Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers

2024 Annual Meeting
2024-02-07 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Bluebonnet Diner, 324 King Street, Northampton, MA, 01060
Please join us on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, for the 13th Joint Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers and the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board.
We invite you to attend the annual meeting where a variety of guest speakers will provide industry and program updates valuable to you. Speakers will share with us the ever changing local, regional and national, political and regulatory issues affecting the dairy industry.
We hope that you will be able to join us as well for this important day.

Online registration is now open!
Click the button below for a downloadable registration form that can be submitted via postal mail.
Mail-in registration form
Pre-registration is requested. The donation is $25.00 per person by January 31st prepaid. Walk-ins are welcome and the fee for walk-in attendance is $40.00 per person. We encourage you to prepay and save $$.

Thank you to our 2024 sponsors!
Current list as of January 22, 2024.

2023 MADF Picnic
2023-08-04 10:00 - 14:00 | Mapleline Farm, 73 Comins Road, Hadley, 01035
Mapleline Farm welcomes the dairy community to their family farm in the beautiful town of Hadley, Massachusetts.
Join us for updates from the MA Department of Agricultural Resources, the MA Dairy Promotion Board and your association, MADF.
In addition, representatives from the local, regional, and national level will share with us the new and ever-changing political and regulatory issues affecting the dairy
industry and our farm families.
Catered lunch by Smithsonian Cafe Chowder House is included with your registration!
Save $10 per attendee when you register online on or before July 28, 2023! Scroll down to the bottom of this page to register.
Special thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors!

Exhibitors and Sponsors
Join the Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers at the MADF Summer Picnic and showcase your products and services! What better way to see your customers in the heat of the season! Visit with your current and potential customers at the only summer trade show event in Massachusetts for the dairy industry!
Click here to learn more ExhibitorsRegistration includes one 10' x 10' booth space plus one exhibitor registration. Exhibitor Booth (MADF Business Member) $300Exhibitor Booth (non MADF Business Member) $600 SponsorshipsSponsorship are available to support the MADF Summer Picnic. All sponsors will be recognized on the MADF website, a sign at registration, and verbally during the program. Dairy $500Cow $300Calf $100

Download the brochure for more information.

Online registration options
Please note: Online pre-registration is available until July 28, 2023. Attendee pricing is $20 when pre-registered and $30 after July 28. Walk-ins are welcome.

Calf Sponsorship
$100.00
Add to cart

Cow Sponsorship
$300.00
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Dairy Sponsorship
$500.00
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2023 Annual Meeting
2023-04-19 10:00 - 13:00 | Stone Cow Brewery, 500 (B) West Street, Barre, MA, 01005
Please join us on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, for the 12th Joint Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers and the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board.
Online registration for attendees has ended but walk-ins are welcome! Scroll down to learn more.

We invite you to attend the annual meeting where a variety of guest speakers will provide industry and program updates valuable to you. Speakers will share with us the ever changing local, regional, and national, political, and regulatory issues affecting the dairy industry.
We hope that you will be able to join us as well for this important day.

Online registration has ended
Walk-in registrations are welcome.
The donation for paying at the door is $30 per person.

Thank you to our 2023 sponsors!
Current list as of April 11, 2023.

Catered by Smithsonian Cafe and Chowder House.

Massachusetts Farm Succession School
2023-01-26 09:30 - 15:30 | MA
This three-day winter course is for active, commercial farmers looking to transfer their farm to a related or un-related successor. It is an opportunity for senior farmers and partners to talk with peers, learn from advisors, and get support on succession planning. Farmers do not need to have an identified successor to participate in this course.
Click here to register!
Are you unsure who will take over your farm?
Feel like your family needs to start talking, but you don’t know where to start?
Have questions about retiring that you don’t know how to answer?
Can the farm support two generations?
It can be a challenging process to explore how to transfer the farm business and assets to a future owner. We will help you:

Get the conversation started
Sort through possibilities
Clarify your goals and next steps
Connect you with resources and support to keep the process going!

