By Track

Session A (Zoom)
Monday, November 14
9:00 am – 11:00 am

Welcome Plenary – The 2030 Project & Climate Change and Agriculture
Join us as we kick off In-service week!

Session A – Part 1

CALS Dean Benjamin Houlton will present on The 2030 Project, A Cornell Climate Initiative and the role that Extension educators can play in climate mitigation and resilience. A q&a session will follow the Dean’s presentation.

Presenter:

– Benjamin Houlton, Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Cornell University

Session A – Part 2

Climate change is currently impacting agriculture throughout New York State and will continue to have worsening impacts on the industry in the coming decades. While farmers and foresters are experiencing challenges resulting from the changing climate, they are also well positioned to help achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction goals set out in New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). Cornell CALS and New York State have ambitious visions of a resilient, carbon neutral or carbon negative future, but how does CCE fit in?

We will begin this session by summarizing state goals and building a common vocabulary related to climate change and agriculture. We will also share some key strategies and available funding opportunities that can be used to build resilience, sequester carbon, and reduce emissions. Participants will then collaboratively tackle the questions of how agriculture in NY can become more resilient while reducing GHG emissions and sequestering carbon. Critically, we will work together to envision a pathway to furthering the CCE mission of putting “knowledge to work in pursuit of economic vitality, ecological sustainability and social well-being” in the face of the climatological and societal shifts brought on by climate change.

Presenters:

– Zach Spangler, Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist, Harvest New York Team, Cornell Cooperative Extension
– Jenna Walczak, Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist, Harvest New York Team, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Training – Toolkit for Challenging Situations in the Field (final title tbd)
Tuesday, November 15
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
423 ILR Conference Center, King Shaw Hall

This training aimed at agriculture educators will discuss strategies for dealing with difficult situations in the field. Final description to come.

This session will be facilitated by Marcus Brooks, Senior Management Consultant & Trainer, Organizational Development and Effectiveness, Cornell University.

There is a $20 fee to attend this additional training and it is limited to 80 participants. Pre-registration required to attend.

Breaking Bread in Support of Transformation
Tuesday, November 15
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
225 ILR Conference Center

The CCE DEI/Belonging Core Leadership Team invites you to join us for a sponsored lunch on Wednesday, November 16th. In addition to sharing a meal with one another, this will be an opportunity to learn more about current and emerging DEI initiatives at CCE – including our ongoing professional development offerings, working committees, affinity groups, etc. We will model a brief lunch and learn activity designed to highlight the ways in which dialogue and discovery are intentionally centered in our relational approaches to systems change work for creating greater equity for all at CCE. All registrants will be entered into a raffle to be drawn during our time together.
Open to 25 participants, lunch will be provided.

Big Red Barn Networking Event
Wednesday, November 16
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Big Red Barn

Join us to mingle with old and new colleagues at the Big Red Barn. Snacks and non alcoholic beverages will be provided. Beer and wine will be available for a small fee. Cash only.

With Networking Session for ESP Members and Friends

Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) is a professional development organization dedicated to fostering standards of excellence in the Extension System and developing the Extension profession and professional. All are invited to collaborate with ESP.

ESP will host a Networking Session during Ag In-service | November 16 from 4:30 – 6 at the Big Red Barn – head upstairs and look for our table, sign, and chapter president Arlene Wilson. Come stop by — say hello, enjoy snacks, or pitch your Extension professional development idea to ESP Lambda Chapter officers.

NYSACAA Dinner
Wednesday, November 16
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
148 Morrison Hall – Turk Room

Enjoy a buffet dinner, see old friends, meet new ones, and honor this year’s award winners. Members and non-members alike are invited. $20 – advance registration required.

Plenary Luncheon
Thursday, November 17, 2022
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
G10 Biotechnology Building

Building on the Past, Moving to the Future: The Importance of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Join us for a luncheon and presentation from Angela Odoms-Young, PhD. Angela is an Associate Professor and Director of the Food and Nutrition Education in Communities Program in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University.

Poster session
Thursday, November 17, 2022
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
G10 Biotechnology Building

Join us to network and view posters from a variety of projects and programs. Light snacks and a cash bar will be available.

Beginning Ag Educators Meet Up
Thursday, November 17, 2022
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
G01 Biotechnology Building

Beginning ag educators (from 0 months to five years in the job) are invited to join us for the In-Service Beginning Ag-educator Coffee Hour Thursday after the poster session. Both county associations and regional team educators are invited. This is a great opportunity to meet other beginning ag educators and build community and understanding around our unique position of just getting started with Cornell Cooperative Extension. We do hope you will join us. We are the future of CCE; let’s keep it going strong together.

Session 1
Wednesday, November 16
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Room: 225 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Demystifying the USDA application process for farms

Agricultural educators across the Cornell Cooperative Extension System often have agricultural businesses contact them that have unrealistic expectations about the availability of USDA Grants. What is the best way for us to connect the right agricultural business with the right type of grant? What is all this about the USDA investing much more in agriculture in 2022 than they ever have before? In this session with Elizabeth Higgins and Myron Thurston, learn more about how to research USDA grants, match the right agricultural business with the right grant opportunity, and the basics of USDA grant applications.

Presenters:

– Myron Thurston, Food Supply Chain Marketing Specialist, CCE Oneida
– Elizabeth Higgins, Extension Specialist, Ag Business Management and Production Economics, Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Team

Track: Agricultural Marketing & Community Development

Session 2
Wednesday, November 16
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Room: 225 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

5 Years of Local Food Initiatives in St. Lawrence County
In 2017, Flip Filippi started as the Local Food Program Leader at CCE of St. Lawrence County at the Extension Learning Farm in rural northern New York. The position was new for the Association with multi-faceted roles including serving as an educator for farms and foods businesses in St. Lawrence County looking to value-add food products, while managing the Harvest Kitchen, a new shared-use commercial space. The other aspect of her job is consumer oriented, increasing the visibility and awareness of area food producers. In this presentation, Flip will share several highlights of the programming and initiatives that have established a foundation of local foods activities in the county including offering free professional photo shoots to producers, hosting and producing a livestream program interviewing farmers and food entrepreneurs, launching a blog called Fruition, the hands-on cooking series Celebrating Local Foods, hosting an annual wintertime Local Food Winter Social for community stakeholders, and curating a gallery exhibit In Season: Our Rural Food System in Photos that featured stories and images from 80+ area businesses.

Presenter:

– Maria “Flip” Fillipi, Local Foods Program Leader & Harvest Kitchen Manager, CCE St Lawrence

Track: Agricultural Marketing & Community Development

Session 3
Wednesday, November 16
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Room: 225 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

CCE & Famer’s Markets…it’s not just nutrition education anymore!
Many communities in NYS have a farmers market and CCE is often the go-to partner in supporting it’s operations and programming. Join our panel to hear about how four associations are supporting farmers markets in their communities through mobile markets, food access efforts, expanding community partnerships, engaging programming and e-commerce. There will be plenty of time for Q&A and networking to gather ideas from your peers. Leave with a concrete idea or two to implement in 2023.

Presenters:

– Beth Irons, Oneida Public Market Manager, CCE Oneida
– Melinda Meddaugh, Ag & Food Systems Issue Leader, CCE Sullivan
– Jen Regan, Veggie Van Program Manager, CCE Niagara
– Amanda Poodiack, Broome County Regional Farmers Market Manager, CCE Broome

Track: Agricultural Marketing & Community Development

Session 4
Thursday, November 17
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: A106 Corson-Mudd Hall

Working with Diverse Audiences in the Food System
Join our panel to learn about several programs of excellence across the state focused on working with diverse audiences engaged in agriculture. We’ll hear about working with veterans, people of color, and the Somali-Bantu refugee population in Utica. Learn about best practices, tools and resources, and partner organizations. Bring your questions and engage in some discussion with your peers.

Presenters:

– Nina Saeli, Veteran Program Associate, Cornell Small Farms Program
– Bonnie Collins, Ag Team Leader, CCE Oneida
– Anu Rangarajan, Program Director, Cornell Small Farms Program
– Arlene Wilson, Executive Director, CCE Yates

Track: Agricultural Marketing & Community Development

Session 5
Thursday, November 17
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: G01 Biotechnology Building

“Zoom Icebreakers that Don’t Suck”! Is it specific to Ag Economic Development? Absolutely not.

Over the past two plus years we have all done more zoom workshops than we can count! But keeping participants engaged and setting a comfort level among participants to encourage engagement can sometimes be a challenge. Join our presenter, Katelyn Walley-Stoll, along with your peers for some zoom role playing, discuss and share the ones that have worked the best and brainstorm strategies for our winter and spring programming seasons!

