Save the Date for the First Annual NYS Farm to School Summit!

By Katie Sheehan-Lopez, MPH, Regional Farm to School Coordinator, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Harvest NY

The Inaugural NY Farm to School Summit will take place in Syracuse, NY on November 21st and 22nd, 2024 with optional pre-summit field trips on November 20. The Summit will have sessions for all farm to school stakeholders including farmers and producers, food service directors, educators, school administrators, and more! The sessions will be wide-ranging and suitable for stakeholders just starting out in their Farm to School journeys, or those who have been working in the field for many years.  

Trade Floor 

To foster NY business-to-business relationships, Thursday, November 21 will feature a large trade show exclusively featuring: 

• Producers of NY products, where schools and other institutions can sample products. 

• Support service organizations designed to support Farm to School program development.  

If you are interested in joining us on the trade show floor as vendor, check below for pricing tiers and stay tuned for information on registration.  In the meantime, if you have questions about the trade show, please contact me directly at kms369@cornell.edu or 845-340-3990 x334. 

Call for Workshop Proposals 

We are also seeking proposals for high-quality educational workshops that allow for information sharing and peer-to-peer learning opportunities for all Farm to School stakeholders including farmers and producers, food service directors, educators, school administrators, and more. Workshops should be tangible, practical, and give attendees a call to action. They should also align with the summit theme: It Takes a Village: Cultivating Community in Farm to School. Please feel free to submit multiple proposals.  If you have a great program you would like to share, find more information here.  Proposals are due May 1.   

Sponsorship 

Sponsorship opportunities will also be available.  More information will be coming soon. 

This Summit is made possible thanks to USDA Federal Formula Funds and the NYS Education Department. Summit planning and development is being guided by a Steering Committee comprised of representatives from the following organizations:  American Farmland Trust, Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY, Julie Raway, NY Agriculture in the Classroom, NY Farm Bureau, NY School Nutrition Association, NYC Mayors Office of Urban Agriculture, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, NYS Education Department, Our Core 

This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.   

H-2A Wage Rates & SOC Codes Explained

By Richard Stup, Cornell University, reprinted from the Ag WorkForce Journal 

The 2024 Becker Forum was hosted by New York State Vegetable Growers Association on Monday, January 22, 2024. At the event, recent changes to the H-2A program were discussed in detail, including from U.S. Department of Labor’s senior H-2A administrator, Mr. Brian Pasternak. Mr. Pasternak shared incredibly important information with the audience and I want to revisit a few key points here. Much of this message is good news, especially the fact that most H-2A jobs will still fit into the traditional AEWR pay rates. However, employers must carefully describe jobs by using the task language from O*NET as detailed later in this message. Note that everything presented here is for education purposes only and is not legal opinion.

U.S. DOL issued a “Final Rule” effective November 2022 that changed how program wage rates apply to some H-2A jobs. Essentially, it makes certain H-2A jobs such as supervisors, mechanics, some heavy truck drivers, and other jobs subject to wage rates that reflect the broader economy, not just farm jobs. These wages come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupation Employment Wage Survey (OEWS). Generally, these OEWS wages are higher than the farm AEWR wages, so employers are keen to keep most H-2A jobs under the farm AEWR. The following slides are from Mr. Pasternak’s presentation. The column on the left shows the “Big 6” farm jobs with standard occupation classification (SOC codes) that remain under the farm AEWR rates.

The slide below provides a link to the USDOL website that provides the current AEWR and OEWS wages. In the right column it explains that one H-2A job requested by an employer, depending on the job tasks required, could be subject to more than one SOC code. H-2A employers must be very careful about the tasks they list in the job description for H-2A jobs, because these tasks will be used the state and federal agencies to determine which SOC codes apply, and thus which wage rates.

Following are a few examples of the different H-2A wage rates that could be applied in New York. Note that if a higher wage rate is applied, then that rate must be paid for every hour that an employee works, not just when they are performing the higher skill task.

Certainly, the OEWS wages are higher than the FLS-based AEWRs, for this reason, it is important for employers to carefully and accurately describe their positions in their H-2A applications. Fortunately, the vast majority of farm jobs should still fit under the Big 6 SOC codes. The slide below shows typical tasks in the left column that are all under the Big 6, in the right column it shows tasks that would likely move the job into the higher-paid OEWS category.

It is important for employers to become familiar with SOC codes and the descriptions found in O*NET Online, because this is where the job descriptions and specific task lists for certain jobs can be found. Employers can directly use the words from the O*NET descriptions to describe the jobs in their H-2A applications. Following are direct links to O*NET descriptions of the Big 6 agricultural jobs:

• 45-2041: Graders and Sorters

• 45-2091: Agricultural Equip. Operators 

• 45-2092: Farmworkers and Laborers

• 45-2093: Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals

• 45-2099: All Other Agricultural Workers

• 53-7064: Packers and Packagers

The slide below provides directions to O*NET Online in the left column. In the right column it focuses on drivers and encourages employers to provide details about any driving duties listed.

Mr. Pasternak shared a clear example in the slide below that most driving duties in H-2A jobs should fit into the Big 6. The red text below describes most driving duties and would fit into SOC codes 45-2092 and 45-2091. Now, if a worker was assigned to drive a regular bus route for other H-2A workers, or required to have CDL and deliver farm product over-the-road to distant deliver points, then these would likely be driving duties that fall outside of the Big 6 codes.

