium (Paul smith’s College) is organizing the following conference. It would be good if the front line people that would be involved in woody biomass attended to give their insights and perspectives.

Bio-Fuels Market Development One-Day Conference

Conference Sponsored By:

Farm Credit NE AgEnhancement Program

Wednesday, February 17, 2010, Holiday Inn, Saratoga Springs, NY

Planning and constructing a biofuel manufacturing or biomass energy generation facility must address physical, financial, regulatory/policy and feedstock supply issues. The conference will bring together people to discuss these topics from the perspectives of developers and investors.

Attendees will include: technology developers, local, regional and state economic development agencies, investment firms, state and federal regulating and funding agencies, local government officials, environmentalists, wood supply marketers, forest land owners and investors, attorneys, and engineers.

The Adirondack Research Consortium has received a grant from Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement Program in support of a Bio-Fuels Market Development One-Day Conference. To see a copy of the Consortium’s December 9, 2010 press release announcing the grant, please click here.

Take a look at the Program Overview for up-to-date details of the conference.

The Holiday Inn – Saratoga Springs has set aside rooms for conference attendees at the conference block rate of $89.00 single or double room. Contact the hotel directly for reservation information at 518-584-4550 and be sure to tell them you are attending the Adirondack Research Consortium’s Bio-Fuels Conference. You can also go to the online group reservation page at the Holiday Inn at www.spa-hi.com . The Holiday Inn – Saratoga Springs has a limited number of rooms set aside at this rate and will honor it until January 26, 2010, and thereafter depending on availability.

Flyer – http://www.adkresearch.org/data/file/Bioenergy%20conference%20flier_indd.pdf

Online registration – http://www.adkresearch.org/conference/BioFuel/

****

Senator Valesky in Cazenovia

You are invited to a Town Hall meeting with SENATOR DAVID J. VALESKY.

On Thursday, February 11, 2010, State Senator David J. Valesky will come to Cazenovia for a Town Hall style meeting. The appearance, sponsored by the Town of Cazenovia Democratic Committee, will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia Meeting House just behind the church at 27 Albany Street.

We are all anxious to hear Senator Valesky's views on Albany, politics and ethics, and he would like to hear our views on current issues like hydro-fracking, school aid and consolidation and budgets.  It is an honor to have Senator Valesky here, to listen to his views and to exchange ours.  The public, of every party or no party, is cordially invited and encouraged to come. Coffee and light desserts will be served.

Please use the Sullivan Street entrance to the Meeting House.  It is handicapped accessible.

7:00 p.m., Thursday, February 11. 2010, First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia Meeting House

Town of Cazenovia Democratic Committee

****

Growing Market Opportunities – Farmers Market Managers Conference

March 4-6, 2010 Holiday Inn, Waterloo/Seneca Falls, NY

The NY Farmers Market Manager’s Annual Conference, “Growing Market Opportunities”, is coming up fast! The Seneca Falls Development Corporation and Farmers Market will be hosting the conference at the Holiday Inn Waterloo/Seneca Falls, March 4-6.

Opening the conference with a visioning session, facilitator, Burke Keegan, will lead conference attendees through a discussion of the opportunities and challenges facing market growth. This session will be the opening volley leading into the following session, all focusing on growth potential for farmers markets – whether internal growth potential through management structure, innovative methods for increasing management structure or techniques for expanding our markets in season, location or reach.

Our featured guest speaker will be Fidel Delgado of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. Fidel will discuss site selection considerations and national trends for both seasonal and year-round farmers markets. This session will also address opportunities for accessing potential funding sources and partnerships to secure market sites. For those markets that are relocating, considering expanding the season through the winter, adding a new market to their organization, or who may just be in the start-up phase of establishing a market, this session will offer extensive valuable information.

New this year will be regional roundtables. This is an opportunity for farmer’s market managers to come together in regional meetings to discuss their common interests, mutual needs and ways they can work together on a regional basis. Markets are encouraged to come together and develop regional networks or use this opportunity for existing networks to come together for a brief meeting.

Conference will wrap up with a day long tour of farms of the Finger Lakes, including a local dairy, Muranda Cheese House, known for their artisanal cheeses, Red Jacket Orchards, Montezuma Wines, makers of both fruit and honey wines, and Hoover Farms, a diversified vegetable farm featuring high tunnel production.

The conference program and registration are posted on the Federation website at http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/workshops.htm Download the forms and register today!

The conference hotel is holding a room block until February 11. Be sure to reserve your room by then to receive the conference room rate.