Presenter:

– Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Farm Business Management Specialist and Team Leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s SWNY Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Team

Track: Agricultural Marketing & Community Development

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Tough Topics and Risk Communication

All Extension Educators must be able to communicate about perceived risks with their clients, whether it be financial risks in farm management, the risks of energy use in the face of climate change, the ecological and agricultural risks of invasive species, the risks of heavy metals in urban farm soils, the risks of scientific techniques like GMOs, or the risks associated with management tools for pest control. Specialists from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) spend their days communicating with clients about the risks, benefits, and science surrounding pesticides. We’ll cover the importance of risk perception, techniques for active listening, and elements of a well-rounded risk conversation. We will explain why it’s important to frame your response to clients in terms of “risk” rather than “safety” and briefly introduce how NPIC’s free services can be useful to Extension Educators.

Presenter: Specialist from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)

Tracks: PSEP; Ag Community & Economic Development; Farm Management & Food Sector Economics; Invasive Species; Urban Ag; Vegetables

Session C
Monday, November 14
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Zoom

Overview of Utility Scale Solar Development in New York State

New York’s landmark 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act sets ambitious goals for the production of clean energy that will help decarbonize the generation of electricity and reduce global warming gasses. Amongst these goals are achieving a 40% reduction in greenhouse gases and sourcing 70% of electrical production from renewable sources by 2030. The construction of utility scale solar installations are a key element to meeting these goals. Utility scale solar projects, those producing greater than 25 Megawatts of electricity, are being sited throughout the state, primarily in rural regions. This session examines the overall context of the move to solar, implications for hosting communities and landowners and the project development cycle.

Presenters:

– Abbey DeRocker, NYSERDA
– David Kay, Cornell University
– Guillermo Metz, CCE Tompkins

Track: Ag Solar Working Group

Session 1
Wednesday, November 16
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Room: 329 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Solar Leasing: Considerations for Landowners and Farmers

With utility scale and community, solar projects being proposed and under construction across New York State landowners are being solicited to lease their lands and are looking for information and guidance on how to negotiate with land agents and solar companies. This session will give CCE Educators and overview of key solar terms and major issues that typically arise in the leasing process. This session is an overview that will help CCE staff discuss the process with the public and guide them to the legal who would preferably advise landowners on specific leasing language before a lease is negotiated or signed.

Presenters:

– Scott Kurkoski, Levene, Gouldin & Thompson, LLC

Track: Ag Solar Working Group

Session 2
Wednesday, November 16
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Room: 525 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Community Impacts of Building the Solar Infrastructure

The development process of building a utility-scale solar facility is complex and affects many individuals and surrounding communities. This session explores both how communities address the issues related to project build out and developers choose sites and work with local governments to insure a successful project.

Presenters:

– Joe Lawrence, Cornell University
– Kevin Campbell, EDF – Renewables
– Rich Stedman, Cornell University

Track: Ag Solar Working Group

Session 3
Wednesday, November 16
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Room: 525 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Co-Siting of Agrivoltaic Projects in Solar Facilities

Agrivoltaic projects offer the promise of expanding the positive impact of renewable energy developments by producing food, conserving ecosystems, creating renewable energy, increasing pollinator habitat, and maximizing farm revenue. This session explores some of the commercial options, policy drivers, and economic feasibility behind these systems. And will look particularly at on-going research into solar grazing, vegetable production and other developing ag practices.

Presenters:

– Niko Kochendorfer, Cornell University
– Caleb Scott, American Solar Grazing Association
– River Strong, University of Massachusetts

Track: Ag Solar Working Group

Session 4
Thursday, November 17
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: 525 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Siting Utility Scale Solar Projects

There are many considerations for siting solar, and various priorities depending on whether you are a developer, farmer, or municipality. This session will provide an overview of the state’s priorities and resources it has for the various stakeholders, as well as incentives currently available and some under consideration. Presenters will also discuss tax and other finance implications of large-scale solar development for municipalities, and grid upgrades that will be necessary for the build-out of large-scale solar.

Presenters:

– Jenn Manierre, Program Manager, Clean Energy Siting, NYSERDA
– Bram Peterson, Project Manager, Large-Scale Renewables, NYSERDA
– John Bernecker, PE, Senior Advisor for Transmission, NYSERDA

Track: Ag Solar Working Group

Session 5
Thursday, November 17
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 525 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Managing Agricultural Conservation Easements and Farmland Protection Plans within the Solar Environment

Agricultural Conservation Easements are a key tool for preserving valuable farmlands within New York State. The tension between the increasing demand for land for solar facilities and the need to preserve existing quality farmlands is an issue in many communities around the state. This session looks at the existing state of farmland preservation particularly with the development of clean energy facilities. It will present current trends in farmland preservation across New York State, agricultural considerations in siting solar facilities, and considerations for ag/solar projects.

Presenters:

– Linda Garrett, American Farmland Trust
– Jeremy Wyble, NYSERDA

Track: Ag Solar Working Group

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 525 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Impacts of Utility Scale Solar Facilities on Farmers and Rural Communities

Across New York state and nationally rural communities are learning to accommodate major renewable energy facilities in their backyards. Successful strategies vary with each individual and community effected by the energy transition. This session examines on-going research here at Cornell and nationally that is interviewing landowners and community members on how they perceive the building process and what choices they made for their farms and communities.

Presenters:

– Ben Hoen, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
– Nicole Collins, CCE Intern
– Robi Nilson, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Track: Ag Solar Working Group

Session B
Monday, November 14
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Zoom

Rice as an Emerging Climate Change Crop in the Northeast

Climate model predictions for the Northeast feature more pronounced precipitation events in the Northeast, which have serious implications for floodplain agriculture. In this session, we will learn about rice farming methods developed in Northern Vermont by Erik Andrus of Boundbrook Farm on floodplain soils. With a value of $15k/acre for local rice (corn is on average $1k/acre in comparison), developing new cropping systems for NYS floodplains could strengthen local economies. We will discuss ways to expand rice farming in NYS, including the types of infrastructure, equipment, and training needed to successfully support this emerging climate change crop state-wide.

Presenters:

– Erik Andrus, Rice Farmer, Boundbrook Farm, Vergennes, Vermont
– Jenny Kao-Kniffin, Associate Director, CCE

Track: Climate Change Crops

Session B 
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Zoom

Economic feasibility case study of co-digestion of manure and food waste

Lauren Ray and Peter Wright will present the findings of a case study they are completing on the economic feasibility of co-digestion of manure with food waste. The case study is based on a northern NY located dairy, but would be applicable to other regions of the State also. This study has implications for the implementation of on farm climate change mitigation practices.

Presenters:

– Lauren Ray, Engineer, Dairy Environmental Systems, Cornell PRODAIRY
– Peter Wright, Engineer, Dairy Environmental Systems, Cornell PRODAIRY

Track: Dairy

Session 1
Wednesday, November 16
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Room: 148 Stocking Hall Conference Center

Managing Colostrum & Locomotion Scoring and Economics

Subtitle: Managing Colostrum – Research Update
This session will provide an overview of colostrum components and discuss findings from a recent study describing nutritional and farm management factors associated with colostrum production.

Subtitle: Locomotion Scoring and Economics-Preliminary results
Lindsay and Betsy will share the prelimary results of the study they are conducting on the impact of lameness on farm profitability.

Presenters:
– Trent Westhoff, PhD student, Cornell Collage of Veterinary Medicine
– Lindsay Ferlitio, Dairy Specialist NNY Ag Team
– Betsy Hicks, Dairy Specialist SCNY Ag Team

Track: Dairy

Session 2
Wednesday, November 16
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Room: 148 Stocking Hall Conference Center

Hypocalcemia & Solutions for Sustainable Dairy

Subtitle: Hypocalcemia, where we started and where we go from here
Claire Seely will give a general overview of hypocalcemia in dairy cows and discuss how we’ve successfully reduced the incidence of clinical cases but subclinical hypocalcemia is still very prevalent. Shewill then discuss how the timing of subclinical hypocalcemia differentially affects production and health outcomes and the negative impacts those have on the dairy industry and will finish by discussing preventative measures to minimize the impact of subclinical hypocalcemia.

Subtitle: Solutions for sustainable dairy: An international effort to accelerate the discovery of dietary approaches to reduce enteric and manure greenhouse gas emissions from cattle.
The mitigation of methane and nitrous oxide production from cattle is a high global priority to slow the progression of climate change. This presentation will highlight current efforts to develop the organization and infrastructure of personnel, facilities, and equipment to best position Cornell as a global leader for the testing of existing and discovery of next-generation approaches to inhibiting greenhouse gas emissions without compromising animal performance.

Presenters:

– Claire Seely, DVM, Graduate Student, Cornell Collage of Veterinary Medicine
– Joe McFadden, Associate Professor of Dairy Cattle Biology, Animal Science, Cornell University

Track: Dairy

Session 3
Wednesday, November 16
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Location-Livestock Pavilion

Dystocia Management

Farm employees often have limited experience delivering calves and offering training in this area is challenging without instructional tools. PRO-DAIRY has a dystocia model available for calving training events. Learn how to use this new teaching tool and how to include it in your future programs.