Farmers from across Massachusetts, of all farm sizes and enterprises, are welcome. Partners are encouraged to attend together!
“I got so much from the program, both in information and connections,” shared one participant. “The format was a well-balanced mix of instruction, homework and participation. I hope I can translate at least part of what I learned into the reality of our family farm’s future. I’d recommend the training to anyone with a family farm!”
The fee is $100 per farm, including all materials and support between classes.
Farmers are required to attend all three days. There will be homework between sessions. Individualized support will be offered between sessions and after the course is concluded.
Register by January 6th or until course is filled.
For in-person training, we will adhere to all current COVID guidelines and follow state, local, and venue-specific mandates. Please do NOT attend if you are feeling ill or have had a known COVID exposure.
If you have any questions, please email Shemariah Blum-Evitts.

MA Agriculture at the Ballpark
2022-08-19 17:45 - 22:00 | Polar Park, 122 Madison Street, Worcester, MA, 01610, United States
Farmers and friends of Massachusetts agriculture are encouraged to attend a WooSox game Friday, August 19th, 2022, at 6:45 PM as we gather together to provide an opportunity to call the public’s attention to Massachusetts’ vibrant agriculture and local food system sector, recall its efforts through the pandemic, and simply socialize with friends and acquaintances. We invite you, your families, and staff to join the MDAR team, farmers, producers, and food system partners at this inaugural event.
A reserved hospitality section (up to 175 people) includes a buffet and cash bar at the park, which is a mix of seats, high chairs and an area to mingle. The tickets are non-assigned seats. For those that can stay after the game, you will have an opportunity to enjoy the Friday fireworks display.
Click here to learn more and to register!

2022 MADF Picnic
2022-08-12 10:00 - 14:00 | Fletcher Dairy Farm, 17 Gunn Road, Southampton, MA, 01073, United States
Fletcher Dairy Farm welcomes the dairy community to their family farm in the beautiful town of Southampton, Massachusetts.
Join us for updates from the MA Department of Agricultural Resources, the MA Dairy Promotion Board and your association, Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers.
In addition, representatives from the local, regional, and national level will share with us the new and ever-changing political and regulatory issues affecting the dairy industry and our farm families.
BBQ lunch is included with your registration! Save $10 per attendee when you register online on or before August 10, 2022! Scroll down to the bottom of this page to register.
Special thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors!

Exhibitors and Sponsors
Join the Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers at the MADF Summer Picnic and showcase your products and services! What better way to see your customers in the heat of the season! Visit with your current and potential customers at the only summer trade show event in Massachusetts for the dairy industry!
Click here to learn more ExhibitorsRegistration includes one 6’ table plus 1 exhibitor registration at no cost. Table Top Exhibit (under tent) $250Equipment Booth Space (outside tent) $350 SponsorshipsSponsorship are available to support the MADF Summer Picnic. All sponsors will be recognized on the MADF website, a sign at registration, and verbally during the program. Dairy $500Cow $300Calf $100

Download the brochure for more information.

Online registration options
Please note: Online pre-registration is available until August 10, 2022. Attendee pricing is $20 when pre-registered and $30 after August 10. Walk-ins are welcome.

UMass Extension: Soil Health Demonstrations
2022-06-21 13:00 - 16:30 | UMass Crops and Livestock Research and Education Farm, 89 River Road, South Deerfield, MA, 01373, United States
Learn more about several demonstrations for improving soil health, presented by UMass Extension and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture.
Demos include:

New York Soil Health Trailer demonstration
No-till transplanting vegetables into a crimped cover crop
Cover crop residue management
Using tarps to terminate cover crops

This event will be made possible by UMass Extension, the UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture, Northeast SARE, Simple Gifts Farm, and American Farmland Trust.
Click here to register and learn more.

