Jefferson and Madison Counties Dairy Profit Teams Initiative
Facilitator Training Session Monday, August 20, 2007

The Jefferson and Madison Counties Dairy Profit Teams Initiative will hold its facilitators training session on Monday August 20, 2007. The session will start at 9am and last until 3pm. It will be held at the offices of the New York Farm Viability Institute at 159 Dwight Park Circle, Suite 104, Syracuse, NY 13209. This training session is available only for facilitators of farms selected to participate in the program and is mandatory. Only facilitators should attend. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Facilitators will receive a facilitators handbook, facilitation pocket guide and other information pertaining to the program. If you have any questions, please contact Jay Matteson at (315) 782-1806 or Eric Constance at (315) 782-9262. Directions follow:

New York Farm Viability Institute, Inc.
159 Dwight Park Circle, Suite 104
Syracuse, NY 13209
315-453-3823


• From the West
Take the New York State Thruway (Rt. 90) East to Exit 39,
Bear to the right to Rt. 690 East (toward Syracuse)
Take Exit 5 (State Fair Blvd/Van Vleck Road)
Turn right from exit
Cross over rail road tracks
Turn right on Dwight Park Drive
Take the second left on Dwight Park Circle
Turn right at the second driveway
Enter at the side door of the building
Suite 104 is second door on the right

• From the East
Take the New York State Thruway (Rt. 90) West to Exit 39,
Bear to the right to Rt. 690 East (toward Syracuse)
Take Exit 5 (State Fair Blvd/Van Vleck Road)
Turn right from exit
Cross over rail road tracks
Turn right on Dwight Park Drive
Take the second left on Dwight Park Circle
Turn right at the second driveway
Enter at the side door of the building
Suite 104 is second door on the right

• From the North or South
Take Interstate 81 into Syracuse, to Rt. 690 West (toward Baldwinsville)
Take Exit 5 (Lakeland)
Turn right from exit
Cross over rail road tracks
Turn right on Dwight Park Drive
Take the second left on Dwight Park Circle
Turn right at the second driveway
Enter at the side door of the building
Suite 104 is second door on the right

For Immediate Release
Contact: Jay M. Matteson
Date: Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Press Release
 

Dairy Farmers in Jefferson and Madison Counties
Invited to Learn about Dairy Profit Teams Initiative
Farms May Apply to Participate in Program

Dairy Farmers in Jefferson and Madison Counties are invited to come to “Kick Off” meetings to learn about the Dairy Profit Teams Initiative led by the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corporation, the Small Business Development Center at Jefferson Community College, and Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Jefferson and Madison Counties. The program is funded by a grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute and the New York Center for Dairy Excellence. The first meeting is on Wednesday, July 11 at 7pm at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County Ag Center at 100 Eaton Street in Morrisville. Dairy Farmers planning to attend the meeting should RSVP to Karen Baase at (315) 684-3001 x105. The second meeting is on Thursday, July 12 at 7pm on the Conference Room of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County at 203 North Hamilton Street in Watertown. Please RSVP to Jay Matteson at (315) 782-1806 if you plan on attending the Jefferson County Meeting. Refreshments will be provided at both meetings.

The Jefferson and Madison Counties Dairy Profit Teams Initiative is a program designed to introduce the dairy profit team concept into New York State. Dairy Profit Teams have been used very successfully in Pennsylvania, Minnesota and other states to help farms improve profitability. A farm dairy profit team usually consists of two or three of the farm owners and/or managers, a trained facilitator responsible for keeping the team on task and functioning, and three primary consultants. The consultants may consist of the farm's banker or accountant, a veterinarian, nutritionist, crop consultant, nutrient management planner or other person selected by the farm owner.

Through the grant, cost share funding will be available to pay a portion of the costs of the facilitators and team members participation. The team functions as an advisory Board to the farm. The farm is expected to complete a benchmarking process, develop plans for growing the profitability of the farm, implement those plans, and then evaluate and adjust plans as necessary. The team assists the farm through the entire process and holds the farm accountable for implementing the plan. Training will be provided to the facilitators and teams to help them start the process and other training may be available as needs are identified. Instructors from Penn State University, who are responsible for the success of the program in Pennsylvania, will provide the training for this initiative. Farms with profit teams in other states have experienced increases in profitability, improved production and improved milk quality.

Five farms from each County will be selected to participate from all applications received. Others farms interested but not selected may be able to participate at their own cost. Dairy farms of all sizes and types of operation are encouraged to attend the meeting and apply.

The Jefferson and Madison Counties Dairy Profit Teams Initiative is a project of the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corporation in cooperation with the Small Business Development Center at Jefferson Community College, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Madison County, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, and Morrisville State College. The Initiative is funded through a grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute. To find out more information about the Initiative, please go to www.comefarmwithus.com.