In summary, the Becker Forum communicated a lot of critical information this year. Much of it was good news clarifying that most H-2A work will fit into the Big 6 codes. Work closely with your H-2A advisors to accurately describe jobs in your applications. If you believe a job should fit into the Big 6, and all the tasks can be found in the Big 6 descriptions in O*NET, then be sure to insist on this position if the NYS Department of Labor makes a different determination or denies your application, you can also appeal to USDOL.

_________________________________________________________________________________

The post H-2A Wage Rates & SOC Codes Explained originally appeared in The Ag Workforce Journal.

Discoloration in blueberry leaves: what does it mean?

Photo by Western Arctic National Parklands, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Adapted from Cornell’s Berry Diagnostic Tool

If you’ve noticed unusual colors, mottling, or spots on your blueberry leaves, chances are the plant is suffering from one of these common issues or pathogens.

Pale green leaves

This may indicate a nitrogen deficiency, which is common in blueberries. The uniform light coloring may be accompanied by a reduction in shoot growth, number of new canes, and yield. Nitrogen-deficient leaves may develop early fall color and drop.

Yellow leaves

If the yellow is interveinal, and there isn’t browning, this indicates iron deficiency. It begins in young leaves, and caused by high soil pH (greater than 5.2), which results in the blueberry plant’s inability to use iron and subsequently produce chlorophyll.

Yellow leaves with browning

If the leaves show interveinal yellowing and browning, it may indicate cane death or dieback. If the canes are not dying, it may be related to herbicide injury, Botrytis stem and leaf blight, mummyberry shoot blight, potassium deficiency, overfertilization, or drought stress.

Splotchy yellow leaves, possibly accompanied by pink and pale green

This patchwork pattern is most often caused by ophiovirus. The leaves may appear crinkled, and the discoloration can vary from branch to branch.

Reddish-purple or maroon leaves

As a response to cooling temperatures, blueberry leaves turn maroon in the fall. But they may develop a reddish-purple color in the spring if the weather is cold. The discoloration usually disappears as the weather warms up. A darker purple hue is attributed to phosphorous deficiency, but this is rarely observed in the field, as blueberries have a low phosphorus requirement.

Red leaves

If the reddening is interveinal, suspect magnesium deficiency, which is common in acidic soils, or viral diseases like blueberry scorch and Sheep Pen Hill disease (SPHD). The latter are more common on the West Coast and in New Jersey, but are typically observed in the spring following blossom blight.

Red spots on the upper leaf surface

Red ringspot virus is the culprit when the leaves appear to have red spots on the upper surface and only on young shoots.

Purple-brown leaves and stems

Gleosporeum infection causes twig dieback and canker. The fungus can also cause necrotic lesions on leaves and succulent stems.

Purple-brown mottling, with crinkled leaves

Ringspot viruses, such as tomato ringspot and tobacco ringspot virus may cause crinkling, without obvious discoloration. Before suspecting a virus, confirm that other causes of leaf discoloration are not to blame. Viruses can only be definitively confirmed with a lab test.

Purple-brown at margins and unusually narrow

This “straplike” leaf shape, accompanied by purple-brown discoloration, usually means blueberry shoestring virus. Before suspecting a virus, confirm that other causes of leaf discoloration and deformation are not to blame. Viruses can only be definitively confirmed with a lab test.

Whitish leaves

More common on the undersides of leaves, powdery mildew can also form a whitish film on the tops. More commonly, it will cause red or brown spots on the upper surface.

For more information and photos of each of these blueberry plant ailments, visit Cornell’s Berry Diagnostic Tool.

2024 Empire State Expo Berry Session Presentations

At the 2024 Empire State Expo, a variety of experts presented recent findings on berry studies and trials. They’ve kindly shared their presentations with us, which you can access here by clicking on the link beneath each photo. From trends in bramble culture to blueberry pruning, managing anthracnose resistance, and a unique rotating cross-arm trellis system, these presentations represent some of the newest and most innovative techniques in berry growing.

Caneberry Variety Update, by Courtney Weber, Cornell University

Trends in Bramble Culture, by Marvin Pritts, Cornell University

Blackberry Rotating Cross-Arm Trellis, by Timothy Stanton, Stanton’s Feura Farm

Fruitworm Review, by Anna Wallis, NYS IPM

Pruning Blueberries for Optimum Yield and Planting Longevity, by Laura McDermott, CCE ENYCHP

Blueberry Disease Management, by Kerik Cox, Cornell AgriTech

Preventing and Managing Strawberry Anthracnose Resistance, by Scott D. Cosseboom, Hudson Valley Research Laboratory

Advancing Strawberry Production in the Northeast: Update on Findings, by Laura McDermott & Elisabeth Hodgdon, CCE ENYCHP

Anaerobic Soil Disinfection and Biofumigation in Perennial Strawberry Systems, by Anya Osatuke, CCE, Harvest NY

Low Toxicity Strawberry Trial: Results from 2023, by Anya Osatuke, CCE, Harvest NY

2024 Cornell Pest Management Guidelines for Berry Crops Now Available

The Cornell Cooperative Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program (CCE-PSEP), part of the New York State IPM program, is pleased to announce the availability of the 2024 Cornell Pest Management Guidelines for Berry Crops.