Dairy Farming in Monson
2022-05-01 13:30 - 14:30 | Keep Homestead Museum, 35 Ely Road, Monson, MA, 01057, United States
Keep Homestead Museum Presents Dairy Farming Event
MONSON — The Keep Homestead Museum will present “Dairy Farming in Monson” on Sunday, May 1, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. in the barn. We will be visiting with some of the descendants of dairy farms past and present. At one time, Monson had twenty-seven (27) farms related to the dairy business. Today there is only one farm that is still producing milk.
In addition to a descendant of one of Monson’s oldest dairy farms that is still producing milk, descendants from other farms will relate the history of their farm as to how and when it was acquired, size of herd, milk routes, etc. For those farms whose descendants cannot be present, we will speak for them as their history was related to us. Additionally, the Museum will have on display several items used in the early milk operation and delivery business.
At one time, the Keep Homestead Museum property was a very prosperous dairy farm. Upon her death, Myra Keep Lovell Moulton donated all this property to the Town of Monson. The Museum is located at 35 Ely Road in Monson, Massachusetts. The house and gift shop will be open from 1:00–3:30 p.m. for touring. Admission is free. Donations are accepted.

2022 Annual Meeting
2022-04-05 10:00 - 13:00 | Stone Cow Brewery, 500 (B) West Street, Barre, MA, 01005
Please join us on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 for the 11th Joint Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers and the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board. Scroll to the bottom of this page to register online as an attendee and/or sponsor.

We invite you to attend the annual meeting where a variety of guest speakers will provide industry and program updates valuable to you. Speakers will share with us the ever changing local, regional and national, political and regulatory issues affecting the dairy industry.
We hope that you will be able to join us as well for this important day.

Pre-registration
Pre-registration is requested. The donation is $25 per person by March 29th, 2022 when prepaid. All pre-registrations will receive a FREE “Splash of Mass in Every Glass” pint glass. Register in advance & Save $$.
Sponsor categories and benefits
Sponsorships are also available to support the MADF Annual Meeting. All sponsors will be recognized verbally during the program and contact information listed on the agenda program as well as the MADF website.
Dairy $500 sponsorship: Includes 3 registrations and a table for display
Cow $200 sponsorship: Includes 2 registrations
Calf $100 sponsorship: Includes 1 registration

Online registration is now open!
Scroll down to register as an attendee and/or sponsor online. Click here for a mail-in registration form (checks can be made payable to MADF).
Walk-in registrations are welcome.
The donation for paying at the door is $30 per person.

Thank you to our 2022 sponsors!

Catered by Smithsonian Cafe and Chowder House.

2022 Dairy Outlook Webinar
2022-01-20 11:00 - 12:00 | MA
ENFIELD, Conn., January 14, 2022 — 2021 was an unpredictable year with the impact of COVID-19 on dairy farm operations, as well as schools and foodservice markets still being felt. What does 2022 look like? Join Farm Credit East and Cornell University’s Dr. Chris Wolf for Farm Credit East’s annual dairy outlook webinar on Thursday, January 20 at 11:00 a.m. This webinar is open to all interested dairy producers and free to attend.
Dr. Wolf will give an overview of the economy, changes to milk production and sales, dairy markets around the world, and other factors that may influence the coming year for dairy producers in the Northeast.
Visit FarmCreditEast.com/Webinars to register for this free webinar, or contact Chris Laughton at (800) 562-2235 or email Chris for more information.

Is a Methane Digester Right for your Dairy Farm?
2021-10-20 13:00 - 14:30 | MA
Are you Interested in adding a Methane Digester to your Dairy Operation?
Please join Farm Credit East for a webinar on renewable natural gas methane digesters for dairy farms. Paul Sousa from Western United Dairies will present an overview of digester economics, policy considerations, incentives, and operational factors. Paul will discuss climate policies and legislation and how dairy methane gas fits in. Whether you are considering partnering with a renewable energy developer, operating a facility yourself, leasing space for a digester, or just want to learn more about this opportunity, you will not want to miss this informative webinar.