Presenter:

– Rob Lynch DVM, Cornell PRODAIRY Program

Track: Dairy

Session 4
Thursday, November 17
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

USDA Agriculture census discussion & Management of Forage Nutrient Variation & Climate Change and Weed Management for NY Field Crops and Dairy

8:30 – 9:30 – For Both Tracks:
Donnie Fike: A discussion of upcoming 2022 AG Census plus all the periodic surveys that are done over the course of the year. How surveys are executed, where extension and industry folks can find and use all of the data collected. Plus, answer questions.

9:30 – 10:00 – For Field Crops
Climate change will impact weed management for NY field crop and dairy farmers in many ways. We will look at preliminary results from last winter’s farmer survey of common and troublesome weeds, and how these lists have changed over the last thirty years. We will also discuss what is currently known about herbicide efficacy in a changing climate.

9:30 – 10:00 – For Dairy
Management of forage nutrient variation
This presentation will be about understanding and managing nutritional composition variability of corn silage and haylage to improve feed efficiency and income over feed cost at dairy farms. Jorge will discuss sources of variability, optimal sampling practices, and strategies to account for the Haylage and Corn silage variability when formulating diets and how this variability affect feed efficiency and IOFC.

Presenters:

– Donnie Fike, USDA/NASS (National AG Statistics Service) Statistician for New York
– Caroline Marschner
– Sharon Bachman
– Jorge A. Barrientos-Blanco, graduate student, Dept. of Animal Science, Cornell University

Tracks: Dairy and Field Crops

Session 5
Thursday, November 17
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Federal Legislation & Regulation, What Does This Mean for NYS Dairy Farmers?

Listening sessions and committee hearings are in progress to craft the next Farm Bill. Recent negative PPDs, de-pooling of milk, processor make allowances, and declining Class 1 milk utilization have some producer groups calling for Federal Milk Marketing Order Reform. The presentation will focus on the potential impact of proposed Farm Bill legislation and FMMO reform on NYS dairy farm operations.

Presenters:

– Chris Wolf, Professor, Dyson School, Cornell University
– Andy Novakovic, Professor Emeritus, Dyson School

Tracks: Dairy and Farm Business Management & Food Sector Economics

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Tough Topics and Risk Communication
All Extension Educators must be able to communicate about perceived risks with their clients, whether it be financial risks in farm management, the risks of energy use in the face of climate change, the ecological and agricultural risks of invasive species, the risks of heavy metals in urban farm soils, the risks of scientific techniques like GMOs, or the risks associated with management tools for pest control. Specialists from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) spend their days communicating with clients about the risks, benefits, and science surrounding pesticides. We’ll cover the importance of risk perception, techniques for active listening, and elements of a well-rounded risk conversation. We will explain why it’s important to frame your response to clients in terms of “risk” rather than “safety” and briefly introduce how NPIC’s free services can be useful to Extension Educators.

Presenter:

– Specialist from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)

Tracks: PSEP; Ag Community & Economic Development; Farm Management & Food Sector Economics; Invasive Species; Urban Ag; Vegetables

Session 10
Friday, November 18
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Trip to Leland Lab Pyrolysis Kiln Tour and Learn About Biochar

This session will be a field trip to Leland Laboratory, 121 Tuber Dr, Ithaca, NY. We will learn about and the biochar in dairy farming project.

Presenter:

– Dr. Andrew Hubble, postdoctoral associate

Tracks: Livestock, Dairy

Session B
Monday, November 14
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Zoom

Climate Change: ESG Impact from Wall Street to Farm Road

Subtitle: Farm, Financial Markets and ESG
Farm Credit is a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE), chartered to ensure a permanent and reliable source of credit for the ag sector and rural America. The system supports approximately 44% of U.S. farm debt through the sale of discounted notes and bonds issued by the Farm Credit Funding Corporation. Investment decisions tend to be made based on risk and reward. Society is increasingly concerned about the farm and food system’s global impact. Financial markets are not immune to such concerns as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are an emerging and additional dimension upon which investment decisions are made. From this presentation educators will learn about sources of funds to finance the Farm Credit System, how those funds flow from capital markets to the farm gate and rural America, and the signals from national stakeholders including investors seeking institutions with good ESG fundamentals, and rating agencies incorporating ESG into credit scoring.

Subtitle: ESG in the Market Place, Implications for Agricultural Producers
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s mission is to “protect investors and promote a market worthy of the public’s trust.” Earlier this year the SEC proposed a rule change, that if adopted would require publicly traded companies to disclose climate-related risks that could impact their business operations or financial conditions. Large companies like Walmart are now publishing reports on ESG commitments and progress including expectations on the part of their suppliers. This session focuses on potential implications of ESG across the supply chain, in the marketplace, and at the farm level.

Presenters:

– Regina Gill, Managing Director, Investor Relations, Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding
– Kevin O’Donnell, SVP Sustainability, Dairy Farmers of America

Track: Farm Management & Food Sector Economics

Session C
Monday, November 14
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Lean Farming, Energy Efficiency

Subtitle: Farming Lean: Finding and Reducing Waste in Farm Operations
Educators will build understanding of what Lean Management is and how it can help farm businesses to improve performance including the 8 types of waste in Lean Management and how to recognize them on farm operations. Lean Management resources on the PRO-DAIRY website will be highlighted along with ideas on how to use Lean Management concepts and resources in future programs.

Subtitle: Energy Efficiency Support for Farms in New York: Cost Savings, Improved Performance, and Resilience showcases Ag Energy NY, a new Extension program helping farmers learn about energy efficiency motivations, opportunities, and incentives. There are many opportunities to reduce energy use through efficiency improvements that save money, labor, and maintenance costs. Energy efficiency also has co-benefits, buffering farms from high costs in energy market fluctuations and making it easier to transition to electric power and renewable energy. Educators will learn about opportunities to engage with this program along with the program resources including mobile-friendly website, factsheets, and technical support. Farmers and extension agents can reach out to the Ag Energy NY team with questions and to connect with farm-specific advising. NYSERDA offers no-cost, no-commitment energy assessments on-farm to help farmers prioritize areas for improvements and identify incentives to support implementation.

Presenters:

– Mary Kate MacKenzie, Farm Business Management Specialist, South Central NY Dairy and Field Crops Team
– Robbie Coville, Ag Energy NY Program Manager, CCE Tompkins

Track: Farm Management & Food Sector Economics

Session 5
Thursday, November 17
10:30 am – 12 pm
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Federal Legislation & Regulation, What Does This Mean for NYS Dairy Farmers?

Listening sessions and committee hearings are in progress to craft the new Farm Bill. Recent negative PPDs, de-pooling of milk, processor make allowances, and declining Class 1 milk utilization have some producer groups calling for Federal Milk Marketing Order Reform. The presentation will focus on the potential impact of proposed Farm Bill legislation and FMMO reform on NYS dairy farm operations.

Presenters:

– Chris Wolf, Professor, Dyson School, Cornell University
– Andy Novakovic, Professor Emeritus, Dyson School & USDA Expert Consultant in Economics

Tracks: Dairy, Farm Business Management & Food Sector Economics

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Tough Topics and Risk Communication

All Extension Educators must be able to communicate about perceived risks with their clients, whether it be financial risks in farm management, the risks of energy use in the face of climate change, the ecological and agricultural risks of invasive species, the risks of heavy metals in urban farm soils, the risks of scientific techniques like GMOs, or the risks associated with management tools for pest control. Specialists from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) spend their days communicating with clients about the risks, benefits, and science surrounding pesticides. We’ll cover the importance of risk perception, techniques for active listening, and elements of a well-rounded risk conversation. We will explain why it’s important to frame your response to clients in terms of “risk” rather than “safety” and briefly introduce how NPIC’s free services can be useful to Extension Educators.

Presenter:

– Specialist from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)

Tracks: PSEP; Ag Community & Economic Development; Farm Management & Food Sector Economics; Invasive Species; Urban Ag; Vegetables

Session 7
Thursday, November 17
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Room: 525 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Meeting Challenges Managing Farm Labor

Subtitle: Growing Leaders in Our Farm Businesses
Many of the labor challenges faced by New York farms have their solution, at least in part, in leadership. Owners and managers who act as strong, progressive leaders in their businesses tend to achieve positive outcomes: higher performance, engaged employees, better animal care, less turnover, employee well-being, and reduced risk of unionization. This workshop will focus on leadership development starting with frontline supervisors and including managers and owners.