Written by Cornell University specialists, this publication is designed to offer producers, horticultural and chemical dealers, and crop consultants practical information on growing and managing berry crops in New York State. In addition to providing updated pesticide options for 2024, topics include general culture, nutrient management, harvesting and handling guidelines, spray application technology information, and ways to manage common berry crop pest concerns. A preview of the Berry Crops Guidelines can be seen online here.

Cornell Crop and Pest Management Guidelines are available as a print copy, online-only access, or a package combining print and online access. The print edition of the 2024 Berry Crop Guideline costs $35 plus shipping. Online-only access is $35. A combination of print and online access costs $49.00 plus shipping costs for the printed book.

Cornell Guidelines can be obtained through your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office or from the Cornell Store at Cornell University. To order from the Cornell Store, call (844) 688-7620 or order online here.

2024 Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference

This year's conference will have sessions devoted to tree fruit, vegetables, grapes, small fruit, agritourism, and cut flowers. Topics Topics include winter protection for strawberries, soil-borne disease management, SWD and other pests, fungicides, and updates on spraying.  There will also be a trade show both days, so you can see the newest products from your favorite vendors.

Wednesday, February 21

Small fruit session 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Tree fruit session 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Grape session, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Agritourism session, 1:20 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

 

Thursday, February 22

Tree fruit sessions, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Vegetable sessions, 9:15 a.m.-3:40 p.m.

Cut flower session, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Agritourism session, 1:15 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Register for the conference here.

More details:

DEC pesticide recertification credits will be available for multiple sessions. Attendance throughout the entire session is required for DEC credits.

Trade show vendors will be set up in the Fort Orange Courtyard and the King Street Courtyard. Over 20 exhibitors will be present to visit with growers from 8:00am until 5:30pm on February 21 and 8:00am until 2:00pm on February 22.

Lunch. A hot buffet lunch will be available in the Fort Orange Ballroom. Lunch is included with your conference registration.

Lodging. Individual guests may call the hotel directly to book rooms at the discounted rate using the local number provided below. Reservations must be received no later than Monday February 12, 2024, to get the discounted rate. When requesting a room, guests may refer to the Group Code: FRU. Call 518-869- 8100 directly to make your reservation.

Additional hotels in the area include:

• The Hilton Garden Inn, 800 Albany Shaker Rd. | 518-464-6666

• Red Roof Inn, 188 Wolf Rd. | 518-459-1971

• Best Western Albany Airport Inn, 200 Wolf Rd. | 518-458-1000

Get Your 2023 Updated Version of the Berry Crop SWD Insecticide Quick Guide

By Laura McDermott, CCE ENYCHP

By now, most growers are familiar with the Quick Guide to insecticides that are effective in preventing SWD infestation. There are a few very minor changes in this year’s version of the Quick Guide, most notably that Cyclaniliprole is labeled in blueberries and caneberries for SWD, but not in strawberries. Over the years, more materials have been made available for use on all berry crops, but notably, strawberries have fewer options.  Please always check the label for specific guidelines and restrictions. 

Get your free, downloadable copy of the current Insecticide Quick Guide here.

January 23 Berry Sessions at the 2024 Empire State Growers Expo

The Empire State Growers Expo, January 23-24, will have a full day of berry programming on January 23. Moderated by Laura McDermott of CCE ENYCHP and Anya Osatuke of CCE HNY, the Berry Sessions will be held in-person at the On Center in Syracuse. 1.5 DEC credits will be available for each session.

Session 1 – Brambles – 9:00– 10:30 a.m.

• 9:00 Courtney Weber of Cornell will provide an update on new raspberry and blackberry varieties. Disease
  resistance and horticultural characteristics that are important to insect management will
  be included.

• 9:30 Novel Approaches to Cane Berry Production. Dr. Pritts will explain some of the newer production practices being used across the country. These practices will help growers better manage disease and insect pests, while also improving productivity. The focus of the talk will be on pruning and trellising
  practices that improve airflow and sunlight.

• 10:00 Growing Blackberries in NY – Is it Worth Trying? Tim Stanton of Feura Farm in Feura Bush, NY, presents his experience in working with blackberries for the first time. By employing a version of the rotating cross-arm trellis, along with cultivar choices, he has been able to reliably produce blackberries on his farm.

• 10:30 Adjourn

Session 2 – Blueberry – 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

• 11:00 Fruitworm Review – Maggots, Fruit Flies and Worms. Anna Wallis, NYS IPM and Cornell, will review fruit worm life cycles and management strategies for controlling these families of blueberry pests.

• 11:30 TracCloud – Improving Berry Pesticide Management. Juliet Carroll, NYS IPM and Cornell, and the original designer of TracBerry, will introduce and guide growers through the updated version of this pesticide tracking software.

• 12:00 Blueberry Disease Management Review – Kerik Cox of Cornell will discuss the major diseases for NYS blueberry plantings and explain control strategies. Diseases likely to be covered include cane blights, fruit rots and viruses.

• 12:30 pm Adjourn

Session 3 – Strawberry – 2:00– 3:30 p.m.

• 2:00 Strawberry Research Update – Anya Osatuke, CCE Harvest, NY, and Laura McDermot, CCE ENYCHP, will update growers on recent research results focused on 1) Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation, an organic soil fumigation method; 2) new approaches to winterizing strawberries in the northeast; 3) using low tunnels with June bearing strawberries to reduce pesticide applications; 4) organic fungicide materials for strawberry disease control.

