Connections EXTRA! Extension Spotlight

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Cornell Cooperative Extension
Schoharie and Otsego Counties

Transitioning to Supervisor - Agricultural Supervisory Leadership Certificate Program

Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development has opened registration for a six-week course titled “Transitioning to Supervisor,” which is part of a new Agricultural Supervisory Leadership certificate program. The course begins January 28 with an introduction to the curriculum and use of the web-based platform, Moodle. Cost is $275. Class size is limited to 30 participants.

Link to Transitioning to Supervisor registration

Link for more information about the Agricultural Supervisory Leadership certificate program

Supervisors are critical to the success of farm businesses. They have a major impact both on employees’ daily work experiences and on the production performance of the business. The Agricultural Supervisory Leadership certificate helps farm supervisors and managers learn and apply human resource management practices and leadership skills that foster rewarding workplaces and drive business results.

Who should attend?

This course, and the whole certificate series, is appropriate for both new and experienced farm supervisors and managers, and those preparing to become supervisors. All participants will learn leadership concepts and practice skills that will improve their ability to build a positive workplace and get results through leading others.

From the comfort of your home or office, watch pre-recorded presentations on your own schedule, and engage with classmates and instructors during weekly, live discussion sessions. Corresponding assignments are due each week. To get the most out of the experience, expect to spend approximately two hours per week on lessons and assignments.

Direct questions to Rachel McCarthy, Agricultural Supervisory Leadership Coordinator, at rachel.mccarthy@cornell.edu.

Upcoming courses include:

Organizing Work for High Quality Results: Develop clear expectations and standard operating procedures. Delegate effectively. Diagnose and correct performance problems.
Managing Performance: Understand motivation. Harness the power of performance feedback and coaching. Build clear and effective workplace communications, including leading team meetings. Set safety expectations. Conduct effective performance reviews.
Ethics and Employment Regulations for Supervisors : Implement responsible and ethical labor practices and understand why this matters for agriculture. Recognize and prevent sexual harassment. Understand and follow minimum wage and overtime laws. Implement Equal Employment Opportunity laws to prevent discrimination and harassment. Handle employee discipline and termination.

For more information about the Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development program, visit Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development

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Central New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Team

2021 Hudson Valley Value-Added Grain School (ONLINE)

Grain Storage Management, Heritage Corn and Small Grain Varieties

Thursday February 18, 2021- 10:30 am to noon & 1pm to 2 pm and Thursday February 25, 2021 – 11am to noon & 1 pm to 2:40 pm

The 7^th Annual Hudson Valley Value-Added Grain School this year will have expert speakers on grain storage management; a panel of progressive farmers to share expertise on grain storage, handling grain for seed, and packaging grains for retail. Lastly, heritage corn and small grain varieties will be discussed by university researchers who have years of experience evaluating heritage, ancient, and specialty corn and small grain varieties, including for organic systems. As the local grain economy grows, more people are re-discovering varieties from the past that bring rich flavor to breads, tortillas, brews, and other foods. Click on the links of each speaker to learn more.

Information & free registration: http://blogs.cornell.edu/capitalareaagandhortprogram/2021/01/13/february-18-25-2021-seventh-annual-hudson-valley-value-added-grain-school-online/

DO NOT be scared by online meetings. If you are new to Zoom or just want to practice, contact Aaron Gabriel (adg12@cornell.edu).

Learn how to join a Zoom meeting https://youtu.be/hIkCmbvAHQQ

Joining and setting your audio in Zoom https://youtu.be/-s76QHshQnY

Day One February 18^{th -}10:30 am - noon

Grain Storage Management (SLAM) & New Technologies - Sam McNeill, Univ of Kentucky, https://www.engr.uky.edu/directory/mcneill-samuel, https://kats.ca.uky.edu/file/grain-storage-tips-sam-mcneill

Grain Storage IPM - Ken Wise, NYS Integrated Pest Management, https://nysipm.cornell.edu/people/kenneth-l-wise/, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE19BD8A62BE7D671

LUNCH BREAK - 1 pm – 2 pm

Farmer Panel – Tips for Successful Grain Storage Management

Doug Eldred, Eldred Hay, Grain & Seed LLC, tips for managing grains for seed

Peter Martens, Lakeview Organic Grain, experiences packaging grains for retail, https://lakevieworganicgrain.com/

Matt Kludt, Kludt Brothers Farm, adopting new technologies, https://www.growingproduce.com/vegetables/a-family-team/