To: Dairy Farmers in Jefferson County
From: Jay M. Matteson, Jefferson County Agricultural Coordinator
Subject: Invitation to learn about Dairy Profit Team Project and Apply to Participate

Date: Monday, July 02, 2007
 

Invitation to Learn About Dairy Profit Team Project
and Apply to Participate.

You are invited to attend the Kick Off Meeting for the Jefferson and Madison Counties Dairy Profit Teams Initiative on Thursday July 12, 2007 at 7pm. The meeting will be held in the conference room at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County at 203 North Hamilton Street in Watertown. Please RSVP to the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corporation (JCADC) at (315) 782-1806 immediately so we can plan on how many are attending.

The purpose of the Kick Off meeting is to inform our dairy farmers about the Dairy Profit Teams Initiative and invite all dairy farms to apply to participate. The JCADC has received a grant to initiate this project as a pilot for New York State. The meeting will begin at 7pm. Refreshments will be provided. Mrs. Lisa Holden, Associate Professor of Dairy and Animal Sciences from Penn State University will be our presenter for the Kick Off Meeting.

The Dairy Profit Team concept has been very successful in Pennsylvania, Minnesota and other areas. The profit team is a program where a group of dairy professionals – such as but not limited to nutritionists, veterinarians, lenders, milk testers, environmental consultants and trained team facilitators work with farm owners/managers to analyze a current farm situation and find areas for improvement. Members of the team may be assigned tasks to make the necessary improvements and the team helps the farm be accountable for making the recommended changes. In other states this program has resulted in increased profitability on the farm. Some farms already bring in paid dairy professionals from time to time but most of the time these professionals are on the farm separately, leaving the farmer owner to decipher between recommendations that often conflict as to how the farm can improve their profitability. The dairy profit team concept brings these professionals together with the farmer at the same time so everyone is working together to develop one recommendation with the bottom line of improving the profit margin for the farm, not just the consultant.

Five dairy farms will be selected in Jefferson County to participate in the grant program. Farms will be selected to achieve maximum diversity among location in the County, size of the farm, and type of operation. The most important criteria for farm selection is their demonstrated willingness to implement feasible changes recommended by the team and an interest in positive change for the operation. Farms not selected for participation in the grant may be invited to take advantage of the program at their own cost.

If you are interested, please attend the Kick Off meeting. If you cannot, you may still apply to participate. More information is being posted on our website at www.comefarmwithus.com. If you have any questions, please call the phone number listed above.

For Immediate Release
Contact Karen Baase
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County
100 Eaton Street
Morrisville, NY 13408

Telephone: (315) 684-3001
FAX: (315) 684-9290



Date: Friday, June 29, 2007
 

Madison County Dairy Farmers Invited to Participate in Grant Program

Dairy Farmers in Madison County are invited to attend a meeting on Wednesday, July 11 to learn how they may apply to participate in a grant program to improve the profitability of their farm. The kickoff meeting in Madison County will be at Cornell Cooperative Extension's Ag Center, 100 Eaton Street, Morrisville beginning at 7 PM.

Interested dairy farmers will learn about the initiative, which will include dairy farmers from both Jefferson and Madison Counties. Anyone interested in more information about the program or attending the meeting should contact Karen Baase with Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Madison County at (315) 684-3001.

The Jefferson and Madison Counties Dairy Profit Teams Initiative is a program designed to introduce the dairy profit team concept into New York State. Dairy Profit Teams have been used very successfully in Pennsylvania, Minnesota and other states to help farms improve profitability. A farm dairy profit team usually consists of two or three of the farm owners and/or managers, a trained facilitator responsible for keeping the team on task and functioning, and three primary consultants. The consultants may consist of the farm's banker or accountant, a veterinarian, nutritionist, crop consultant, nutrient management planner or other person selected by the farm owner.

Through the grant, cost share funding will be available to pay a portion of the costs of the facilitators and team members participation. The team functions as an advisory Board to the farm. The farm is expected to complete a benchmarking process, develop plans for growing the profitability of the farm, implement those plans, and then evaluate and adjust plans as necessary. The team assists the farm through the entire process and holds the farm accountable for implementing the plan. Training will be provided to the facilitators and teams to help them start the process and other training may be available as needs are identified. Instructors from Penn State University, who are responsible for the success of the program in Pennsylvania, will provide the training for this initiative. Farms with profit teams in other states have experienced increases in profitability, improved production and improved milk quality.

Five farms from each County will be selected to participate from all applications received. Others farms interested but not selected may be able to participate at their own cost. Dairy farms of all sizes and types of operation are encouraged to attend the meeting and apply.

The Jefferson and Madison Counties Dairy Profit Teams Initiative is a project of the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corporation in cooperation with the Small Business Development Center at Jefferson Community College, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Madison County, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, and Morrisville State College. The Initiative is funded through a grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute. To find out more information about the Initiative, please go to www.comefarmwithus.com.