Subtitle: Immigrant Farmworkers -Taxes, Immigration and Supports
Mary Jo Dudley shares materials developed in response to farmworker- identified priorities. Many farmworkers with US born children are interested in applying for an Individual Tax Identification Number to link their tax payments with their names as they appear on their passports. The CFP has partnered with the Law school’s pro-bono tax clinic to offer support for farmworkers interested in becoming tax compliant. This session will also outline how the CFP partners with legal service providers to offer immigration support and assistance for farmworkers that want to assign temporary guardians for their US born children. This session will also provide information on how to link farmworkers with Mexican and Guatemalan mobile consulate visits to procure ID documents.

Presenters:

– Rich Stup, Agricultural Workforce Specialist, CALS
– Mary Jo Dudley, Director of the Cornell Farmworker Program (CFP), CALS

Track: Farm Management & Food Sector Economics

Session 8
Friday, November 18
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

It’s All About the Land

Subtitle: Changing Use, Changing Ownership, Planning for the Future
The NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets Farmland Protection Program has purchased development rights from more than 75,000 acres of land from 300 farmland owners. Conservation easements describe the intended use of the property. Ownership of protected land changes as does different agricultural and other uses for the property, challenging new owners, local municipalities, and land trusts holding the easements. Case studies will be used to demonstrate changes in farmland use, evolution of conservation easements, and implications for the future. This presentation is useful to CCE educators who serve as trusted resources of information for farmland owners interested in selling development rights, people purchasing protected land, and who are appointed to local farmland protection boards.

Subtitle: Farmland Market in the NYS: Who Owns It, and Where It Is Headed
Farmland represents over 80% of US farm assets and often is the single largest investment farmers make. Drawing on his 10+ years of research experience in this area, new faculty and extension economist Wendong Zhang will discuss trends in and determinants of farmland values and ownership in the New York State. In particular, he will compare land value and ownership trends in NYS and US Northeast with other US regions such as the US Midwest, examine the spatial extent of corporate and foreign ownership of US farmland in the Northeast, discuss how land tenure affects adoption of conservation practices and other farm management decisions, and finally evaluate the impacts of interest rate hikes and rising urban development demand on NYS farmers and the land they own.

Presenters:

– Amanda Barber, Secretary, NYS Agricultural Land Trust
– Wendong Zhang, Assistant Professor, Dyson School

Track: Farm Business Management & Food Sector Economics

Session 9
Friday, November 18
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Considerations When Launching a New Venture, A Case Study in Joint Machinery Ownership

Farms businesses can lack capital to invest in machinery with the newest technology. Specialization of farm equipment and associated purchase costs make it difficult for an individual farmer to justify the investment. Joint ownership of machinery can provide a solution. At the same time such collaborative efforts are doomed as special skills are needed by the persons leading organization of such efforts. This presentation will address some of the opportunities and challenges of joint machinery ownership, identify the skills of persons to lead such efforts, and the role of extension educators to support such initiatives.

Presenter:

– Bobbie Severson, Extension Associate, Dyson School

Track: Farm Business Management & Food Sector Economics

Session 10
Friday, November 18
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

WHO Says I’m Stressed!!

CCE educators intersect with co-workers, supervisors, volunteers, community leaders, and their loved ones. Each constituency has different expectations and deadlines to meet. Meeting such needs and conflicting timelines can be exhausting. At the same time, educators meet with program participants making complicated decisions, overwhelming to them. NY FarmNet suggests this is stress. Educators will learn what stress looks like and associated compounding risk factors. From the workshop educators will take away coping skills to manage stress and build resiliency in uncertain times. In addition, educators will learn about NY FarmNet, its services, and how it can assist them and persons with whom they work.

Presenter:

– Brenda O’Brien, Family Consultant, NY FarmNet

Track: Farm Management & Food Sector Economics

Session C
Monday, November 14
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Zoom

Supporting on-farm experimentation with digital agronomy

Recent surveys and interviews show that most farmers conduct experiments on their farm to improve the way they manage their crops. This farmer-driven experimentation process is age old and allows farmers to test new ideas or adapt existing solutions to their farming environment. With the advent of digital agronomy, it is now possible to support farmers in this endogenous process that has traditionally evolved separately from conventional research. This presentation will detail how digital agronomy can support farmer-driven on-farm experimentation for a faster transition toward sustainable cropping systems.

Presenters:

– Louis Longchamps

Tracks: Field Crops

Session 1
Wednesday, November 16
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Field Crop Disease Update (45 mins) AND Alfalfa-Grass Issues (45 mins)

Gary Bergstrom: Field crop disease occurrences over the past year will be reviewed along with ongoing research efforts. Bergstrom will initiate a discussion of plant pathology resources available to extension educators as he transitions to emeritus status in 2023.

Jerry Cherney: We are currently assessing the feasibility of using hand-held NIR devices for estimating quality of alfalfa-grass, as well as estimating the alfalfa proportion of a mixture. Several more hand-held NIR units have come on the market in recent months. We are also attempting to estimate alfalfa yield and quality from satellite data.

Presenters:

– Gary Bergstrom AND Jerry Cherney

Track: Field Crops

Session 2
Wednesday, November 16
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Room: 329 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Crop Variety Update

This session will provide updates on small grain variety evaluations and breeding efforts (including soft white and soft red winter wheat, winter and spring malting barley, spring oat, and hybrid rye). Legume and grass forage crop and cover crop variety evaluations and breeding efforts also will be reviewed. Finally, we will provide an update on the New York Seed Improvement Program and its work with Foundation and Certified seed.

Presenters:

– Mark Sorrells, David Benscher, and Julie Hansen

Track: Field Crops

Session 3
Wednesday, November 16
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Nutrient Management Update

In this session we will give updates on current projects on greenhouse gas emissions from fields (NetZero project), value of manure studies, dairy sustainability key performance indicator project, yield estimation from drone and satellite imagery, rainfall simulation studies, updated Cornell guidelines for N and P, and the new CAFO permit)”

Presenters:

– Quirine Ketterings and the Nutrient Management Spear Team

Track: Field Crops

Session 4
Thursday, November 17
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

USDA Agriculture census discussion (60 mins) AND Climate Change and Weed Management for NY Field Crops and Dairy (30 mins)

Donnie Fike: A discussion of upcoming 2022 AG Census plus all the periodic surveys that are done over the course of the year. How surveys are executed, where extension and industry folks can find and use all of the data collected. Plus, answer questions.
Carri Marschner: Climate change will impact weed management for NY field crop and dairy farmers in many ways. We will look at preliminary results from last winter’s farmer survey of common and troublesome weeds, and how these lists have changed over the last thirty years. We will also discuss what is currently known about herbicide efficacy in a changing climate.

Presenters:

-Donnie Fike, USDA/NASS (National AG Statistics Service) Statistician for New York
– Caroline Marschner & Sharon Bachman

Tracks: Dairy; Field Crops

Session 5
Thursday, November 17
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 225 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Herbicide Resistance in NY and Novel Technologies for Weed Management (45 minutes) AND Field Crops Review & Potential New Approaches to Weed Seedbank Management (45 minutes)

Lynn Sosnoskie: Herbicide resistance is a growing problem worldwide, in the US, and in the state of NY. Current research efforts have identified herbicide resistant NY populations of Palmer amaranth (glyphosate, ALS-inhibitors), waterhemp (glyphosate, ALS-inhibitors), lambsquarters (PS II-inhibitors), horseweed (glyphosate, ALS-inhibitors, paraquat). Strict regulatory environments plus the loss of chemistries dues to resistance is facilitating the development and commercialization of novel weed control technologies such as precision sprayers and harvest weed seed control. This talk will update attendees on the current status and future of weed management.
Field Crop Review & Planning: A brief review of highlights and lessons learned by Field Crop Educators during the 2022 season as well as a presentation by Bryan Brown: Weed seed coatings protect them from weathering and microbial decay. Certain enzymes have been shown to degrade these coatings. Enzyme production is currently prohibitively expensive, but perhaps as technology improves, this could provide a much-needed weed seedbank management tool for farmers.

Presenters:

– Lynn Sosnoskie AND Jenn Thomas-Murphy AND Bryan Brown

Track: Field Crops

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

An Overview of Cover Crop Grazing

James Byrne will join in virtually to provide an overview of livestock cover crop grazing, and possibly working with neighboring crop farms.

Presenter:

– James Byrne, Beef Cattle Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Tracks: Livestock, Field Crops

Session 1
Wednesday, November 16
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Room: 525 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Orchard water management in a changing climate

Increased frequency of both droughts and extreme rain events are expected in New York State as weather continues to become more variable in the near future. Both must be mitigated to grow healthy fruit crops. Good soil drainage, proper tiling, appropriate floor management, good soil water holding capacity and irrigation, if available, can provide the buffer to maintain adequate moisture levels, regardless of rainfall. An understanding of changing weather patterns, water use and water requirements of the crop, impacts of cover crops and open soil, and other factors affecting production are important for effective water management. Learn how to use digital tools to estimate irrigation and drainage needs in tree fruit cropping systems to help growers navigate heavy or light rainfall years.