****

Grow Your Dream: Online Courses To Help You Plan for Success

March 4 through April 15, 2010

Would like some guidance on the development or expansion of a farm enterprise, but are unable to attend any trainings near you? Are you comfortable enough with a computer to consider learning online? Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Cornell Small Farms Program have created two new online courses to help you plan your marketing and understand the legal and regulatory logistics related to starting a farm business. Join experienced CCE educators and 25 of your farmer peers in a dynamic learning experience that incorporates both self-paced readings and real-time virtual meetings with discussion forums, homework activities, guest presenters, and developing a customized plan for your next steps in farming.

The Cornell Small Farms Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) present:

BF 201: Marketing What You Produce

Most of us go into farming with the thought of making some – or all – of our livelihood through the sale of what we make or grow. Successful farmers plan each aspect of their operation carefully, and marketing is no exception. Completion of this online program will enable you to create a marketing plan that will help you maximize your return on your investment.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of at least one of our 101-level online courses and/or completion of preliminary work in defining your farm or other agriculturally-based business goals and mission.

Course dates: 6 weeks beginning Thurs. Mar 4, 2010 and ending Apr 15.

Instructor: Laura Biasillo – CCE Broome County

BF 101: What Do I Need to Do to Become a Farm Business?

New farmers often ask “How does my enterprise officially become recognized as a farm?” This question has many answers, all of which you’ll learn as a participant in this course. The course is for aspiring or beginning farmers seeking to learn about the commercial, legal and tax implications of farming.

Course length: 6 weeks beginning Thurs. Mar 4, 2010 and ending Apr 15

Instructor: Steve Hadcock – CCE Columbia County

COST is $150 per course

To Register, or for more details on course format and requirements, please visit http://www.nybeginningfarmers.org/index.php?page=onlinecourse

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Master Beekeeper Program offers Apprentice Level Spring Course – April & May

April 24-25, 9am-6pm at the Betterbee in Greenwich, NY

May 1-2, 9am-6pm at the Dyce Lab in Ithaca, NY

The Cornell University Master Beekeeper Program will conduct its two-day Apprentice Level Spring Workshop twice this year. Topics include the biology of the honey bee; starting with bees and beekeeping equipment; colony inspection; spring and summer management; and IPM for honey bee pests, parasites, pathogens and predators. Course fee is $140 and will include 2-hours of field work each day.

New beekeepers and experienced beekeepers looking for a refresher course are encouraged to attend. A workshop manual and refreshments are provided. For more information and to register visit http://www.masterbeekeeper.org/masterbeekeeper.htm.

****

Berry Webinar Series for February

Wed., February 17, 2010 – Bramble Insects

1:00 pm

The Cornell University Berry Program continues to host a series of webinars for Berry farmers, that feature experts on production and pest management topics and their current related research. All webinars are schedule for 1pm and are free. Registration is required, contact Laura McDermott at lgm4@cornell.edu or 518-746-2562.

For additional program details, information, and archived webinars visit http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/Berries/webcastarchive.htm.

****

Beef Cattle Webinars

February 11^th and 15^th, 2010

11:00 am Eastern Standard Time

12:00 pm Central Time/

The eXtension Beef Cattle Clearinghouse Community of Practice will conduct 2 webinars in February 2010. The dates for the webinars are February 11 and February 25; starting at noon Central time for 1 hour each. Speakers will be Dr. Bob Weaber, University of Missouri and Dr. Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska.

Dates and associated titles:

February 11, 2010:

Managing genetic defects in beef cattle: practical advice for protecting your herd and investment.

Topics covered will include a review of the mode of inheritance common to many genetic defects, understanding inbreeding, the importance of pedigree analysis, common genetic defects, practical advice for selection and culling to avoid or eliminate genetic defects in your herd.

February 25, 2010:

Mating systems to solve problems and add value to beef production systems: crossbreeding and the power of heterosis.

Topics covered will include a review of the fundamentals of heterosis (hybrid vigor), the power of crossbreeding to improve production efficiency, breed complementarity, simple and effective crossbreeding systems for large and small herds and why there’s been a surge in popularity of hybrid genetics.

Webinar Connection Instructions:

At the meeting time, simply click on the following link or copy and paste it into your browser to enter the meeting:

http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/beefcattle/

When you go to that URL you will find yourself at a login page. Simply enter your name under the “Enter as a Guest” heading. Click on “Enter Room.” The instructions that detail how to join the integrated phone audio conference will be on the screen when you join the meeting.