• 2:45 Preventing & Managing Strawberry Anthracnose Resistance – Scot Cosseboom, Cornell, will discuss ongoing research looking at managing fungicide resistance in anthracnose disease on June bearing and day neutral strawberries.

• 3:30 Adjourn

Visit the Expo website for more information.

Register for the Expo here.

Download Your Free Facilitated Lease Discussion Handbook

By claudia kenny, statewide director, new york state mediation program

Facilitated lease discussion is a process where landowners and farmers work together to reach arrangements that meet the needs of both groups. A facilitator provides structure, to consider and create plans based on each groups’ priorities.

Facilitators encourage you to communicate what is most important. Throughout discussions, facilitators will focus on understanding you and your context— helping you clarify what you hope to make decisions about and what your desired outcomes are—and will assist you in looking for answers that benefit all parties involved.

During the process, you may need to consult with outside experts and gather information to make informed decisions— for example, the advice of a tax expert or a business consultant.

After your sessions, we recommend a consultation with your lawyer to review any decisions that could affect your lease. We also recommend seeking their help in translating those decisions into legal language, which can then become a part of your formal lease agreement.

Download the free PDF workbook here.

Register today for Labor Roadshow VII

Registration is open for Ag Workforce Development Council’s Labor Roadshow VII. Four regional events will cover topics such as how the new NYS Marijuana Law affects the workplace, state and federal employment law compliance, farm safety and OSHA compliance, updating payroll, and workforce development. The topic of overtime will be discussed, including the 2024 NYS tax reimbursements for overtime, payroll systems, and compliance.

Programmed events will run from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on each date. Registration is required, and payment of $65 per person is collected on site. Visit the Labor Roadshow website.

Labor continues to be the primary challenge for many farm businesses and Labor Roadshow VII tackles those challenges head-on with topics including:

• Experienced labor attorneys to address managing in a union environment, complying with equal employment laws, and managing regulatory audits.

• How the new NYS Marijuana Law affects the workplace.

• State and federal employment law compliance.

• Overtime: the new 2024 NYS tax reimbursements for overtime, payroll systems, and compliance.

• Farm Safety and OSHA compliance.

• Workforce development: finding your future staff.

• Updating your payroll system to stay in compliance.

Dates and locations:

NORTHERN NY: DECEMBER 13 | Old McDonald’s Farm, Sackets Harbor

EASTERN NY: DECEMBER 15 | Greenwich Elks, Greenwich

CENTRAL NY: DECEMBER 19 | Cornell Agritech, Geneva *ONLINE OPTION: on this date only, you can register to attend via Zoom.

WESTERN NY: DECEMBER 20 | Genesee Community College, Batavia

Featured speakers:

• Attorney Joshua Viau, Fisher Phillips Law Firm

• Nick Donofrio, New York Regional Office US Department of Labor / OSHA

• Farm HR Managers Panel

• NYS Department of Ag and Markets

• NYS Department of Taxation

USDA Farm Labor Stabilization Program: $65 Million for Employers

-Reprinted from the Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development blog

USDA recently announced the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program (FLSP), to distribute $65 million in the form of grants to employers to “improve the resiliency of the food and agricultural supply chain by addressing workforce challenges farmers and ranchers face.” FLSP touts three goals:

“Goal 1: Drive U.S. economic recovery and safeguard domestic food supply by addressing current labor shortages in agriculture;
Goal 2: Reduce irregular migration from Northern Central America through the expansion of regular pathways; and
Goal 3: Improve working conditions for all farmworkers.”

Important details of the program are available at the FLSP website, including  that eligible applicants include employers who have used or at least applied to use the H-2A program, and the application deadline is November 28, 2023. This program encourages employers to recruit H-2A workers from countries in northern Central America: El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. For this grant application it is critical to read the notice of funding in detail. Don’t just rely on what you see on the website and press releases, download and read this 32-page document thoroughly!

Pages 8-11 of the notice of funding get into details of what will be expected of farm employers who successfully receive a grant. Baseline requirements for all successful awardees include: universal protections and benefits for all employees, not just those in H-2A; employer participation in research that includes access to employers’ full workforce by USDA and federal partners; and “know your rights and resources” training provided by “farmworker-trusted entities.” In addition to these baseline requirements, successful grant awardees will also need to make certain commitments about their employment practices in three areas:

1. Responsible recruitment: efforts to recruit H-2A workers from northern Central America using government ministries.

2. Pay, benefits, and working conditions: example can include overtime, bonus pay, paid sick leave, and collaborative employee-management working groups.

3. Partnership agreements, such as: participation in a worker-driven social responsibility program, participation in a collective bargaining agreement (union), committing to neutrality, access, and voluntary recognition when employees indicate an interest in forming a union.

For some employers, these conditions and expectations of receiving between $25,000 and $2,000,000 in grant awards may be a good fit. For other employers, these conditions will be much too intrusive in exchange for any amount of money. Farm employers should read the notice of funding in detail and reflect carefully about how they wish to proceed with this program. But don’t reflect too long, applications are due November 28, 2023, it’s time to get working if you want to participate in this grant opportunity.