Presenters:

– Alan Lakso
– Dan Olmstead

Track: Fruit

Session 2
Wednesday, November 16
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Running stats in JMP: Best management practices for experimental design, data management, and simple statistics

Instead of waiting for us to show up in the stats office hours with poorly run experiments and data organized in the worst way, we will get a jump on future studies in the session. For those who plan to use JMP for future statistical analyses, this session will focus on: how to set up your experimental design in a way that makes sense, the best way to enter data into excel to be able to convert it seamlessly into JMP, and how to run some of the most commonly used statistical analyses in JMP. Bring a laptop with JMP installed to be able to follow along on your computer.

Presenter:

– Erika Mudrak

Track: Fruit

Session 3
Wednesday, November 16
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

CANCELLED: Sprayer Calibration for Research Plots

Calibrating sprayers is a challenge even for those who do it regularly. As researchers, usually with small plot sizes, what tips and tricks do we need to know to gain confidence in how to calibrate the sprayer. Also, find out what may be going wrong with our sprayer calibration that we may not even know or notice?

Presenter:

– Don Caldwell

Track: Fruit

Session 4
Thursday, November 17
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: 329 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Fruit PWT meeting

We will hold our ~annual Fruit PWT check-in meeting during this time. As the first PWT meeting since Covid, and our first as co-chairs, we will focus on making the most of the opportunity to get to know each other in person, as well as highlights from the summer field season

Track: Fruit

Session 5
Thursday, November 17
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 329 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Running stats in R: Best management practices for experimental design, data management, and simple statistics

Instead of waiting for us to show up in the stats office hours with poorly run experiments and data organized in the worst way, we will get a jump on future studies in the session. For those who plan to use R for future statistical analyses, this session will focus on: how to set up your experimental design in a way that makes sense, the best way to enter data into excel to be able to convert it seamlessly into R, and how to run some of the most commonly used statistical analyses in R. Bring a laptop with R installed to be able to follow along on your computer.

Presenter:

– Erika Mudrak

Track: Fruit

Session B 
Monday, November 14
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Zoom

Climate Adaptation through Community Tree Steward Programs

In this session, you will learn about programs to help restore and maintain urban tree canopies in WNY and Dutchess County. Each program will share its approach to educating citizens on how to properly select, plant, prune and maintain trees in challenging urban environments. Stephanie Radin of Dutchess will focus on its online, expert presentations in a 35-hour certification program. Sharon Bachman’s session will also focus on how tree stewardship programs have adapted their trainings to the challenges of climate change in their communities and how to develop field days with hands-on activities to teach the concepts in their Moodle based CommuniTree Steward Project (engaging Allegany, Wyoming, and Erie counties). We’ll discuss how programs integrate content on proper tree care for localized adaptation to climate change (i.e. flooding, drought heat stress, tree diseases, etc.).

Presenters:

• Stephanie D. Radin, M.S., Agriculture/Horticulture Program Leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess County
• Sharon Bachman, Sharon Bachman, Agriculture & Natural Resources Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County
• Ashley Helmholdt, Extension Associate, Cornell Garden-Based Learning

Track: Horticulture

Session C
Monday, November 14
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Zoom

Therapeutic Horticulture Approaches for Community Well-being
The last few years have shown us the need for horticultural programming that addresses the whole human and expands to include people with diverse abilities and mental health concerns. We are excited to have speakers from several prominent horticultural therapy programs and botanic gardens leading the way with approaches that address gardening with an aging population, at-risk youth and adults of diverse abilities. Speakers will share their program’s approach to training on horticultural therapy, activity development approaches and real-world examples of horticultural therapists working in communities to inspire new partnerships with this emerging field of practitioners.

Presenters:

• Aniki Coates, Chicago Botanic Gardens, Horticultural Therapist, Windy City Farm
• Emilee Weaver, Therapeutic Horticulture Program Manager, North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

Track: Horticulture

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 225 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Blocks-in-Bloom In-Depth: Orientation and Toolkit for Starting Your Own Program – Part 1

Join Kathy Lewis and Ashly Piedmont for an interactive and in-depth training on building a Blocks-In-Bloom program for your county! In these sessions, you’ll learn about the award-winning Rochester initiative that brings together communities in the City of Rochester through front yard flower gardening in lower-resourced neighborhoods. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County’s Master Gardeners and other volunteers educate residents, one block at a time, in preparing, planting, and maintaining front yard flower gardens. In this 2-part session, you’ll receive the building blocks for how to organize your own Blocks-In-Bloom program, including: outreach skills for building community and recruiting blocks, teaching perennial gardening skills to block captains, and building the structure for a mentor program for residents. This program beautifies blocks, teaches gardening skills, and grows stronger community relationships through gardening. This is a two-part, in-depth training spanning two conference sessions, with a break between. Part 1 will discuss the Blocks in Bloom model and how it works, Part 2 will describe the logistics and steps to initiating a pilot program in your community. We encourage county teams to take both sessions to get the best experience. For more information, go to: http://monroe.cce.cornell.edu/horticulture/blocks-in-bloom.

Presenters:

• Kathy Lewis, MA in Business & Policy Studies, Master Gardener Volunteer, CCE Monroe, Retired Community Organizer and Non-Profit Professional
• Ashly Piedmont, Master Gardener Coordinator, CCE Monroe

Tracks: Horticulture

Session 7
Thursday, November 17
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Room: 225 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Blocks-in-Bloom In-Depth: Orientation and Toolkit for Starting Your Own Program – Part 2

Join Kathy Lewis and Ashly Piedmont for an interactive and in-depth training on building a Blocks-In-Bloom program for your county! In these sessions, you’ll learn about the award-winning Rochester initiative that brings together communities in the City of Rochester through front yard flower gardening in lower-resourced neighborhoods. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County’s Master Gardeners and other volunteers educate residents, one block at a time, in preparing, planting, and maintaining front yard flower gardens. In this 2-part session, you’ll receive the building blocks for how to organize your own Blocks-In-Bloom program, including: outreach skills for building community and recruiting blocks, teaching perennial gardening skills to block captains, and building the structure for a mentor program for residents. This program beautifies blocks, teaches gardening skills, and grows stronger community relationships through gardening. This is a two-part, in-depth training spanning two conference sessions, with a break between. Part 1 will discuss the Blocks in Bloom model and how it works, Part 2 will describe the logistics and steps to initiating a pilot program in your community. We encourage county teams to take both sessions to get the best experience. For more information, go to: http://monroe.cce.cornell.edu/horticulture/blocks-in-bloom

Presenters:

• Kathy Lewis, MA in Business & Policy Studies, Master Gardener Volunteer, CCE Monroe, Retired Community Organizer and Non-Profit Professional
• Ashly Piedmont, Master Gardener Coordinator, CCE Monroe

Track: Horticulture

Session 8
Friday, November 18
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Sustainable Weed Management in the Garden

Have you ever wondered what techniques are best for sustainable management of weeds in your garden? Come learn from experts at NYS Integrated Pest Management and the Cornell Horticulture Section about strategies for weed suppression, weed ID and tools that can be applied to home and community garden settings to minimize environmental and human health risks. Join Lynn Sosnoskie, of the Weed Ecology and Management for Specialty Crops program, in discussing Weed ID resources, and Bryan Brown, covering frequently asked questions of the Integrated Weed Management program. There will be some hands-on demonstrations as well!

Presenters:

• Lynn Sosnoskie, PhD, Assistant Professor, Weed Ecology and Management for Specialty Crops, Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University
• Bryan Brown, Integrated Weed Management Specialist, New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Horticulture Section, School of Integrated Plant Sciences, Cornell University

Track: Horticulture

Session 9
Friday, November 18
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Growing Strong: Inspirational Program Sharing Across the NYS Master Gardener Program

The last two years have been a challenge to see each other, but we are finally getting the opportunity to connect in person again! One of the top requested sessions at the Ag In-Service is for Horticulture Educators to network with one another and share successes that can be replicated across the state. This session will be a celebration of innovative programming from county programs, including a vision for educational offerings from CGBL, followed by collaborative sharing time. For our new coordinators, we’ll have some time to engage around key skills and resources to learn about in your first years with the MGV program.

Presenter:

• Ashley Helmholdt, Adult Program Leader, Cornell Garden-Based Learning, Cornell University
• Kelly Campbell, Volunteer Engagement Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension Administration

Track: Horticulture

Session 10
Friday, November 18
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Creative Container and Small Space Vegetable and Herb Gardens

Throughout the pandemic, new vegetable gardeners have flocked to Cooperative Extension for help with their small space gardening needs and desire to grow food for their families. In this session, you will learn how to help those with challenging space requirements – like apartment dwellers with a stoop, roof top or porch to grow from. Come learn from our panel of experts on effective soil preparation for containers, materials and structure selection, and small-space vegetable varieties and techniques to be successful. In this presentation, Steve Reiners of the Horticulture section will review small space cover crop selection and integration into raised beds, vegetable variety considerations, and techniques for small space gardens (i.e. square foot gardening, vertical gardening, etc.). Hannah Shayler, of the “Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities” program will cover findings from her research on sediment compost mixes in NYC, describing the best mix of soil and compost for raised beds/containers and best management practices for community gardens and home gardeners to develop the right structure and composition in their soils when starting from scratch. Hannah will also cover safe and unsafe materials for raised beds or containers. Makela Elvy, of the New York City Harvest NY Program, will share recent examples of container gardening from working in the city and the reasons why urban gardeners would choose to exclusively grow in containers.