Key topics covered will include:

Funding and incentives for digesters and renewable natural gas
Eligibility for credits
Policy and regulatory considerations
Economics, costs and revenues
How will a digester affect your dairy operation?

Following the main presentation, we will have a panel discussion including Mr. Sousa, as well as credit and consulting staff from Farm Credit East, and CoBank
The webinar will close with time for live questions and answers from the audience.
This webinar is free and open to all interested farmers and industry stakeholders.
Register today!

2021 MADF Picnic
2021-10-08 10:00 - 14:00 | Rockwood Farm, 355 Granby Road, Granville, MA, 01034, United States
Rockwood Farms welcomes the dairy community to their family farm in the beautiful town of Granville, Massachusetts.
Join us for updates from the MA Department of Agricultural Resources, the MA Dairy Promotion Board and your association, MADF.
In addition, representatives from the local, regional, and national level will share with us the new and ever-changing political and regulatory issues affecting the dairy industry and our farm families.
Registration includes lunch, tour & presentations. Save $10 per attendee and receive a free Splash of Mass pint glass when you register online on or before October 4, 2021! Scroll down to the bottom of this page to register.
Special thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors!

Exhibitors and Sponsors
Join the Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers at the MADF Picnic and showcase your products and services! What better way to see your customers in a relaxed setting. Visit with your current and potential customers at the ONLY trade show event in Massachusetts for the dairy industry! We appreciate your support!
Click here to learn more ExhibitorsRegistration includes one 6’ table plus 1 exhibitor registration at no cost. Table Top Exhibit (under tent) $250Equipment Booth Space (outside tent) $350 SponsorshipsSponsorships are available to support the MADF quarterly Newsletters for the upcoming year 2022! Deadline October 31, 2021. Pricing is for 4 issues. All sponsors will be recognized on the MADF newsletter and website. Dairy $500 (1/2 page ad)Cow $300 (1/4 page ad)Calf $100 (listing with logo)

Download the brochure for more information.

Online registration options
Please note: Online pre-registration is available until October 4, 2021. Attendee pricing is $15 when pre-registered and $25 after October 4. Walk-ins are welcome.

UMass Research Farm Field Day
2021-07-27 15:00 - 19:00 | UMass Crop & Livestock Research & Education Farm, 89 River Road, South Deerfield, MA, 01373, United States
Rain date: Thursday, July 29
Take part in a tour of current crop research at the farm and a demo of the newly purchased no-till transplanter in action. The research tour will go from 3-6pm and dinner will be provided at the end of the tour.
Registration is required due to COVID-19 safety protocols.
The tour will include presentations on the following research:

Demonstrating no-till transplanter at work
Finding the right mixture of summer cover crops for harvest
Strategies for terminating cover crops
Sunn hemp: Grow your own nitrogen fertilizer
Organic control of wireworms in sweet potatoes
Downy mildew-resistant cucumber varieties
Organic control of Cercospora leaf spot in Swiss chard
Bacterial wilt-resistant slicing cucumbers
Damping off in winter spinach
Dual-use solar on Massachusetts farms
Strategies for extending grazing seasons
Bumblebee responses to different “flavors” of basil
Stem cells in agriculture

This event is made possible by the Massachusetts Coordinated Soil Health Program, MDAR, Northeast SARE, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, and American Farmland Trust.
Click here for more information and to register.
Questions? Email Samantha Glaze-Corcoran.

2020 Dairy Farm Summary & 2021 Mid-Year Dairy Outlook
2021-06-23 11:00 - 12:30 | MA
The webinar has been recorded and posted to the Farm Credit East webinar page for those who could not attend live.