Soil Health for Vegetable Growers Workshop

Cornell Cooperative Extension Eastern New York Horticultural Program is hosting a soil health workshop on November 1. Here are the details:

Wednesday, November 1 from 9:30 am - 2:30pm

Whallonsburg Grange, 1610 Route 22, Essex, NY

Cost: $30 per person

Join us for presentations, discussions, and hands-on demonstrations focusing on soil health concepts and best management practices for vegetable growers. Topics include tarping, maintaining soil health in high tunnels, cover cropping, reduced tillage, compost microbiology, and more.

1.75 DEC pesticide recertification credits are available in categories 1A, 10, and 23. Register by October 27. For more information or to request accommodations, contact Elisabeth Hodgdon, eh528@cornell.edu or (518) 650-5323. Register for the workshop here.

Agenda

9:30 am: Welcome & introductions, coffee & refreshments

9:45 am: Soil health concepts and the effects of soil type, cropping system, and management on soil health (Joseph Amsili, Cornell Soil Health Initiative)

10:15 am: Explore the intricate world of the soil food web (John Culpepper and Jennifer Perry, Compost for Good)

11:00 am: Tarping research updates (Crystal Stewart-Courtens, CCE Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program and Philia Farm)

11:30 am: Cover cropping in reduced tillage systems (Jean-Paul Courtens, Philia Farm)

 12:00 pm: Grower panel and discussion: How we maintain soil health using tarps, reduced tillage, and other practices (Lissa Goldstein, Wild Work Farm; Adam Reed, Tangleroot Farm; TBD)

 12:30: Lunch

 1:00 pm: Maintaining soil health in high tunnels (Jud Reid, CCE Cornell Vegetable Program and Harvest NY)

 1:45 pm: Tying together soil health and climate change resiliency (Kitty O’Neil, CCE North Country Regional Ag Team)

 2:15 pm: Overview of services offered by the Essex County Soil & Water Conservation District and the Lake Champlain Basin Program (Alice Halloran, ECS&WCD and Myra Lawyer, LCBP)

This workshop is sponsored by the Northern NY Agricultural Development Program and the New York Farm Viability Institute.

How to Write a Successful Grant for Your Farm Business

Looking for grants for your ag business?  CCE Eastern New York has a new recording of a webinar that discussed tips and tricks for writing a successful grant application.

The presenter, Elizabeth Higgins, is an Extension Associate from Cornell Cooperative Extension and a successful grant writer and frequent USDA grant reviewer. The video covered identifying a good project for grant funding, determining if a specific grant actually makes sense for your business, steps you should take to be ready to apply for grants, what makes a project a likely winner and how to write a grant application like a pro.

The program was hosted in September 2023 by the Mid-Hudson Small Business Development Center and the Cornell Cooperative Extension Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program. This program is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Watch the video for free on YouTube.

New York to Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Agricultural Workforce Development Program

By NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has announced it has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather input from stakeholders that will help the Department shape a first-of-its-kind agricultural workforce development program in the State. The Department is also looking to identify potential qualified applicants.  Funding for the program was allocated in this year’s New York State Budget and builds on Governor Kathy Hochul’s goals of strengthening New York’s food supply chain through the attraction and retention of a skilled agricultural workforce.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “Governor Hochul is committed to building a strong agricultural pipeline and to make sure that we are connecting our young people in agriculture to New York companies.  I encourage eligible organizations focused on workforce development to respond to this request; the input gained will be invaluable as we work to develop a program with clear pathways for those interested in a career in agriculture and connect them to high-quality employment across the industry.”

New York’s agricultural and food industries need to continue to attract and retain future generations of skilled workers who are prepared for a career in an industry that is rapidly developing alongside emerging technologies and ever-changing consumer demand. The Department is interested in working closely with those in the agricultural and food sectors to create a program that will identify clear pathways for jobseekers and connect them to high-quality employment opportunities in agriculture, ultimately helping to strengthen and grow the State’s food supply system.

Information gathered from the RFI will inform a potential Request for Proposal (RFP) for an agriculture workforce development program. The program will identify internships and apprenticeships across the industry and, working with our educational institutions like the SUNY system, ensure that the necessary skills and standards required by the industry are being taught to students. The program will also focus on working with workforce development entities to match and place the new workforce, including migrant individuals and asylum seekers, directly with industry opportunities.

The RFI and additional information can be found on the Department’s website at https://agriculture.ny.gov/request-information-new-york-state-department-agriculture-and-markets-agriculture-workforce. Responders to the RFI may answer in one, or more, of the following areas: 1. Experience; 2. Qualifications; 3. Proposed project scope and services; 4. Other Considerations.

Statements of interest will be accepted via email to Antonia Giuliano, Senior Policy Advisor for Food and Dairy, at antonia.giuliano@agriculture.ny.gov.

Responses are due by November 1, 2023, and questions about the RFI must be submitted by email by October 4, 2023.

Cornell Webinar Series Research on Customer Spending at NY Farmers Markets

Do you sell at a farmers market or your own farm store in New York?  Are you interested in getting assistance with using and analyzing point of sale data to boost sales and revenues?