Presenters:

• Stephen Reiners, Professor, Vegetable Production Systems and Organic Gardening, Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University
• Hannah Shayler, Extension Associate, Cornell Waste Management Institute, Crop and Soil Sciences Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University
• Makela Elvy, Urban Gardens Specialist, Harvest New York, Cornell University

Track: Horticulture, Urban Agriculture

Field Trip
Tuesday, November 15
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Arnot Teaching and Research Forest

Sustaining Natural Resources in Working Forested Landscapes

Lunch provided, dress for the weather and walking in the woods
Location: Arnot Teaching and Research Forest, 611 County Road 13, Van Etten, NY 14889 (Schuyler County). Latitude = 42°15’49.38″N, Longitude = 76°37’42.57″W (or 42.263717, -76.628492). Additional details provided to pre-registrants.
Working forested landscapes are a dominant feature of New York. These are essential to supporting families and business, and when sustainable have enduring benefits. The Arnot Forest integrates active research in the forest, on more than trees, with opportunities for demonstration of issues, consequences and solutions. This in-service field tour will showcase active research projects, and discuss how the results of research are meaningful to CCE educators and stakeholders. Topics include: forest farming crops; sugar maple production and value-added products; managing hemlock woolly adelgid; forest pollinator ecology; brush walls for reforestation and carbon sequestration; LIDAR technology for enhanced forest growth monitoring; slash walls for regeneration and interactions with wildlife.

Presenters, from DNRE except as noted: Catherine Belisle, Brett Chedzoy, Paul Curtis, Peter Smallidge, Kristi Sullivan, Mark Whitmore, Aaron Wightman, Adam Wild, Peter Woodbury (Soil and Crop Science Section), Xiangtao Xu (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology)

Track: Natural Resources, Invasive Species

Session 1
Wednesday, November 16
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Indigenous Perspectives on Natural Resources and Invasive Species Management

New York has nine state and federally recognized Indian Nations that have a long history of land stewardship. This session seeks to provide indigenous perspectives on utilization and management of tribal lands including approaches to address invasive species issues. Specific cases will be presented and a panel discussion will be facilitated.

Presenters:

– Jessica Raspitha, Land Resources Program Manager, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Environment Division
– Angello Johnson, Land Resources Technician, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Environment Division and Owner, Good Mind Designs
– Sateiokwen Bucktooth, Traditional Ecological Knowledge consultant, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and Owner, Snipe Clan Botanicals

Track: Invasive Species

Session 2
Wednesday, November 16
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Native Pollinator-Plant Interactions: Designing Landscapes + Corridors to Support Regional Biodiversity

Discover the key role that biodiversity plays in solving the climate crisis. Learn why pollinator habitat restoration is the single most important consideration in designing resilient landscapes in the Northeast. In this workshop, participants will explore scalable, replicable models of habitat design, restoration and maintenance; for professional practice, public education and stakeholder participation. This session will also dissect conflicts between interest groups and invasive species management that challenge efforts to support native pollinators and biodiversity.

Presenters:
– Evan Abramson, M.SC., Founder and Principal of Landscape Interactions
– Carrie Brown-Lima, Director, NY Invasive Species Research Institute, Cornell University

Track: Invasive Species

Session 3
Wednesday, November 16
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Biotic Resistance Refuges

The vast majority of introduced species never become invasive, and some initially invasive species show rapid declines associated with them being recognized as food or as host for diseases or parasites. This is a form of biotic resistance happening without human assistance, but it could also be called natural biological control. In many instances these natural controls do not materialize when introduced species are intentionally managed. Could purposeful establishment of refuges from management and repeat surveys for natural enemies provide opportunities for biotic resistance to develop? We will review the evidence for rapid development of biotic controls on introduced species and how Biotic Resistance Refuges may transform introduced species management.

Presenter:
– Dr. Bernd Blossey Professor, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University
– Dr. Angela Bownes PhD Senior Researcher – Weed Biocontrol & Knowledge Broker, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, New Zealand

Track: Invasive Species

Session 4
Thursday, November 17
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Utilizing Priority Setting Tools for Invasive Species Decision Making

Many tools and resources have been developed to help prioritize efforts to reduce the negative impacts of invasive species. This session will provide brief overviews of several tools available, (such as IPMDAT, Invasive Range Expanders Listing Tool, IS Tiers, NYS IS Regional Planning Tool, Horizon Scanning, Site Scorecard, Lakes and Ponds AIS Vulnerability Prioritization tool and others) followed by breakout discussions to identify audiences, use cases, and what is missing from our toolbox.

Presenter(s):
– Dr. Jennifer Dean, Invasive Species Biologist. New York Natural Heritage Program
– Carrie Brown-Lima, Director, NY Invasive Species Research Institute, Cornell University
– Dr. Jennifer Price Tack, Large Carnivore and Elk Research Scientist, WI Dept of Natural Resources
– Rob Williams, Invasive Species Program Director, SLELO PRISM
– Mitch O’Neil, End User Support Specialist, New York Natural Heritage Program
– Robert Slocum, Response & Management Coordinator, Bureau of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health Division of Lands & Forests
– Dr. Annette Evans, ORISE Postdoctoral Research Fellow, USGS Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center

Track: Invasive Species

Session 5
Thursday, November 17
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Modes and means of communication on Invasive Species

How do different modes and means of risk communication influence perceptions and behavioral responses to environmental issues? How do we strategically frame messages, which provide accurate and actionable information, to support decision-making? In this session, we will leverage the latest research and insights into risk communication, message framing, and community engagement that can be applied to invasive species messaging.

Presenters:
– Dr. Katherine McComas, Vice Provost for Engagement and Land-Grant Affairs, Office of the Provost
– Dr. Josephine Martell, Director of Research Development, CALS Office of Research Development

Track: Invasive Species

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Tough Topics and Risk Communication

All Extension Educators must be able to communicate about perceived risks with their clients, whether it be financial risks in farm management, the risks of energy use in the face of climate change, the ecological and agricultural risks of invasive species, the risks of heavy metals in urban farm soils, the risks of scientific techniques like GMOs, or the risks associated with management tools for pest control. Specialists from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) spend their days communicating with clients about the risks, benefits, and science surrounding pesticides. We’ll cover the importance of risk perception, techniques for active listening, and elements of a well-rounded risk conversation. We will explain why it’s important to frame your response to clients in terms of “risk” rather than “safety” and briefly introduce how NPIC’s free services can be useful to Extension Educators.

Presenter:
– Specialist from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)

Tracks: PSEP; Ag Community & Economic Development; Farm Management & Food Sector Economics; Invasive Species; Urban Ag; Vegetables

Session B
Monday, November 14
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Zoom

Livestock’s Role in Addressing Climate Change

Open discussion regarding what CCE can do.

Track: Livestock

Session C 
Monday, November 14
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Zoom

Ticks: Livestock, People, and Working Dogs

Racheal Slattery will be providing an overview of ticks and how to deal with them on livestock farms. with emphasis on the Asian Long-Horned Tick. Joellen will provide an update to the ALT survey in the Hudson Valley.

Presenters:
– Racheal Slattery, Beef and Dairy Extension, University of Maryland Department of Animal and Avian Sciences
– Joellen Lampman, Community IPM Extension Support Specialist, NYSIPM Program

Track: Livestock

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

An Overview of Cover Crop Grazing

James Byrne will join in virtually to provide an overview of livestock cover crop grazing, and possibly working with neighboring crop farms.

Presenter:
– James Byrne, Beef Cattle Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Track: Livestock, Field Crops

Session 7
Thursday, November 17
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Room: 229 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Pasture management in solar arrays & Dung Beetle survey

Subtitle: Pasture management in solar arrays: Effect of sheep grazing density on forage quality and flock health
Niko Kochendoerfer will give an update to the sheep grazing project in ground-mounted solar arrays.

Subtitle: Dung Beetle survey: What we found in NYS
NYSIPM led a dung beetle survey on beef and dairy farms. Ken will discuss what species were found, which included some surprises.