Anytime before the meeting you can visit the following URL to confirm your ability to connect to the Connect server: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/testconnect/

This webinar is being presented by the Beef Cattle Clearinghouse eXtension Community of Practice.

****

FSIS MSU Webinar Recordings From Last Week

If you missed last week’s 2 webinars from USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services on mobile slaughter units, you can find the recordings here: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Regulatory_Web_Seminars/index.as

Just click on the “Direct link” weblinks, go through the sign-in process, and view!

****

TOPIC:            Upcoming NY Certified Organic Meetings

DATE:            For Immediate release, February 1st, 2010

CONTACT:  Fay Benson, afb3@cornell.edu or 607-753-5077

ONLINE NEWS ROOM:  http://www.smallfarms.cornell.edu/pages/news/

The Organic Dairy Initiative is pleased to announce two upcoming meetings hosted by New York Certified Organic (NYCO), a coalition of organic farmers in the Fingerlakes region, to take place at the Geneva Experimental Station in Geneva, NY.  A video connection will allow NY participants to communicate with organic growers gathered at North Central Technical College in Wisconsin.  The meetings take place from 10am – 3pm.

February, 9th, 2010. How do Farmers Choose Organic Seed For Their Farms

Margaret Smith, Cornell Professor of Plant Breeding & Genetics, will be speaking about her project to develop organic corn seed that will resist conventional DNA, and have a trait to make it visibly different from other varieties. Professor Smith will also give farmers methods to compare different seed varieties on their farm as well as what traits to look for in a superior plant stock.

Following Professor Smith, Ben Keller, organic dairy and grain producer from Langlade County, WI, will give a presentation titled “Growing and Evaluating Organic Grain Crops in the short growing season of north central Wisconsin”.

Finally, Klaas Martens from Penn Yan NY will speak about the efforts he makes to pick seed verities that perform well on his farm.

The Meeting will start in Geneva NY at our usual time of 10AM. A number of organic seed and crop input suppliers have been invited to set up information booths in Geneva.  For more information, please contact Fay

Benson at afb3@cornell.edu or 607-753-5077

March 10th, 2010. Aspects of Direct Marketing and Gas Drilling Issues in NY

For details on this meeting, contact Fay Benson at afb3@cornell.edu or

607-753-5077

To view a recorded webinar of the January, 2010 NYCO meeting, which focused on Managing Organic Dairy Farms, visit

http://www.cuaes.cornell.edu/cals/cuaes/organic/projects/dairy/dairy-initiative/resources.cfm

About NYCO: New York Certified Organic

This regional group primarily serves Yates County and the Finger Lakes region, publishes an incidental newsletter, and holds winter education meetings, but does not host a website.  You can contact NYCO at:

New York Certified Organic

c/o

Klaas & Mary-Howell Martens

1443 Ridge Rd

Penn Yan, NY  14527

Email:  kandmfarm@sprintmail.com

For more small farm news and events, visit www.smallfarms.cornell.edu

****

ACTION ALERT!

Did you know New York State’s proposed 2010-’11 budget eliminates all funding for the

NY Farm Viability Institute and the NY Center for Dairy Excellence?

Please, consider:

● NYFVI projects from 2005-2009 achieved a return on investment of 7:1!

(How many state programs report an ROI?)

◦ $21 million in new farm revenue

◦ $10 million of decreased farm expenses

◦ $16.5 million in new capital investments

◦ And, 160 new jobs!

● NYFVI and NYCDE are Farmer Driven programs- farmers determine what needs to be done, and what projects will achieve results for NY farmers

● NYFVI and NYCDE address the wide range of farms in New York- from large to small - conventional to organic – direct to commodity-scale markets: This is one of the few multi-sector, broad-based agricultural investments the state can make

● NYFVI and NYCDE programs are:

◦ Reinventing NY agriculture

◦ Enabling farmers to cope with and recover from a challenging year

◦ Helping farmers meet emerging environmental, marketing and/or social imperatives and demands facing modern agriculture

◦ Equipping farmers compete in a complex marketplace, and enhance their profitability

Your words of support this winter 2010 are crucial to maintaining agriculture and agricultural programs in the state budget. These programs are important. They are unique. They are delivering results for New York farmers and New York agriculture.

Contact information for key agricultural leaders in the NYS legislature are below. Don’t forget to contact the representatives from your home district.