Farm Credit East’s Northeast Dairy Farm Summary is the most comprehensive economic analysis of the region’s dairy industry. The 2020 edition marks the 41st year of the report, which looks at the financial results of 204 Northeast dairy farms.
Chris Laughton, editor of the report, will review and discuss the year that was for dairy. Looking forward, Jeremy Forrett, manager of Crop Growers LLP, will discuss risk management options for current market conditions, and finally, Catherine de Ronde, of Agri-Mark will deliver a price and market outlook for the second half of 2021.
Image credit: Farm Credit East

Developing Risk Management and Marketing Plans
2021-06-03 19:00 - 2021-10-14 21:00 | MA
Virtual Workshop Series for Beginning Farmers, Shellfish Farmers and all other Farming Commodities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
This virtual workshop on risk management and marketing will be delivered through nine zoom sessions and will be accompanied by homework assignments, and individualized counseling sessions if desired.
Participants will acquire the skills and understand their own operation sufficiently to develop personal risk management and marketing plans and strategies at the enterprise level.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
June 3 • June 17 • July 8 • July 22 • August 12 • August 26 • September 16 • September 30 • October 14
Please plan to attend ALL nine workshops. Pre-registration is required to participate. Please register early as space is limited. There is a $25 non-refundable registration fee.
To register please contact:
Peggy Siligato (401) 640-0484 | Email Peggy
Paul Russell (508) 472-2364 | Email Paul
Tom Smiarowski (413) 320-1718 | Email Tom
At the end of this project, each participant will have developed a personal risk management and marketing plan for their farm/ranch.

Participants are encouraged to attend ALL NINE zoom workshops.
Objective: Assist Beginning Growers respond to and manage risk.
Participants in this virtual workshop series will:
1. Be introduced to the farm business planning process and learn how to:

Identify and list all of their farm’s assets and their productive capacity
Determine the current wellbeing of the farm business
Review the feasibility of alternative enterprises
Evaluate the risks the farm faces.
Determine who the customers of the farm are and what utility (form, place, time, possession) these customers want.
Make basic marketing decisions:

What form, grade, quality to produce.
When, where, how to price.
When, where, how to deliver.

2. Be introduced to five areas of risk (Production, Marketing, Financial, Human Resource, Legal) and learn how to identify, measure, and manage risks on their farms in these areas.
3. Understand financial management of the farm and how to use financial statements (Income Statement, Balance Sheet) and enterprise budgets to assess the performance of the farm business and make better decisions.
4. Understand marketing principles and how the elements of the marketing mix (Product, Price, Promotion, Place, People) are used to create an effective plan to manage the marketing decisions on the farm.
5. Develop a personal risk management and marketing plan for your farm.

Develop goals in each of the five risk areas, and in each of the five marketing areas.
Identify specific actions you will take for each goal.
Commit to follow through and implement the actions identified.

Individualized Study
The activities in the workshop series will build on each other with specific homework (individual study) assignments to be conducted following each workshop. Local Extension Educators will also attend the workshops and will provide assistance to the producers
on an individual basis to ensure that homework assignments are completed.
Program sponsors: United States Department of Agriculture / National Institute of Food and Agriculture, UMass Extension, The University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension, and Northeast Extension Risk Management Education
This workshop is open to all interested persons. The USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital status.

New England Dairy Nutrition Virtual Conference
2021-03-11 10:00 - 15:00 | MA
Northeast Agribusiness & Feed Alliance is partnering with UConn, The University of Maine, University of Rhode Island, UMass, University of New Hampshire, The University of Vermont and Cornell for a Virtual Dairy Seminar on Thursday, March 11. This event will provide top notch speakers on timely topics impacting dairy herd management.
Free registration—RSVP here for Zoom Link (provide name, company and email address in the message to Sue VanAmburgh)
Click here to learn more!

COVID-19 Vaccine: Start a Conversation in your Community
2021-02-16 12:00 - 13:00 | MA
The objectives of the webinar are to:

Encourage and support community-based organizations to conduct their own community education sessions on the COVID-19 vaccine using DPH-approved educational material.
Describe how to use and access educational materials such as:

Guide to hosting community forums
Answers to frequently asked questions
Other materials available on mass.gov including dashboards

Describe how to request a DPH “Vaccine Ambassador” to support community meetings.