Matt LeRoux and Todd Schmit at Cornell’s Agricultural Marketing Research Program are working with NY’s farms to collect data using POS in direct-to-consumer channels and continue to recruit more farms for the project.  The project seeks farms that sell their own fruit & vegetable crops, fresh cut flowers, mushrooms, dairy, or meat products at farmers markets and/or their own farm store/stands (eligible stores/stands are staffed, not honor-system). Farm participation requires collecting all sales transactions at markets in real time with the Point-of-Sale (POS) software Square. In return, participating farms receive personalized reports with suggested marketing techniques aimed at increasing farm revenue. Project participants also receive one-on-one consultation and technical assistance from the research team.

The Cornell team will use the data to create weekly price reports showing prices on selected fruit and vegetable crops, dairy products, and meat cuts from farmers markets around the state which will be shared with USDA AG Marketing Service for inclusion in their price reporting. For participation, farms will be paid $25 for each week of sales data that they submit on time. Full details will be discussed during the Week 1 webinar.

To orient farmers to the project, a 2-part webinar series is planned for Thursdays, October 5 & 12 from 6:30-8:00 PM. The webinars are appropriate for any farmers market or farm stand/store vendor interested in or currently using the Square POS system.

Week 1: Research on Customer Spending at NY Farmers Markets: 

Early Results and Farmer Recruitment

Grocery stores have long used scanner data to inform marketing techniques. Now farmer-friendly point-of-sale software gives farmers similar potential to collect detailed sales data. Learn how Cornell researchers are using this technology to study consumer spending and inform marketing opportunities for farms to increase daily sales. Then hear how farmer Becca Rimmel of Bottom Land Farm in Berkshire, NY uses Square to help inform market and production decisions. Leave this workshop with specific takeaways and tips for your own sales methods.

Week 2: How to Set Up and Use Square, A Practical Guide 

We’ll walk you through, click-by-click, the basic functions to set up Square so that the data it collects is useful to your farm and the Cornell research team. We’ll cover how to set up locations, product categories, items, and pricing for products sold by weight or unit. This webinar will be recorded so attendees can play it back (and pause as needed) when setting up their own Square.

Registration: Any farm is welcome to attend one, or both, of these webinars using a single registration. Farms that would like to participate in the POS research are encouraged to attend. Register for one or both of the webinars here.

Instructors: Matt LeRoux, Extension Associate, Cornell University and Becca Rimmel, farmer at Bottom Land Farm will present.

A short article about the team’s similar research with produce vendors can be found here.

Questions about the project can be directed to Matt LeRoux, Extension Associate at mnl28@cornell.edu

This material is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture under award number 2021-68006-33891 and Hatch under 2021-22-156. From the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Fire Safety in Farm-Provided Employee Housing

By Jay Canzonier, Employee Housing Specialist, Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development

Are your resident employees prepared for fire? Are you?

Having an emergency plan and proper fire safety equipment in your farm-provided employee housing can save lives. The risk of fire in a dwelling occupied by multiple people in an unfamiliar setting, combined with the complexity of residents working multiple shifts, sharing cooking facilities and maintenance responsibilities, increases the need to plan and prepare for fire emergencies. You can greatly reduce risk by breaking fire safety into these five integral parts:

Awareness: What is your risk, your readiness, and your plan in the event of a fire?

• Educate residents on what could potentially start a fire, and the dangers involved with a fire.

• Communicate what to do in the event of an emergency, there should be no delay when calling for help.

• Provide emergency contact information, post 911 and other important numbers in visible locations.

• Post 911 address inside dwelling, and outside in a location visible from street.

• Identify at least two exit points from each room.

• Keep all hallways and exit routes clear.

• Maintain a list of all occupants for accountability in the event of a fire.

Prevention: What do you do to minimize the probability and impact of a fire? What don’t you do?

• Never leave cooking unattended.

• Always dispose of smoking materials (including cigarettes) properly. Or don’t smoke inside house.

• Avoid using portable space heaters. Clean heating appliances, chimneys, oven, and dryer vents regularly.

• Ensure that all appliances and extension cords are UL listed. Avoid using power strips and multi-outlet to single plug adapters.

• Do not charge Ebikes indoors.

Detection: Do you have properly installed, operational smoke alarms and carbon monoxide sensors?

• Discuss the importance of alarms with residents.

• Familiarize residents with basic operation and what to do if an accidental alarm sounds.

• When possible, use 10-year sealed battery detectors to alleviate tampering.

• Check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors at least twice a year.

• Recommendations for type and placement of alarms and sensors are listed below.

Alarm: Do your residents know what to do if alarm system sounds? Do they have a plan and have they practiced it?

• Carefully check for fire and smoke. Pay attention to smells and check each door for high temperatures with the back of a hand before opening it.

•  If there is smoke, cover nose and mouth with a cloth and keep close to the ground while evacuating.

• Have an escape plan, and a designated meeting place.

• If fire isn’t found, have a knowledgeable person check the batteries in the smoke alarms.

• If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, evacuate the building and call 911.

Suppression: Have you supplied your residents with properly rated fire extinguishers or installed a sprinkler system?

• Fire extinguishers should be provided and stored in a readily accessible location not more than 100 feet from each housing unit. Fire extinguishers must provide protection equal to a 2 1/2-gallon stored pressure water extinguisher or a 5 Lb. Type ABC extinguisher.

• Discuss what conditions would be safe to suppress a fire, and what conditions warrant immediate evacuation.

• Demonstrate proper use of fire extinguisher.