For more information about NY Farm Viability Institute, or NY Center for Dairy Excellence,

please contact:

159 Dwight Park Circle #104, Syracuse, NY 13209, (315) 453-3823

Tom Sleight, executive director, tsleight@nyfvi.org

Key Contacts, NYS Legislature

Senate:

Senator Darrel Aubertine:

Phone: (518) 455-2761

Email: aubertin@senate.state.ny.us

Key staffer email:

Sarah Blood-Szentmiklosy,

blood@senate.state.ny.us

Erica Heintz,

eheintz@senate.state.ny.us

Senator Cathy Young

Phone: (518) 455-3563

Fax: (518) 426-6905

Email: cyoung@senate.state.ny.us

Key staffer email:

Jessica E. Phelan,

phelan@senate.state.ny.us

Senator David Valesky

Phone: (518) 455-2838

Fax: (518) 426-6885

Email: valesky@senate.state.ny.us

Key Staffer email:

Troy Waffner: waffner@senate.state.ny.us

Assembly:

Assemblyman Bill Magee:

Phone: (518) 455-4807

Email: mageew@assembly.state.ny.us

Key staffer email:

Christina Layne,

clayne@assembly.state.ny.us

Assemblyman Cliff Crouch:

Phone: (518) 455-5741

Email: crouchc@assembly.state.ny.us

****

Dear Friend of IPM:

I am writing to alert you to the fact that the state IPM funding that we receive through the Department of Ag and Markets has been totally eliminated in the Governor’s Budget. The bottom line is that if this funding is not restored, the NYS IPM Program will be forced to end in July 2010. For your information, we have put together a list of critical examples of impacts (See attached) to NY agriculture if our funding is not restored and the Program ends. If specific commodity impacts would be helpful, just let me know and we can provide these to you as well.

We need your help and we need it now!! I hope that you would be willing to write a letter or an email supporting the restoration of the funding for IPM in New York. These should be directed to the Agriculture Committee Chairs, Magee in the Assembly and Aubertine in the Senate plus the Environment Chairs, Thompson in the Senate and Sweeney in the Assembly. Here are their addresses:

Assemblyman William Magee , Assembly Ag Committee Chair
Legislative Office Building 828
Albany, NY 12248
518-455-4807
MageeW@assembly.state.ny.us

Assemblyman Robert Sweeney, Assembly En Con Committee Chair
Legislative Office Building 625
Albany, NY 12248
518-455-5787
Sweeney@assembly.state.ny.us

Senator Antoine Thompson, Senate En Con Committee Chair
Legislative Office Building, Room 902
Albany, New York 12247
518-455-3371
athompso@senate.state.ny.us

Senator Darrel Aubertine, Senate Ag Committee Chair
903 Legislative Office Building
Albany, New York 12247
518-455-2761
NO email listed

I do hope that you will be willing to send a letter or an email. It would be great if you would send a copy to me as well at my Geneva office.

Thanks in advance for your assistance with this very critical matter. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best,
Don

****

Assemblyman Al Stirpe, the Gifford Foundation, the Gorman Foundation and CNY Bounty Announce the Launch of Expanded Local-Food Home Delivery System and New Marketing Director

Press Conference to be held as follows:

Thursday, February 11th, 10am

East Area Family YMCA

200 Towne Drive

Fayetteville, NY 13066-1349

Contact: Becca Jablonski, 315-684-3001 x 118

Rb223@cornell.edu

January 24, 2010 – Assemblyman Al Stirpe, the Gifford Foundation, and the Gorman Foundation are pleased to announce the expansion of the CNY Bounty local-food, home-delivery system into Fayetteville and Manlius.  The press conference will be held at 10am, in the lobby at the East Area Family YMCA, 200 Towne Drive in Fayetteville, and will be attended by program participants and community leaders.

“Having grown up myself in a rural community, in addition to being a member of both the Agricultural and Economic Development Committees, I was immediately drawn to the Bounty concept,” said Assemblyman Al Stirpe.  “Not only does it stand to benefit Central New York’s economy, specifically its farmers and small businesspeople, but it has the potential to make Central New York a healthier and more environmentally friendly place to live and raise a family. The expansion of Bounty into Onondaga County will make fresh, healthy, locally grown food more readily available to all of my constituents, while shrinking the carbon footprint generated by transporting our food from thousands of miles away. Central NY prides itself on producing great tasting nutritious foods. It’s about time we develop and promote a program that strongly supports that for all of us.”