Click here to register.

Calling All Dairy Farmers—Dairy-Focused Virtual Grant Workshop
2021-02-12 10:00 - 11:30 | MA
MDAR is hosting a virtual grant workshop specifically for Massachusetts dairy farmers as part of a USDA-funded project on increasing profits for Massachusetts dairy farmers.
Who: Massachusetts Dairy Farmers
When: February 12, 2021 | 10:00am-11:30am
Where: Zoom—link available after registration
What: The goal of the workshop is to raise awareness of MDAR and USDA grant programs that can help dairy farmers lower their production costs. Dairy farmers will be able to ask questions and interact with each presenter at the end of each presentation and via the chat feature.

To RSVP please email Katie Rozenas by February 11th.

Dairy Markets: The 2020 Impact/Bracing for 2021
2020-12-01 12:00 - 13:15 | MA
Target Audience: Northeast Dairy Producers, as well as suppliers and service providers
2020 saw dramatic price swings in dairy markets due to COVID-19’s global impact on foodservice markets. What have we learned from this? What will 2021 bring? While the precise answers are still unknown, we are sure to see volatility. Are you sure you’re ready? Please join Crop Growers, LLP, Farm Credit East, and Yankee Farm Credit for a timely discussion led by Dr. Marin Bozic of the University of Minnesota along with Farm Credit East business consultant Gregg McConnell.
The event will cover:
2020 Impact, Rebuilding in 2021
Dr. Bozic will explore the post-election market impact, the year ahead and decision support tools to assist dairy producers through it all.
2021 Volatility
Are you sure you’re ready? Business Consultant Gregg McConnell will share insights as you prepare for the new year.
Ask the Experts – Live discussion taking questions from webinar participants.
Click here to register!
Farm Credit has released an updated edition of “The Northeast Economic Engine: Agriculture, Forest Products, and Commercial Fishing” – Produced in collaboration with researchers at the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, this report updates the previous studies of the economic impact of these natural resource-based businesses in 8 Northeast states. The bottom line: farming, fishing, and forestry contribute $104 Billion to the economies of New England, NY, and NJ, and support more than a half-million jobs across the region. The economy and jobs impacts are detailed by each state in the report.
Click here to download a PDF version. Hard copies are available on request.

Learn How Your Operation Can Benefit from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)
2020-11-04 12:30 - 13:30 | MA
The UMass Extension Risk Management Education Program in cooperation with the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation and the USDA – Farm Service Agency (FSA) will be conducting an information session via Zoom Meeting on CFAP 2 along with some upcoming Federal Crop Insurance deadlines on Wednesday, November 4th from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. A short presentation on CFAP 2 will be given by FSA with ample time to answer audience questions.
Signup began September 21 and runs through December 11, 2020, for the second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payments (CFAP 2) at the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Office that serves your operation. The purpose of CFAP 2 is to provide financial assistance to producers who have faced and continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. CFAP 2 provides assistance for dairy, livestock, poultry, fruits, vegetables, aquaculture, maple sap, wool, honey, flowers, eligible nursery crops, and Christmas trees (including other crops that may not be listed here) grown by the applicant. Crops purchased for resale are ineligible for CFAP 2. Value-added or processed crops (such as apple cider, pies, jams, etc.) are eligible but applicants will have to determine the value of the commodity prior to processing and use that figure rather than the sales of the value added or processed commodity.
CFAP 2 is unique program that is easy to participate in and benefits many different aspects of agriculture. Through the first 4 weeks of signup, 340 approved CFAP 2 applicants in Massachusetts have received over $7.4 million.
Join the Zoom Meeting to see how you can participate:
Topic: Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2)
Time: Nov 4, 2020 12:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 898 6469 2715
Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile: (646) 558-8656
This is material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2018-70027-28588. UMass Extension works in partnership with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Center to educate Massachusetts producers about Federal Crop Insurance and USDA Disaster Assistance Programs.
For more information, please contact UMass Risk Management Specialists Paul Russell or Tom Smiarowski.