1. Pull pin.

   1. Aim nozzle at base of fire.

   2. Squeeze handle to discharge contents.

   3. Sweep stream to cover burning material completely.

Smoke Alarms are the first step in a fire escape plan.

Smoke spreads fast, properly selected, located, and maintained smoke alarms give residents an early warning so they can get out quickly. The following recommendations for placement and types of smoke alarms are based on the most recent requirements from New York State Uniform Fire and Building Code.

Smoke alarms should be located:

1. On the ceiling or wall outside each separate sleeping area or bedroom. (If within 10 feet of each door, can be combined CO detector)

2. In each room used for sleeping purposes. (bedrooms)

3. In each story within a dwelling unit, including basements.

4. Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms. They should be at least 10 feet from the stove.

5. Smoke alarms should not be installed less than 3 feet horizontally from the door or opening of a bathroom that contains a bathtub or a shower.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors:

1. One carbon monoxide detector on each floor containing a fuel burning appliance.

2. At least 1 on each story that contains a sleeping area or bedroom.

3. More than 1 should be installed to ensure no sleeping area is more than 10’ from a carbon monoxide detector.

4. A carbon monoxide detector should be installed in each sleeping area that contains a carbon monoxide sou

Raspberry & Blackberry Pest and Disease Alerts

Our friends at Cornell Cooperative Extension share these tips for managing pests and diseases in raspberry and blackberry during this unusually wet summer.

Tarnished plant (lygus) bug levels are high in caneberries. We’re also seeing some damage to cut flowers following feeding on buds.  Insect feeding through buds, in open blooms, or on developing fruits stunts berries. Cornell Guidelines suggest a threshold of 10-20% infested canes. In caneberries Assail, Befenture 10DF, carbaryl/Sevin, Danitol, are labeled; Brigade DF can be used in caneberries but isn’t labeled for TPB but will provide incidental control used for other labeled pests (Brigade also has a supplemental label in NY for spotted-wing drosophila). In organic production Mycotrol, Grandevo, PFR-97 and PyGanic are labeled, but emphasize good weed management. (This information is from Dan Gilrein, CCE Suffolk.)

Spur blight (Didymella applanata) has unsurprisingly reappeared in many cane berry plantings. This fungal disease loves the wet humid weather we are having. Dense plantings usually have problems even in dry years, but this year even well-pruned plantings may see this disease. Chocolate brown to purple blotches appear at the buds of canes. This results in weak or no growth from those buds and an overall lack of vigor. 

Prune and destroy diseased canes before next spring. There are plenty of fungicides labeled for this disease but take care when applying at this time of year, especially in hot weather. You can get foliar burn from some of the pesticides. The best time for control is delayed dormant in the spring. 

Cane blight (Leptosphaeria coniothyrium) are similar in appearance to spur blight, but the lesions can be found all along the cane. Often the two diseases appear together. Cane blight is more common in black and purple raspberries, but can also infect red raspberries. Prune and destroy infected canes asap. Best control comes from delayed dormant sprays of lime sulfur. 

What You Need to Do for a Successful Blueberry Harvest This Summer

Our friends at Cornell Cooperative Extension have shared these important tips for ensuring the success of this season’s blueberry crop.

Blueberry harvest is underway and looks surprisingly good in most places – despite the May freeze, early drought, and occasional hail events around the region. Fruit is sizing very well and plant growth is great – these plants LOVE all this rain! But unexpected weather is when you will discover how effective your disease management program was.

Anthracnose fruit rot (Colletotrichum acutatum) is widely apparent in plantings. This disease should be prophylactically sprayed before and during bloom. You can spray now in hopes that you can thwart the spread of the disease, but look carefully at the REI and days to harvest all chemicals.   

This disease will present as a sunken spot on the fruit. In this humid weather, you will undoubtedly see the pink-orange fruiting spores that will grow on the sunken areas. Make a note to focus on next season to control this disease.

Mummyberry (Monilinia vacinii-corymbosi) is less widely apparent, but definitely out there. Mummyberry spores can be moved by pollinators, so even if you’ve never dealt with this disease before, there is always a chance. That is why we encourage growers to manage for it, despite the history in your own patch. This disease is controlled at the vegetative green tip – so pretty early in the spring. 

Blueberry tip borer moth (Hendecaneura shawiana) is a pest that we are seeing much more frequently than in the past. The pest doesn’t damage the fruit from this season. But the overall impact is more significant. The moth lays eggs in the tip of the newest canes, causing the cane to abort vertical growth and branch much lower than it normally would. This means that there is less opportunity for overall growth, the fruiting wood is too low, and over time the plant becomes less productive due to the architectural change. 

The small brown moth lays eggs in June, which hatch in July. The larvae drill down several inches, causing distortion and then death of the shoot tip. This flagging can look something like canker, but it’s more localized to the top 6” of the shoot. There are no labeled conventional insecticides. Use azadirachtin and pyrethrin products at petal fall for control.  

Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) have started feeding on blueberry foliage. I’ve yet to get a report of fruit feeding, but that is when they become a problem worthy of spraying. Despite the foliar damage, they usually don’t do lasting damage to the plant. There are many pesticides that can be used on this insect, but don’t pull the trigger unless you really need to and make sure to read the label for Days to harvest. 

