Riparian buffers can serve many functions on a farm, from capturing runoff, preventing stream bank erosion and sequestering carbon to providing alternative products like firewood, fruits, and nuts. Come learn about design fundamentals, lessons from example buffer installations in our area, and resources available for funding a buffer installation on your farm. Speakers: Paul Gier, Natural Resource Program Specialist, Tompkins Soil and Water Conservation District; Tracey Testo, Agroforestry & Natural Resources Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia-Greene.

This is the last of six weekly webinars in a series hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cortland, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties and the Harvest New York Climate Resiliency Team entitled 'Farming in a Changing World'. Later in the year, a farm tour series that complements these discussions will be available and virtual series registrants will receive a discounted price.

Learn more about the series and register here.

Planning for grazing season includes inspecting fences, setting up electricity, and assessing forage on the fields, but should we also be looking for snails? This presentation introduces the "phantom parasite," meningeal worm, or brainworm, and its gastropod hosts, transmission risk factors to livestock, and the symptoms to watch out for. Organic management strategies to reduce risk in grazing areas will also be covered.

Register here.

Oftentimes when we look at nutrient pollution, we explore tactics to lesson nitrate and/or phosphorus leaching from annual cropping systems. But where do perennial agricultural systems come into play? Tune in to this edition of The Current Webinar Series as we explore the impact different perennial systems have on water quality, and how they can be potentially integrated into existing systems.

Register here.

To help local producers and farmers grow their farm and food ventures, Seven Valleys Health Coalition (SVHC) and the Center for Agricultural Development & Entrepreneurship (CADE), have partnered to host a five-part series starting in April. Often the process of bringing a value-added product to market is filled with multiple barriers - marketing know-how, time, etc. This series, boasting both virtual and in person components, will help participants start the branding and marketing process.

Registration is technically closed, but if you are interested please register here and also contact Kate Downes at Kate@sevenvalleyshealth.org.

Register here. Contact Nancy Glazier with questions at 585-315-7746 or nig3@cornell.edu.

Join the USDA National Agroforestry Center and guest speakers for the next in a unique 10 part webinar series on how different USDA programs can be used to advance agroforestry adoption.

Register here for the May 5th webinar, Agroforestry & the USDA Forest Service Community Forest Program.

Tompkins Food Future and Choice Words Ithaca are hosting a free grants strategy workshop for food system organizations (including farmers!). The workshop is intended for those who:

A light lunch will be provided. Register here.

Gabe Smith is joining the CCE Tompkins Agriculture and Horticulture Team! Gabe will work with farmers, land managers, educators, researchers and other partners statewide to support the adoption and effective management of nut-based agroforestry systems. He comes to us from Syracuse University where his masters work explored the relationship between urban tree health and socioeconomic trends in the city of Syracuse. He also managed the Syracuse University Giving Garden, producing food for the campus food pantry. Before he came to New York, he worked for a vineyard in California where he helped transition production practices from traditional, spray based, towards no-till/no-spray. We are excited to have Gabe aboard!

CCE Cortland County is seeking a new Agriculture Team Leader. This person will provide leadership and management in program development, implementation and evaluation of innovative education programs in Agriculture, with an emphasis in non-dairy livestock and alternative agriculture program issues for both youth and adults.

Apply here, or contact David Rutherford, CCE Cortland Executive Director, at dcr25@cornell.edu for more information.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New York announced an additional $2 million for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and $2 million for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) available through the 2023 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Small farms and forestry operations are encouraged to apply. Plans developed and ranked this year will be funded for implementation in 2024. This IRA pool of money will be getting larger each year and will continue to be available until 2031, so even if you aren’t trying to plan something for next year, you can get the conversation started with NRCS staff now.

More information available here. To get started with an application, email James Schleppenbach or Erin Kurtz.

The New York Soil Health Initiative invites you to apply for a mini-grant! This mini-grant program supports soil health-related projects, activities, and travel within New York State. The goal is to assist in expanding soil health research, education, and awareness to communities across NYS.

Read more and apply here.

Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and CCE Tompkins are collaborating to put together a list of individuals and organizations in Tompkins County who are interested in having their names included on an internal list of custom operators who are interested in contracting for custom fieldwork (e.g. lime spreading, drill seeding, tillage). To learn more or get your name on the list, contact Graham at gs695@cornell.edu or Paul at PGier@tompkins-co.org.

A group of students from Cornell University is working to distribute used solar panels to community members who might find second-life uses for the panels and remove them from the landfill. These solar panels are free but require some refurbishment. After refurbishment, each panel can produce about 165 watts of energy. If you would like to use these panels for any reason, please contact Anant Gupta here. More information about the panels is available in this graphic.

The Agricultural Nonpoint program awards projects that focus on either environmental planning or the implementation of best management practice systems to protect New York’s watersheds. Projects include conservation measures, such as nutrient management through manure storage, vegetative buffers along streams, and conservation cover crops.

The Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District can apply now on behalf of farmers for these competitive grants. Contact Devin Cox at dcox@tompkins-co.org to learn more. The application and additional information are also available on the Department of Ag and Markets website.

The Climate Resilient Farming Grant Program helps farms reduce their operational impact on the environment and address the impacts of extreme weather events resulting from climate change. Round 7 will offer $15 million statewide, up from $8 million in the last round of the program, to help farmers implement agricultural projects and make related equipment purchases that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support soil health and improved water quality. This year’s program emphasizes precision feed management and agroforestry, two best management practices that are identified in the New York State Climate Action Council’s Scoping Plan as critical to helping increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gases on farm.

The Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District can apply now on behalf of farmers for these competitive grants. Contact Devin Cox at dcox@tompkins-co.org to learn more. The application and additional information are also available on the Department of Ag and Markets website.