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Day Two – February 25th - 11 am - noon

Above Average Grain Storage Management - Shawn Shouse, ISU Extension, https://www.extension.iastate.edu/ag/people/shawn-shouse, https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/blog/shawn-shouse

LUNCH BREAK - 1 pm – 2:40 pm

Heritage Corn Varieties - Margaret Smith, https://cals.cornell.edu/margaret-elizabeth-smith

Heritage, Specialty, and Ancient Small Grain Varieties - Mark Sorrels, https://cals.cornell.edu/mark-earl-sorrells, https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2020/09/2m-usda-grant-funds-value-added-grains-project

PRO-DAIRY Forage Management Online Course

Cornell PRO-DAIRY is offering a seven-week online Forage Management Course January 15 through March 15, 2021. Registration is $265.00 per person. A discount of $25 applies for registrations competed before January 2.

Link to Forage Management Course information

Link to Forage Management Course registration

The Forage Management Course will begin with agronomic factors that influence forage quality and follow key strategies for harvest, preservation and feed out of quality feed. It will be valuable for decision makers and key employees in the cropping and feeding system on the farm. The course will include a mix of basic “101” level material combined with more advanced concepts and recent research findings.

Who Should Attend?

This course will focus on practical information for day to day management and decision making of forage crops from crop selection to feed out on a dairy farm. Aspects of the course will be specific to Northeast U.S. growing conditions and horizontal silos (bunks, trenches, drive over piles) but most of the material will be applicable to any dairy operation and storage structure.

Topics Covered

Fermentation and Silage Science
Forage Variety Selection & Quality Considerations
Forage Harvest Management
Silage Storage & Management
TMR Mixing Procedure & Maintenance
Feed Out and Feed Bunk Management

Speakers

Dr. Larry Chase, Cornell University
Mat Haan, Organic Valley
Betsy Hicks, Cornell Cooperative Extension
Tom Kilcer, Advanced Ag Systems
Joe Lawrence, Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY
Dr. Kristan Reed, Cornell University
Dr. Bill Stone, Diamond V

How It Works

This is a seven-week course offered online using the web-based platform, Moodle. You will receive information on how to access this system after registering online. From the comfort of your home or office, watch pre-recorded presentations on your own schedule. Engage with speakers during weekly optional live Q&A sessions on Thursdays via an online webinar. Virtual discussions with class members enhance the overall experience. These sessions are also recorded and posted in the classroom for those unable to participate at the scheduled time.

Corresponding assignments are due each week. To get the most out of the experience, you should expect to spend approximately two hours per week on the lessons and assignments. This course has been approved for a maximum of 2.1 CEUs from the Cornell School of Continuing Education. Upon completion of this course, you will receive a certificate notifying you of the CEUs awarded.

CNYDFC Team Upcoming Events

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Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program

Farm Financial Management Tuesdays Online Farm Business Education in January

CCE ag business educators are offering short, farm financial education programs this winter! All programs are 12:30pm to 1:30pm. Each program is only $5 and includes a link to the recorded webinar if you cannot join the program live.

~~Tuesday, January 12 - Assessing and Using Credit in Your Agricultural Business~~
- Dayton Maxwell, Jr. Capital District Horticulture Team
  To register: https://enych.cce.cornell.edu/event.php?id=1488
  Not all debt is created equal. Some loans leverage other people’s money to help you make money, some loans just dig you further in a hole. Can you tell the difference? Join CCE CAAHP Ag Business Educator, Dayton Maxwell, for a one-hour program Assessing and Using Credit in Your Agricultural Business . Dayton is a former Farm Credit East loan officer and now serves as the Farm Business Management specialist for the Capital Area Agriculture and Horticulture Program. He will provide you insight into how lenders look at borrowers, what you should look for in a loan as a borrower, and how to position yourself to get good loans that can help you grow your business.
~~Tuesday, January 19 - Knowing Input Costs to Maximize Profits~~
- Nicole Tommell, Central NY Dairy and Field Crops and Gabe Gurley, FarmNet
- To register: https://enych.cce.cornell.edu/event.php?id=1490
- Although "it takes money to make money" - not all expenses in your business create value. On the other hand, underinvestment in your business, cutting costs that undermine the quality of your product or market, or that are detrimental to safety, your quality of life or your values can shoot you in the foot in the long run too. Knowing how to assess where to cut expenses to enhance profitability is an art form. Join CCE Central New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Ag Business Educator, Nicole Tommell and NY FarmNet Business Specialist Gabe Gurley, for a one-hour program Knowing Input Costs to Maximize Profits.
Tuesday, January 26- Cash Flow Management and the Annual Operating Cycle
- Elizabeth Higgins, Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Team
- To register: https://enych.cce.cornell.edu/event.php?id=1491
- "If your business is a body, cash is the oxygen" without a constant influx of cash, no business can stay afloat, no matter how solid its starting idea or willing its market. Does your farm business have enough cash coming in, to pay your bills and cover your daily operating expenses? Can you access affordable cash, through other means to keep the business afloat during those times of the year when you don't have a crop coming in or a product to sell? Join CCE ENYCH Ag Business Educator, Elizabeth Higgins, to learn some tips and strategies for Cash Flow Management and the Annual Operating Cycle.