Bringing it all Together: Integrating Alternative Forage into Your Feed Plan with Kathy Soder
2020-09-18 12:15 - 13:00 | MA
Learning how to grow and graze with alternative forage methods is just one piece of the forage puzzle. How these forage production methods affect animal performance and product quality is arguably even more important. Dr. Kathy Soder, an animal scientist with USDA-ARS, will complete our series by discussing how to integrate these forages into your ration plan. She will discuss what changes you can expect compared to feeding traditional hay or pasture, possible pitfalls, and ways to succeed. This is the topic that we receive the most questions about, so be sure to register and submit your questions for Kathy on the registration form so we can make sure she gets them.
This is the sixth and final webinar in a six-part series that will cover several strategies for grazing season extension and alternative forage production. The series is a collaboration among UMass Extension, UVM Extension, & UMaine Extension, and is supported in part by a Northeast SARE Research and Education Grant with organization and administration supported by the Livestock Institute of Southern New England with the support of the Cedar Tree Foundation. For any questions about the series, please email Sam Corcoran.
Click here to register for this webinar.

Harvesting Winter Cover Crops: Grazing & Forage Season Extension Webinar Series
2020-08-28 12:15 - 13:00 | MA
This webinar will discuss how you can harvest your overwintering cover crops as forage by grazing in the fall and grazing or harvesting in the spring. This includes fall planting dates, species-specific information, and other management considerations. Our speaker is Sam Corcoran, agronomy researcher, of UMass Extension.
This is the fifth webinar in a six-part webinar series that will cover several strategies for grazing season extension and alternative forage production. If you are following along, you will notice that it looks like we have skipped the fourth webinar! If you are receiving this message, it just means you have registered for the fifth webinar before the fourth webinar was scheduled. The fourth webinar focuses on stockpiling and will be offered in early to mid-August (date TBD). Stay tuned! The series is a collaboration among UMass Extension, UVM Extension, & UMaine Extension, and is supported in part by a Northeast SARE Research and Education Grant with organization and administration supported by the Livestock Institute of Southern New England with the support of the Cedar Tree Foundation. For any questions about the series, please email Sam Corcoran.
Click here to register for the webinar.

Stockpiling with Troy Bishopp: 60 Days From Your Fall Feeding Plan
2020-08-11 19:00 - 20:00 | MA
Are you ready to feed grass this fall? This webinar will discuss the realities of stockpiling perennial pastures for the 2020 fall and winter grazing season. It’s a practical venture into the decision-making and pasture management strategies to get more grazing days and offset feeding costs without sacrificing animal performance. Will the plan match reality? Only 60 days to find out. Our speaker is Troy Bishopp, aka, The Grass Whisperer, who is a proactive grazier of 35 years and a grazing professional at the Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District in NY.
This is the fourth webinar in a six-part webinar series that will cover several strategies for grazing season extension and alternative forage production. The series is a collaboration among UMass Extension, UVM Extension, & UMaine Extension, and is supported in part by a Northeast SARE Research and Education Grant with organization and administration supported by the Livestock Institute of Southern New England with the support of the Cedar Tree Foundation. For any questions about the series, please email Sam Corcoran.
Click here to register for this webinar.