Kathy Goldfarb-Findling, Executive Director of the Gifford Foundation, whose financial support made the hiring of a marketing manager possible, commented: “the Gifford Foundation is pleased to provide support for CNY Bounty.  We believe that the project provides an impactful method not only for buying locally produced foods and produce, but also a way to increase markets for these products so that there is sustainability for the farmers and growers.  It’s a win-win for all of us.”

"The Gorman Foundation is proud to support CNY Bounty because the people in our region deserve to have easy access to the high-quality food that our local farmers and producers have been making for years.  Plus, as a customer of CNY Bounty, I can attest to the fact that the food is not only high-quality but it tastes great too," said Amanda Larson, president of The Gorman Foundation.

“It has been such a pleasure to work with the CNY Bounty over the past 8 months,” said Chris Nucerino, Executive Director, East Area Family YMCA in Fayetteville.  “Together we are improving the well being of many people in our community by providing fresh produce and other foods from our local farmers at the YMCA of Greater Syracuse.  We are so excited about Assemblyman Stirpes’ leadership in promoting this throughout our county.  The YMCA of Greater Syracuse is excited to continue our relationship with CNY Bounty and provide its over 30,000 members and the people of the communities we serve this wonderful opportunity to have access to healthy, local foods.”

“CNY Bounty’s staff and producers are very excited about the expansion into Fayetteville and Manlius,” said Steve Holzbaur, Program Coordinator, CNY Bounty.  “With the assistance of Assemblyman Stripe, his staff, and the Gifford and Gorman Foundations, our producers will now be able to access a much larger customer base.  This will have significant benefits for our rural, agricultural community.”

To facilitate its expansion into Fayetteville and Manlius, CNY Bounty welcomes new Director of Marketing, Jody Stokoe Horsman.  Ms. Horsman brings extensive sales and marketing background to this position.  She was a senior event coordinator with CenterStage Events orchestrating dozens of conventions, trade shows, corporate functions and festivals.  She enthusiastically supports local agriculture initiatives and is an active member of Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA).

CNYBounty supports local farmers and producers by creating new markets for locally produced foods, thereby strengthening the local economy and providing healthy food to all citizens of Central New York in an environmentally responsible way.

Each week, Bounty staff coordinate weekly product availability with farmers and producers and upload the products, prices, photos and descriptions on the website.  Each farmer/producer decides on its own price, and Bounty staff mark that price up 30% to cover all of Bounty’s overhead costs.  Consumers (currently individual households and restaurants) can go online to www.cnybounty.com before Monday at noon to place an order.  Orders are collected from the farm on Tuesday evening/Wednesday morning by Bounty staff, taken to the shared distribution center in Sherburne, NY, and distributed by Bounty staff to customers’ doorsteps or strategically located drop off points on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon.  Delivery is free for orders over $35 or for orders of any size to drop off points.

CNYBounty is made possible by the CNY Resource Conservation and Development, Chenango County Economic Development Fund, Chenango Agriculture Development Council, Madison County Agricultural Economic Development Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango, Madison, and Onondaga Counties, Greater Norwich Foundation, Gorman Foundation, CNY Community Foundation, New York Farm Viability Institute, Assemblyman Al Stirpe, and Gifford Foundation.

For more information on CNYBounty, please visit: www.cnybounty.com

To speak with Jody Stokoe Horsman, please call: 1-888-252-6106 x 4

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President Asks Congress To Cut Crop Subsidies

02/01/2010

President Barack Obama asked Congress on Monday to slash crop subsidies to “wealthy farmers” and to pare federal support for crop insurance, moves estimated to save $10 billion over 10 years.

Obama targeted those areas for large cuts last year without success.

In his proposed budget for fiscal 2011, Obama suggested a sharply lower cut-off in income that qualifies for crop supports, implemented over a three-year period. It would save $2.26 billion over 10 years.

The administration plan would end crop subsidies to people with more than $250,000 adjusted gross income from off-farm sources or more than $500,000 on-farm AGI. The caps now are set at $500,000 off-farm AGI and $750,000 on-farm AGI.

Some $8 billion would be saved over 10 years by reforming administration of the federally subsidized crop insurance system to end “huge windfall profits.” The Agriculture Department is negotiating a new master agreement with insurers to reduce overhead payments.

The White House also requested a 25 percent cut, to $1.2 billion, in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. It shares the cost of controlling runoff from fields and feedlots. The green-payment

Conservation Security Program would be cut by roughly $1 million and enrollment held to 12 million acres in fiscal 2011 instead of 12.8 million acres.

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