Central New York Dairy and Field Crops Team
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango, Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Otsego and Schoharie Counties

The Agriculture…

Agriculture is an important industry in Chenango, Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Otsego and Schoharie Counties with a market value of all agricultural products sold of approximately 170 million dollars¹.  The 1,000 dairy farms¹, 80,800 cows² and 1.4 billion pounds of milked shipped² comprise 11% of the New York dairy industry¹.  Although the dairy industry represents seventy percent of the agricultural product sold, there are other traditional enterprises like grain and hay crops, beef, sheep, fruit and vegetables, maple products, and ornamental plants. Because the land resources in the region are naturally suited for dairy and livestock production the potential for increased agricultural production exists.

1) 2002 US Census of Agriculture

2) New York Agricultural Statistics 2002

The Team Mission…

The Central New York Dairy and Field Crops Team was formed to work with this important industry. The mission of this extension team is to provide high quality educational programs that address the needs of commercial agricultural producers in Chenango, Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Otsego and Schoharie Counties. The team consists of a Dairy Specialist and a Field Crop Specialist, working the six-county region.

The Education Provided…

Educational activities provided by the team to the agricultural community emphasize not only technical subject matter but also resource management and problem solving.  Teaching techniques emphasize small groups that allow for interaction among participants and instructors.  The participants learn how to solve their own problems through the experiences of others.  Training sessions are made as “hands on” as possible with the use of classroom activities, field demonstrations and farm tours.  At every stage of the educational process achieving profitability while meeting personal and business goals is stressed.

Current Issues Addressed by the Team…

• Help producers understand the value of high quality forage and how to meet the goal of harvesting high quality forage.
• Bring to dairy producers the latest information regarding dairy nutrition.
• Help farm operators improve cow comfort and health and increase labor efficiency through remodeling or building new dairy facilities.
• Assist crop producers with species selection and developing profitable crop rotations.  Current emphasis is on corn silage profitability.
• Provide training on nutrient management so producers make the best use of plant nutrients in fertilizer and manure while protecting the environment.
• Help producers understand principles of integrated pest management(IPM) so that pests are controlled, crops are economically produced, and the environment is protected.
  
  

The Team Members…

David Balbian

Dave Balbian is the dairy/livestock management specialist with the Central New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops team.  He received his Bachelors Degree in Agriculture Education from Cornell University and his Masters from the College of Saint Rose.  Prior to his appointment, Balbian was a Territory Manager for Nutrena Feeds out of the Port of Albany Mill covering six counties. He has had previous extension experience working for Cooperative Extension in Saratoga and Rensselaer counties as the dairy agent.

David’s interests within the dairy industry include:

· Dairy Nutrition

· Improvements or advances in forage digestibility

· Cost-effective facilities

David can be reached at:

1-518-762-3909 or drb23@cornell.edu

Kevin Ganoe

Kevin Ganoe is the field crop specialist and team leader. He received his BS in Plant Science from Penn State University and a Master's of Science in Agronomy also from Penn State.  Kevin was previously the field crops agent for Erie and Crawford counties in Pennsylvania for thirteen years. He also worked as a research aid to the corn specialist at Penn State.  At Penn State was responsible for the Corn Hybrid Testing Program that evaluated the performance of commercial hybrids on farms throughout Pennsylvania.  He also helped conduct research that led to the recommendations made to farmers on corn production.

Kevin’s interests within the field crop industry include:

· Forage Crops

· Integrated Pest Management

· Nutrient Management

Kevin can be reached at:

1-315-866-7920 or khg2@cornell.edu

CNY Home