Weibnar: 2019 Northeast Dairy Farm Summary Review
2020-08-07 12:00 - 13:00 | MA

Brassicas & Other Cool Season Annuals: Grazing & Forage Season Extension Webinar Series
2020-07-31 12:15 - 13:00 | MA
This webinar will discuss brassicas and other cool-season annuals for grazing or stored feed. This includes species-specific information, planting and management, and feeding considerations. Our speaker is Heather Darby, agronomy specialist, of UVM Extension.
This is the third webinar in a six-part webinar series that will cover several strategies for grazing season extension and alternative forage production. The series is a collaboration among UMass Extension, UVM Extension, & UMaine Extension, and is supported in part by a Northeast SARE Research and Education Grant with organization and administration supported by the Livestock Institute of Southern New England with the support of the Cedar Tree Foundation. For any questions about the series, please email Sam Corcoran.
Click here to register for the webinar.

Farm Credit East Webinar: The Paycheck Protection Program – A Top to Bottom Review of Forgiveness
2020-07-23 11:00 - 12:30 | MA
While many Northeast businesses and their employees have benefited from loans approved through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the second critical step is to achieve maximum forgiveness of the loan.
Join Farm Credit East on July 23, 11AM – 12:30PM, for a top-to-bottom guide on preparing for PPP loan forgiveness. Farm, forest products or fishing businesses that received PPP loans are encouraged to attend this free webinar.
We’ll review the key records and calculations for forgiveness, including:

Payroll records in your reference period and during the forgiveness period
Full-time equivalent calculations and how to avoid reduction penalties
Rate-of-pay calculations
Which taxes should (and shouldn’t) be included in your payroll expenses
Eligible, non-payroll expenses and how they should be documented
Available forgiveness timelines – 24 weeks vs. 8 weeks

Along with this review, consultants Keith Dickinson and Erin Pirro will discuss recent program developments and changes that have been made by the Small Business Administration.
Click here to register or here to view a list of upcoming webinars on the Farm Credit East website.

Improving Pastures with No-Till Methods: Grazing & Forage Season Extension Webinar Series
2020-06-26 12:15 - 13:00 | MA
This webinar will discuss no-till methods to manage pastures. This includes over-seeding with annuals and strategies to improve or renovate existing pastures. Our speaker is Richard Kersbergen, animal and forage scientist with UMaine Extension.
This is the second webinar in a six-part webinar series that will cover several strategies for grazing season extension and alternative forage production. The series is a collaboration among UMass Extension, UVM Extension, & UMaine Extension, and is supported in part by a Northeast SARE Research and Education Grant with organization and administration supported by the Livestock Institute of Southern New England with the support of the Cedar Tree Foundation. For any questions about the series, please email Sam Corcoran.
Click here to register for the webinar.

Fruits and Vegetables: An Early Season Check-in
2020-06-25 12:00 - 13:00 | MA
Join Farm Credit East Thursday, June 25 at 12 noon for an outlook on the Northeast fruit and vegetable season. This webinar will cover the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Northeast growers, market disruptions, and how production and marketing has shifted to reflect the current environment. Managing workers and their health will also be covered.
Panelists include Dr. Bradley Rickard, professor of applied economics and management, Cornell University; Dr. Miguel Gomez, associate professor of applied economics, Cornell University; Dr. Richard Stup, agricultural workforce specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension; and Elizabeth Higgins, business management specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Register today!

Beef and Beyond: A Look at Local and National Animal Protein Markets
2020-06-18 12:00 - 13:00 | MA
Join Farm Credit East for a webinar on Thursday, June 18, for a livestock and meat markets outlook featuring Will Sawyer of CoBank, who will give a national perspective on animal protein markets. Dr. Michael Baker, Senior Extension Associate at Cornell University, will talk about Northeast markets and what the rest of the year has in store.
Registration link still to come.

Northeast Forest Products Industry Outlook
2020-06-16 12:00 - 13:00 | MA
Eric Kingsley, a forest industry consultant with Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC, will present his data and perspective on the region’s forest products markets and potential impacts of the slowing economy. Join Farm Credit East on Tuesday, June 16 at 12 noon for a discussion of lumber markets, pulpwood and biomass, as well as the health of the forest industry supply chain.
Click here to learn more and to register.