Canker diseases (Fusicoccum putrefaciens and Phomopsis vacinii) are exhibiting the tell-tale cane flagging. New shoots will wilt rapidly and die back from the tip towards the crown. Healthy vigorous canes will wilt and collapse. When you see this happen in an otherwise perfectly healthy plant, the likelihood is high that it’s canker. Fusicoccum canker forms bulls-eye type lesions on the stem, which is another diagnostic help. Prune the dead out as it appears and make a note to use a delayed dormant spray next spring.  

Spotted Wing Drosophila First Trap Catch in Some ENY Counties This Week

Photo by Katja Schulz, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

By Mike Basedow, CCE-ENYCHP, Eastern New York

Spotted wing drosophila first trap catch is showing up in a handful of ENY counties this week. Counties reporting first catch in our region include Columbia County, Rensselaer county, Saratoga County, Washington County, and Essex County. Cherries and peaches will be at risk once they’ve begun to blush or soften. Spotted wing can be managed using a combination of cultural and chemical practices. You will need to be diligent.

Excellent sanitation will reduce SWD populations. Fruit should be harvested frequently and completely to prevent the buildup of ripe and over-ripe fruit. Unmarketable fruit should be removed from the field and either frozen, “baked” in clear plastic bags placed in the sun, or disposed of in bags off-site. This will kill larvae, remove them from your crop, and prevent them from emerging as adults.

Cool fruit immediately. Chilling immediately after harvest to 32° – 34° F will slow or stop the development of larvae and eggs in the fruit. U-Pick customers should be encouraged to refrigerate fruit immediately to maintain fruit quality at home.

An open canopy will make the environment less favorable. Prune to maintain an open canopy, increase sunlight and reduce humidity. This will make plantings less attractive to SWD and will improve spray coverage. Repair leaking drip lines and avoid overhead irrigation when possible. Allow the ground to dry before irrigating.

Insecticide sprays will kill SWD adults and thereby reduce egg laying. Insecticide treatments should begin at first SWD trap catch when highly susceptible fruit crops begin ripening. Insecticides should be re-applied at least every seven days and more often in the event of rain. Choose the most effective insecticides with pre-harvest intervals that work for your picking schedule. Rotate insecticides according to their modes of action. The spray guide quick sheets for SWD can be found here.

You can also learn more about regional monitoring efforts for spotted wing, as well as tips for management of this pest, on the NYS IPM SWD webpage.

Help Farm Employees “Sleep for Success!”

By Jay Canzonier, Housing Management Specialist, Cornell Ag Workforce Development

June 21 marks the first day of summer and longest day of the year. A glorious day and evening for barbeques and corn hole tournaments…unless you are working the night shift. Our co-workers who brave the dark during their workday have a much different outlook on the sunlight looking in while they try to sleep.

In the darkness of evening and as you enter sleep, your body produces melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone which regulates your body’s circadian rhythms, your natural sleep-wake cycle. By morning light your body begins to suppress melatonin by elevating levels of cortisol, a steroid hormone which plays a significant role in waking up. Exposure to light helps your body figure out when it’s time to sleep, and time to wake up. Light, whether it be natural sunlight or artificial, disrupts the creation of melatonin. This disruption cues your internal body clock to be awake and active, making it difficult to enter a restful sleep.

Most adults require seven to nine hours of sleep daily. A lack of sleep can lead to decreased energy, delayed reaction times, increased anxiety, inability to process information quickly, and many more side effects that decrease productivity at work and overall quality of life. Long term sleep deprivation can contribute to more severe chronic health risks including anxiety, coronary heart disease, depression, obesity, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes just to name a few. Inadequate sleep can be a key contributor in work related accidents.

Working the night shift causes your body to get out of its natural sleeping rhythms by requiring you to be alert when the light cycle programs it to be sleeping. Conversely, when you go home after a night shift, your internal body clock and exposure to daylight tells your body to be awake and active. There are sleep hygiene tactics that can be used to help your body minimize the effects of an opposite sleep schedule resulting from night duty. Tools to make your sleep time more pleasant and productive include:

• Wear dark sunglasses to suppress light when leaving the workplace in the morning. Even if it is a short exposure, minimizing the effect of sunlight on your body can have an impact on how quickly you enter a restful sleep, and how long you sleep.

• Use blackout curtains in sleeping rooms to eliminate sunlight during the sleep time. Blackout curtains are fabric drapes or shades that cover the window completely, eliminating all light from entering the sleeping area. Note that these will be labeled differently from other drapes and shades which may be only “light filtering.” Blackout curtains help create a dark environment that mimics nighttime, your body will produce melatonin and lead to a longer and more refreshing quality of sleep.

• Eliminate sources of “blue light” from electronic devises within the sleeping area. Blue light decreases the production of melatonin, making sleep incredibly difficult particularly when working the night shift.

• When possible, align work shifts with sleeping shifts in employee housing. Doing so can minimize daytime disturbances in the sleeping area and accommodate the sleeping needs and preferences of the night shift workers.

These strategies are affordable and simple ways to improve sleep quality, overall health, safety, and productivity. Maintaining your body’s natural circadian rhythm is an essential building block in overall health and quality of life. By sharing this information with our night shift workers and providing them with the necessary tools, we can help those who work while we sleep…sleep while we work.

This link is to an informative website and short video on the importance of sleep and how it affects performance. Dr. James B. Maas was a professor at Cornell University for more than 48 years and is famous for coining the term “power nap.”