Farmer Training
At the Watershed Agricultural Council, we believe education is vital to the success of new and established farm operations. We collaborate with Cornell Cooperative Extensions and other agencies to deliver learning opportunities for farmers of all ages, experience levels and farming expertise.
Our workshops and trainings run the gamut of topics, such as
- Farming for the first time, business planning and market analysis;
- Learning to raise healthy heifers through NYS Calf Health Assessment Program;
- Taking a pasture walk to better understand a rotational grazing strategy;
- Discovering the importance of proper record keeping in receiving Nutrient Management Credit payments;
- Transitioning from dairy to beef;
- Operations and maintenance of your Whole Farm Plan BMPs; or
- Supplementing a farm’s bottom line with a value-added dairy product like cheese, learning how to make it and then marketing the final product.
Speakers are often experts in their fields like veterinarian, precision feed managers, no-till operators and Extension agents. Or you might hear and learn something from your neighbor farmer.
Producer Groups
We also coordinate Producer Groups focused on dairy, beef and sheep/goat issues. These farmer-to-farmer gatherings meet periodically to discuss livestock topics of interest or to find solutions to on-farm hurdles. If you are interested in joining a Producer Group, contact:
Beef: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Grazing: Dale Dewing, CCE-WAP Team Leader (607) 865-7090, ext. 246
Calf health: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Sheep, goat, small ruminant livestock: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Below are upcoming events for farmers:
Past Events › Agriculture
December 2024
Beef is a commodity product sold by weight. Multiple factors influence pricing structure depending on the market. Quality grade, yield grade, carcass fabrication, & meat color all play a role. Understanding what influences these factors is important. Presentations by Dr. Adam Murray, Cornell PRO-LIVESTOCK Beef Cattle Extension Specialist.Dinner at 6 pm, Presentations start at 6:30 pm. Calculating quality grade and yield grade Carcass fabrication and beef aging Consumer perception of beef color Call or email Kim Holden at (607) 865-7090…
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Transferring the ownership and management of a family farm goes beyond passing down land—it’s about preserving and continuing the legacy built by generations. This process is inherently complex, involving much more than just financial and legal logistics. The legacy of a family farm often holds deep personal and cultural significance, making it vital to ensure a smooth transition that respects both the past and the future. Building a legacy takes time and effort, and successfully transferring it—whether to family or…
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Wintertime is the most difficult time to keep calves healthy. With fewer available treatment options, proper nutrition is more important than ever before as it is the best defense against disease. This workshop will explore feeding strategies to ensure that your calves ‘hit the ground running’! 11:00 – Trent Westhoff, Cornell University – Managing colostrum to maximize its health benefits from collection to feeding. 11:45 – Lunch and producer networking 12:45 – Dr. Mike Van Amburgh – Milk replacer, whole…
Find out more »February 2025
Transitioning farm ownership and management to prepare for retirement requires careful planning to meet your retirement needs while also assuring the farm is successful and profitable for the next operator. This workshop will be an interactive work session, where you will leave having identified the process and work needed to achieve a successful farm transition. We will focus on the financial health of your farm business, the assets of the business that will be transferred in the operation, consider your…
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Making your Pastures Work for You is the theme of this workshop. Start planning your 2025 pasture season now. Hear from four speakers discuss strategies that result in improved labor efficiency & increased pasture production and animal performance. Grazing System Tune-Up: Paddock layout, fence & water Pasture Renovation Strategies Clipping Pastures: When does this actually make sense? Grazing Management: Making decisions that keep you on track Register by calling or emailing Kim Holden by February 26th: 607 865-7090 or [email protected]
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Making your Pastures Work for You is the theme of this workshop. Start planning your 2025 pasture season now. Hear from four speakers discuss strategies that result in improved labor efficiency & increased pasture production and animal performance. Grazing System Tune-Up: Paddock layout, fence & water Pasture Renovation Strategies Clipping Pastures: When does this actually make sense? Grazing Management: Making decisions that keep you on track Register by calling or emailing Kim Holden by February 26th: 607 865-7090 or [email protected]
Find out more »March 2025
The value of beef is at the high point in the cycle. Now is the time to make sure you are optimizing your production and profit potential. Enhancing Herd Health Through Vaccination – Protocols, Preparing your Calves, Strengthening herd health Dr. Robert Lynch, Cornell Pro Dairy Herd Health Specialist Preparing for the Breeding Season – Getting the cow and bull ready, Use of AI or a Bull – Rich Brown, Equity Angus Farm Dinner at 6 pm. Presentations start at…
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Ticks are a threat to livestock and farmer alike. Joellen Lampman, Cornell IPM Specialist, will provide the latest information on all of the species of ticks currently found in New York via Zoom. Following her presentation, a local farmer will tell her story of how a tick bite changed her life. Each participant will receive a free “Don’t Get Ticked New York” tick removal kit. Where each specie of tick is found in New York State Livestock and human diseases…
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Come for part or all of the meeting. Beginner session before the meal, more advanced topics after the meal. 5:30 pm Beginning Sheep and Goat Production: Housing, Handling, Nutrition, Birthing and more 6:30 pm Meal 7:00 pm The Replacement Female: Target body weights, selection criteria, nutrition for the replacement animal 7:45 pm Predator Management: Prevention, fencing, guardian animals Register by March 18th: Call or email Kim Holden at (607) 865-7090 or [email protected] or register online here: https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/SpringSmallRuminantMeeting2025_212
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This two-part workshop will introduce you to some new tools to help you increase your sales. Presentations by Matt LeRoux of the Cornell Dyson School. 5:30 pm: Creating & Pricing Consumer Friendly Meat with MeatSuite Introducing Bundle Builder – a new tool to help assemble bulk bundles of meat 6:30: Pizza, Sandwiches and Networking 7:15 pm: Using the Customer Experience & Pricing to Improve Market Sales Sharing Cornell’s research on customer spending & prices at farmer’s markets. Practical ways to…
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