This series is supported by ag business management specialists from the following Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell University programs: the Capital Area Agriculture and Horticulture Program, the Central New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Team, the Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program, and NY FarmNet.

Remote Good Agricultural Practices Training & Farm Food Safety Plan Writing Session

January 27th & 28th via Zoom

Join Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County, the Cornell Vegetable Team, Harvest NY, the Lake Ontario Fruit Team, and the Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program on January 27th for a remote GAPs training. Instructors will walk growers through how to conduct a risk assessment on their farm utilizing the seven areas of farm food safety. Participants will gain hands-on experience in creating a traceability system for their farm, as well as learn about packing house design with food safety principles guiding placement of equipment and suggested materials. Students will also learn about how to train their employees related to food safety and understand what they will need to implement on their farm in order to pass a third-party food safety audit, such as GAPs.

On January 28th growers can join us for a day focused on writing their farm food safety plan. Trainers will be joined by NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets Farm Products inspectors to give guidance and input for farms in creating their farm food safety plans to meet the needs for a potential audit. At the conclusion of day two growers will have all components of their farm food safety plans outlined with the most critical pieces.

The price is $35 for a farm to attend both days, or $10 to join on the second day for the farm food safety plan writing session. Day two is only for those who have previously attended a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training or GAPs training. The price for both days includes a "Farm Food Safety Decision Tree", worker training posters for use on the farm, and a flash drive pre-loaded to the farm food safety plan template, standard operating procedures, and log templates for use by the farm.

In order for a farm to participate, you must have the newer version of Microsoft Word loaded onto your computer, or be comfortable working within Google docs. We are utilizing Zoom for the training, you will need a high speed internet connection for smoothest participation experience. We also recommend a microphone to help in communication with both students and trainers.

Registration is limited to 25 growers on either day so register by January 21 ^st to ensure enough time to receive the workshop materials. Any questions can be directed to Laura Biasillo at lw257@cornell.edu.

Register Here

ENYCH Team Upcoming Events

Cash Flow Management and the Annual Operating Cycle - January 26, 2021, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
- CCE Ag Business Educators are offering online farm financial management education programs this winter! On January 26, from 12:30-1:30, Join CCE ENYCH Ag Business Educator, Elizabeth Higgins, for a one hour program on cash flow management and the annual operating cycle. Lack of cash is one of the primary reasons why small businesses fail. Put together the knowledge you learned in the first two sessions to think about how to use various tools and strategies like loans, lines of credit, managing timing of payments, budgeting and forecasting, and timing of major purchases to better manage your farm's cash flow. This program is the third of three Farm Business Management Tuesdays planned for this winter.
Developing YOUR Farm's Onboarding Plan for Seasonal Workers - Feb. 1-5, Feb. 8-12, Feb. 15-19, Feb. 22-26, 2021
- CCE ENYCH and LOFT teams and the Ag Workforce Development Program are offering 4-weeks of on-line, personalized assistance on your 2021 farm on-boarding plan for seasonal workers. This program will be a combination of on-line webinars with CCE, NYCAMH, NYS DOL and US DOL, and experienced NYS farmers; online discussion; and access to resources to help you as you get ready for 2021. The program is self-paced to accommodate your schedule.
2021 Fruit & Vegetable Conference - February 16-18, 2021
- The Eastern NY Fruit & Vegetable Conference, normally held at The Desmond Hotel in Albany, will be going virtual 2021. The ENYCH team will try to coordinate with other regional fruit and vegetable teams from across the state to offer a larger statewide virtual meeting. These are tentative dates for now. Additional information will be continued to be shared as it becomes available.