Presenter:
– Dr. Niko Kochendoerfer, postdoctoral associate, Cornell University
– Ken Wise, Senior Extension IPM Coordinator- Field Crops and Livestock, NYSIPM Program

Track: Livestock

Session 8
Friday, November 18
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: 225 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Planning to Prevent Foreign Animal Disease & Importance of the USDA Ag Census

Subtitle: Planning to Prevent Foreign Animal Disease on Multispecies Farms
The ongoing risks with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, potential risks with African Swine Fever, plus other foreign animal disease risks are cause for concern on our livestock farms. Taking a mixed species approach to Secure Food Supply may be a way to work with our farms.

Subtitle: Importance of the USDA Ag Census
The Ag Census has a larger impact than many know, it is important for farmers to fill it out accurately. Listen in to hear what Donnie has to say. Bring your questions for good discussion; he is looking how to better support CCE’s needs.

Presenters:
– Amy Barkley, Ashley McFarland, Nancy Glazier, regional livestock specialists, CCE
– Donnie Fike, NY State Statistician for USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service

Track: Livestock

Session 9
Friday, November 18
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 225 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Updates to MeatSuite, Meat Price Calculator, and the Approach to Profitable Meat Pricing

Matt LeRoux will review updates to his ongoing projects and meat pricing.

Presenter:
– Matt LeRoux, Extension Associate, Charles H Dyson School of Economics & Management

Track: Livestock

Session 10
Friday, November 18
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Leland Laboratory

Trip to Leland Lab Pyrolysis Kiln Tour and Learn About Biochar

This session will be a field trip to Leland Laboratory, 121 Tuber Dr, Ithaca, NY. We will learn about and the biochar in dairy farming project.

Presenter:
– Dr. Andrew Hubble, postdoctoral associate

Tracks: Livestock; Dairy

Field Trip
Tuesday, November 15
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Arnot Teaching and Research Forest

Sustaining Natural Resources in Working Forested Landscapes

Lunch provided, dress for the weather and walking in the woods
Location: Arnot Teaching and Research Forest, 611 County Road 13, Van Etten, NY 14889 (Schuyler County). Latitude = 42°15’49.38″N, Longitude = 76°37’42.57″W (or 42.263717, -76.628492). Additional details provided to pre-registrants.
Working forested landscapes are a dominant feature of New York. These are essential to supporting families and business, and when sustainable have enduring benefits. The Arnot Forest integrates active research in the forest, on more than trees, with opportunities for demonstration of issues, consequences and solutions. This in-service field tour will showcase active research projects, and discuss how the results of research are meaningful to CCE educators and stakeholders. Topics include: forest farming crops; sugar maple production and value-added products; managing hemlock woolly adelgid; forest pollinator ecology; brush walls for reforestation and carbon sequestration; LIDAR technology for enhanced forest growth monitoring; slash walls for regeneration and interactions with wildlife.

Presenters, from DNRE except as noted: Catherine Belisle, Brett Chedzoy, Paul Curtis, Peter Smallidge, Kristi Sullivan, Mark Whitmore, Aaron Wightman, Adam Wild, Peter Woodbury (Soil and Crop Science Section), Xiangtao Xu (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology)

Track: Natural Resources, Invasive Species

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 425 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Master Naturalist and Master Forest Owner Volunteers: Program overview and updates

Master volunteers are a common feature of CCE programs. Two master volunteer programs are available to assist and support nature/woodland-based programming. The Master Naturalist program is a high-quality, science-based training program designed to teach adults about New York’s natural resources, empowering them to educate others and participate in on-the-ground conservation and monitoring projects. Foundational and enhanced training is augmented by an expectation for 30 hours of volunteer experiences. The Master Forest Owner program develops the volunteer capacity of woodland owners (not foresters) to build on their personal ownership experiences. Once trained, volunteers agree to make site visits to other woodland owners in their county to help them identify technical and educational resources that support the owner’s objectives.

Presenters:
– Kristi Sullivan, Department of Natural Resources and Environment
– Peter Smallidge, Department of Natural Resources and Environment

Track: Natural Resources

Session 7
Thursday, November 17
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Room: 425 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Brook Trout

Using brook trout as an iconic species to educate stakeholders about climate change issues, web information, applied research at Little Moose Field Station

Presenters:

– Keith Tidball
– Peter McIntyre

Tracks: Natural Resources

CANCELLED – Session 8
Friday, November 18
8:30 am – 10:00 am

Reducing Health Risks from Tick-borne Diseases

We will share highlights from the CCE Tick Blitz citizen science programming and Don’t Get Ticked NY campaign (45 min). We will also cover deer management issues associated with tick-borne diseases (35 min). Discussion and questions are encouraged (10 min).

Presenters:
– Paul Curtis, DNRE,
– Joellen Lampman, NYS IPM Program

Track: Natural Resources

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Tough Topics and Risk Communication

All Extension Educators must be able to communicate about perceived risks with their clients, whether it be financial risks in farm management, the risks of energy use in the face of climate change, the ecological and agricultural risks of invasive species, the risks of heavy metals in urban farm soils, the risks of scientific techniques like GMOs, or the risks associated with management tools for pest control. Specialists from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) spend their days communicating with clients about the risks, benefits, and science surrounding pesticides. We’ll cover the importance of risk perception, techniques for active listening, and elements of a well-rounded risk conversation. We will explain why it’s important to frame your response to clients in terms of “risk” rather than “safety” and briefly introduce how NPIC’s free services can be useful to Extension Educators.

Presenter: Specialist from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)

Tracks: PSEP; Ag Community & Economic Development; Farm Management & Food Sector Economics; Invasive Species; Urban Ag; Vegetables

Session 9
Friday, November 18
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 525 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Pesticide Resources & Updates for Extension Educators

CCE-PSEP will introduce our program and projects, highlighting resources that we offer that can help support Extension. We will provide an overview of the pesticide applicator certification process and pesticide use regulations, information that will be especially helpful to those new to Extension or New York. We will end the session discussing regulatory changes and current issues affecting applicators and pesticide safety in the state.

Presenters: Mary Centrella, Mike Helms, and Dan Wixted.

Track: PSEP

Session B
Monday, November 14
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Zoom

Engaging with Spanish-First Audiences

The innovative A Sus Órdenes project was conceived by two members of the Cornell Small Farm Programs and the CCE Lake Ontario Fruit Program in the fall of 2020. The project recruited a talented, multidisciplinary, and diverse group of 22 Cornell and CCE employees, representing 17 separate CALS/CHE departments and CCE associations. The title, “A sus órdenes,” is an idiom, or cultural expression, widely used in Latin American countries, indicating that a person is “At your service” and ”Happy to help.” The A Sus Órdenes project aims to deepen and increase CALS and CCE’s service to New York’s Spanish-speaking stakeholders. Project overview, survey data, and recommendations based on project findings will be presented, followed by an open discussion to identify recommendations for further engagement and resource creation.

Tracks: Small Farms

Session C
Monday, November 14
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Zoom

Soil Contamination Challenges on Rural and Urban Farms: PFAS and Heavy Metals

Per-/polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination of agricultural lands, waters, crops, and animal products is rapidly being realized as a major and potentially widespread health and environmental problem that can effectively end agricultural use of land. PFAS are a large family of industrial “forever” chemicals that are found in hundreds of common products. Agricultural lands can become contaminated from sewage/biosolids applications, tainted water, and other avenues. Dr. Goossen will share the story of Maine’s evolving investigation into PFAS contamination on farms: What they have learned so far and how it may apply elsewhere.

Urban gardeners and farmers create healthy communities in cities worldwide. They also face potential exposure to legacy contaminants like metals and metalloids in soils. What should growers know about these potential risks? What has new research on urban soil contaminants found? What options do growers have for limiting exposure? Bring your questions and concerns, and discuss research updates and resources with Dr. Egendorf in this interactive session.

Presenters:

– Caleb Goossen, Organic Crop & Conservation Specialist, MOFGA
– Perl Egendorf, Researcher, NYC Compost Project Hosted By Earth Matter

Tracks: Urban Agriculture, Vegetables

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Tough Topics and Risk Communication

All Extension Educators must be able to communicate about perceived risks with their clients, whether it be financial risks in farm management, the risks of energy use in the face of climate change, the ecological and agricultural risks of invasive species, the risks of heavy metals in urban farm soils, the risks of scientific techniques like GMOs, or the risks associated with management tools for pest control. Specialists from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) spend their days communicating with clients about the risks, benefits, and science surrounding pesticides. We’ll cover the importance of risk perception, techniques for active listening, and elements of a well-rounded risk conversation. We will explain why it’s important to frame your response to clients in terms of “risk” rather than “safety” and briefly introduce how NPIC’s free services can be useful to Extension Educators.

Presenters:

– Specialist from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)

Tracks: Ag Community & Economic Development; Farm Management & Food Sector Economics; Invasive Species; PSEP; Urban Ag; Vegetables

Session 7
Thursday, November 17
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Urban Ag Collaboration, Opportunities and Needs

An open conversation for Extension professionals currently working with – or interested in working with – urban farms and gardens. We will share what needs and opportunities we see in our cities, in terms of urban agriculture programming, outreach, and research. The hope is to plant seeds for future collaboration around areas of interest, to gain familiarity with existing urban agriculture work across the state, and to start developing a shared understanding of how we can build a positive Cornell presence in urban areas.

Tracks: Urban Agriculture

Session 8
Friday, November 18
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: 425 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Unique Pest Challenges in Urban Agriculture

Urban farmers deal with some unique pest pressures compared to specialty crops in rural areas. Many of the same pests are present, but manifest differently in urban agriculture; and some cities have pest pressures rarely seen – for now – in other parts of the state. We will share updates on this year’s top pests of urban farms in New York City, Buffalo, and other cities across the state.

Presenters:

– Sam Anderson, Urban Agriculture Specialist, CCE Harvest New York
– Lori Koenick, Project Assistant, Cornell Vegetable Program

Tracks: Urban Agriculture

Session 9
Friday, November 18
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 425 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Stories of Urban Farmer Land Access

We will share examples of urban farmers gaining access to land, both within and outside of the city, and discuss the barriers that make land access – let alone ownership – such a difficult prospect for many urban farmers.

Presenters:

– Yolanda Gonzalez, Urban Agriculture Specialist, CCE Harvest New York
– Sam Anderson, Urban Agriculture Specialist, CCE Harvest New York
– Bonnie Collins, Ag Program Director, CCE Oneida County

Tracks: Urban Agriculture

Session 10
Friday, November 18
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Creative Container and Small Space Vegetable and Herb Gardens

Throughout the pandemic, new vegetable gardeners have flocked to Cooperative Extension for help with their small space gardening needs and desire to grow food for their families. In this session, you will learn how to help those with challenging space requirements – like apartment dwellers with a stoop, roof top or porch to grow from. Come learn from our panel of experts on effective soil preparation for containers, materials and structure selection, and small-space vegetable varieties and techniques to be successful. In this presentation, Steve Reiners of the Horticulture section will review small space cover crop selection and integration into raised beds, vegetable variety considerations, and techniques for small space gardens (i.e. square foot gardening, vertical gardening, etc.). Hannah Shayler, of the “Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities” program will cover findings from her research on sediment compost mixes in NYC, describing the best mix of soil and compost for raised beds/containers and best management practices for community gardens and home gardeners to develop the right structure and composition in their soils when starting from scratch. Hannah will also cover safe and unsafe materials for raised beds or containers. Makela Elvy, of the New York City Harvest NY Program, will share recent examples of container gardening from working in the city and the reasons why urban gardeners would choose to exclusively grow in containers.

Presenters:
• Stephen Reiners, Professor, Vegetable Production Systems and Organic Gardening, Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University
• Hannah Shayler, Extension Associate, Cornell Waste Management Institute, Crop and Soil Sciences Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University
• Makela Elvy, Urban Gardens Specialist, Harvest New York, Cornell University

Track: Urban Agriculture, Horticulture

Session B
Monday, November 14
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Zoom

Implementation-Ready Climate Adaptation Techniques, Resources, and Tools for Vegetable Production

This session will present proven and realistic (i.e. effective, pragmatic, and affordable) adaptation techniques for produce farms with a focus on water management, fertility efficiency, soil retention, and energy use. We’ll cover technical planning and financial resources available to growers and decision support tools currently available for assessing climate risk and adaptation/mitigation strategies.

Presenters:

– Zach Spangler, Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist, Harvest New York Team, Cornell Cooperative Extension
– Jenna Walczak, Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist, Harvest New York Team, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Track: Vegetables

Session C
Monday, November 14
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Zoom

Soil Contamination Challenges on Rural and Urban Farms: PFAS and Heavy Metals

Per-/polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination of agricultural lands, waters, crops, and animal products is rapidly being realized as a major and potentially widespread health and environmental problem that can effectively end agricultural use of land. PFAS are a large family of industrial “forever” chemicals that are found in hundreds of common products. Agricultural lands can become contaminated from sewage/biosolids applications, tainted water, and other avenues. Dr. Goossen will share the story of Maine’s evolving investigation into PFAS contamination on farms: What they have learned so far and how it may apply elsewhere.

Urban gardeners and farmers create healthy communities in cities worldwide. They also face potential exposure to legacy contaminants like metals and metalloids in soils. What should growers know about these potential risks? What has new research on urban soil contaminants found? What options do growers have for limiting exposure? Bring your questions and concerns, and discuss research updates and resources with Dr. Egendorf in this interactive session.

Presenters:
– Caleb Goossen, Organic Crop & Conservation Specialist, MOFGA
– Perl Egendorf, Researcher, NYC Compost Project Hosted By Earth Matter

Tracks: Vegetables; Urban Agriculture

Session 1
Wednesday, November 16
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Room: 425 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Emerging Issues in the Field: Round Table Discussion with Faculty

In this roundtable session, we will review production and agricultural industry-associated challenges that are becoming more common or concerning. Which long term or big picture items would benefit from partnership with faculty resources?

Moderator:
– Sandy Menasha, Vegetable/Potato Specialist, CCE Suffolk

Track: Vegetables

Lunch & Session 2 (extended time)
Wednesday, November 16
11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Room: 425 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

PWT Lunch & Having Difficult Conversations
**Pre-registration required. Only Vegetable PWT members.

This extended session will begin with a Vegetables PWT meeting with boxed lunch at 11:30 am. The PWT meeting will be followed by a Having Difficult Conversations training.

Having conversations with people who come from a different background than you isn’t always easy. In our work with farmers, families, and community members, we must deliver all sorts of news and must try to process and manage interactions that are new to us or that challenge our values and beliefs. As part of this presentation, we’ll consider why it’s important to not avoid these situations and how we can use these situations to develop more productive and healthy relationships. Focusing on the idea of “cultural humility” and why listening is often more important than talking, this workshop will concentrate on providing attendees with practical, everyday skills that they can use to strengthen their relationships with people from different backgrounds.

This session will be capped at 30 participants.

Presenter:
– Dr. Jerel Ezell, Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Center for Cultural Humility

Track: Vegetables

Session 3
Wednesday, November 16
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Room: 425 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

What Do We Need to Support Our Work?

Our jobs ask a lot of us. This interactive session is an opportunity to talk through what we need from our jobs to help us better meet our professional and personal goals.

Facilitators:
– Crystal Stewart-Courtens, CCE Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program
– Laura McDermott, CCE Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program

Track: Vegetables

Session 4
Thursday, November 17
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Room: 425 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Introductions to New Faculty and Identifying Faculty Hiring Needs

Several of our long-time faculty colleagues have recently or will soon be retiring. We will use this session to identify faculty hiring needs and draft a list of requests from an extension perspective. First, we’ll take some time to connect with newer vegetable faculty and get to know researchers working in vegetable production-adjacent disciplines including labor, digital agriculture, climate change, post-harvest, and more.

Moderators:
– Thomas Bjorkman
– Steve Reiners

Track: Vegetables

Session 5
Thursday, November 17
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room: 425 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Opportunities for Communication Collaborations

Across the state, many teams and associations are pausing to evaluate the utility of their communication efforts, particularly newsletters. This session is an opportunity to discuss how we can pool resources and work together to generate high-quality, high-impact produce communications.

Facilitator:
– Elizabeth Buck

Track: Vegetables

Session 6
Thursday, November 17
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: 423 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Tough Topics and Risk Communication

All Extension Educators must be able to communicate about perceived risks with their clients, whether it be financial risks in farm management, the risks of energy use in the face of climate change, the ecological and agricultural risks of invasive species, the risks of heavy metals in urban farm soils, the risks of scientific techniques like GMOs, or the risks associated with management tools for pest control. Specialists from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) spend their days communicating with clients about the risks, benefits, and science surrounding pesticides. We’ll cover the importance of risk perception, techniques for active listening, and elements of a well-rounded risk conversation. We will explain why it’s important to frame your response to clients in terms of “risk” rather than “safety” and briefly introduce how NPIC’s free services can be useful to Extension Educators.

Presenter:
– Specialist from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)

Tracks: PSEP; Ag Community & Economic Development; Farm Management & Food Sector Economics; Invasive Species; Urban Ag; Vegetables

Session 7
Thursday, November 17
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Room: 425 ILR Conference Center in King-Shaw Hall

Discussion: Urban Ag Collaboration, Opportunities and Needs

An open conversation for Extension professionals currently working with – or interested in working with – urban farms and gardens. We will share what needs and opportunities we see in our cities, in terms of urban agriculture programming, outreach, and research. The hope is to plant seeds for future collaboration around areas of interest, to gain familiarity with existing urban agriculture work across the state, and to start developing a shared understanding of how we can build a positive Cornell presence in urban areas.

Track: Urban Agriculture; Vegetables