President's Pen: Collaborate to Advocate

By Charlie Elrod, NEAFA President

Hitting two of our three pillars in one day seems like a good day’s work.  On May 14th, representatives from NEAFA, Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA) and NY Farm Bureau (NYFB) met in Albany for a day of lobbying around transportation issues which have been central to our advocacy and education initiatives over the last few years.  This lobby day was the culmination of several months of planning between the aforementioned groups and the Trucking Association of NY (TANY).  Joining me from NEAFA were our Vice-President Bonne Bagstedt and Blake Lutz of Lutz Feeds.  We had three lobby teams, each with a member from each of the organizations, which we feel offered some compelling perspective on the transportation topics we were highlighting.  In all we had 22 meetings with legislators and/or their staff members.

While there are many issues touching on transportation around which we might lobby, we took the lead of the Council of Ag Organizations and required that the topics and positions we were advocating for had to be unanimously supported by each group.  With that framework, we ended up with four specific bills which were the topics of discussion for our meetings.  You can view the talking points which we prepared and shared with legislators.

The first bill we were supporting was a delay in the implementation of the Advanced Clean Truck Rules.  As we’ve discussed in our transportation summits and panel discussions, electrification of our truck fleet is a worthwhile goal, however the technology, equipment and infrastructure just aren’t there to support it.  Just the night before, Kevin Kouri had shared that the VT governor vetoed Vermont’s version of the ACT Rules.  This added momentum to our position supporting the delay.  And, as seeming proof that advocacy can make a difference, just a week later New York State announced a two-year delay on any enforcement actions related to the ACT Rules. 

The next bill we were supporting was an issue that Blake Lutz first brought to our attention last year.  Blake’s concern was with the financing of litigation by hedge funds as an investment opportunity, but which has the effect to prolong accident-related litigation and often leading to huge settlements.  The knock-on effect is that insurance premiums are sky-rocketing to help insurers cover these enormous payouts.  The bill we support is just a first step in bringing some transparency to litigation financing by forcing the disclosure of any third-party financing of lawsuits and capping the amount of any settlement that could be paid back to the financiers.

The last two bills we supported were both focused on clean energy.  The Clean Fuel Standard would help build a market for renewable natural gas such as that which is produced in anaerobic digesters on dairy farms.  At present, any gas produced by NY dairies is sold into the market, but because NY does not have a clean fuel standard, the carbon credits are actually captured by California, one of the first states to adopt a clean fuel standard.  The second bill would assist in the further development of on-farm renewable natural gas production by providing financial and environmental incentives for adoption of this technology.  From our lobbying, NEAFA, NEDPA and NYFB were all invited back to participate in a press conference hosted by Senator Harckham in support of the clean fuel standards.  We all feel that these efforts provide a reasonable bridge between the realities of today’s technology and the future with increased electrification.

We were assisted in our collaborative advocacy by the great work of Corning-Place Communications and Ostroff Associates who represent NEDPA, the government affairs group at NYFB and our colleagues at Hinman-Straub.  Julie Marlette and her team did an incredible job setting up the appointments, schedule and herding us all over the capital that day.  Thanks to all of them for their outstanding support.

Golf For Good Works Returns for 2025!

Once again, we are returning to Turning Stone’s Shenendoah Golf Course!  Shenendoah offers 18 holes of PGA-level golf in a spectacular natural setting. The course was designed, constructed and maintained to PGA standards.  Turning Stone Resort’s Shenendoah Golf Club has been a host of the PGA National Club Professional Championship. Current list of accolades: 2018 and 2022 Golfweek - Best Casino Courses, 2017 Casino Player Magazine - Best Golf Course in New York, 2018 Northeast Golf Magazine - Best in New York Golf - Public Courses (#7), and 2022 Golfer's Choice by Golf Pass - Best Casino Golf Course.
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Proceeds from this event will go to support agricultural outreach and education programs.  Last year we supported the the Northeast Regional Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge, Future Farmers of America Foundation, NYS 4-H Foundation’s Junior Dairy Leader Program, New York State Fair Dairy Cow Birthing Center, LEAD New York, Dairy Judging Teams, NY Holstein Spring Dairy Carousel, Northeast All Breeds Spring Dairy Show, Vermont Breakfast on the Farm, and SUNY Morrisville’s Youth Fitting, Feeding & Showing Clinic.

Registration & Sponsorship Deadline:  August 11, 2025
 REGISTER TODAY!
​​ 
An online sponsorship/registration form
can be found by clicking here.

Raffle prizes are welcomed
and encouraged!
 
If you prefer to print the form and mail it in, please Click Here

​SCHEDULE

Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Shenendoah Club House

6:30 am 
Registration & Continental Breakfast

7:30 am 
Shotgun Start

1:00 pm 
Lunch & Prizes

Please Note:
There will be no pre-tournament
reception held this year.

Hotel Accommodations

Overnight rooms are available at Turning Stone Resort properties for $128-$229 per night in the locations listed below:

Sandstone Hollow Inn – Queen Double: $128   
Sandstone Hollow Inn – Queen Suite: $152
Turning Stone The Brook (Main hotel) – King: $184
Turning Stone Hotel Tower – Double or King $229

                                      
Please reserve your room before August 4, 2025 to receive the tournament rate. You can book directly online using the following link: https://book.rguest.com/wbe/group/999/ts-book/auth ... You will be asked for a group code: HAGF25 .. and a password: guest

Let them know you are with the NEAFA room block. Contact the resort at (800) 771-7711 to make your overnight accommodations.   

Sponsorship Opportunities are as follows:

Breakfast   $1,500

The Breakfast Sponsorship ($1,500 per firm, limited to 3 co-sponsors) includes recognition at the breakfast (with prominent signage and verbal acknowledgements), in NEAFA News and on the NEAFA web site.

Luncheon   $1,500

The Luncheon Sponsorship ($1,500 per firm, limited to 3 co-sponsors) includes recognition at the luncheon (with prominent signage and verbal acknowledgements), in NEAFA News and on the NEAFA web site.

Hole in One   $1,000

The Hole in One Sponsorship includes your logo placed on cart signs and on poster at registration, recognition in NEAFA News and on the NEAFA web site.

Eagle   $750

Eagle Sponsorship includes logo placed on sign at registration and on the rule sheet and recognition in NEAFA News. 

Individual Hole   $500

The Individual Hole Sponsorship includes a tee sign at the hole being sponsored and recognition in NEAFA News.

Raffle Prizes

NEAFA is seeking raffle prize donations to help make this a fun and successful event. If you or your organization are able to offer a raffle prize please complete the registration form and indicate the item you will be donating. You do not have to attend to submit a raffle prize item.

Please contact Sue VanAmburgh in the NEAFA office if you have any questions at sue@nysta.mobi / (518) 783-1322

NEAFA Member Profile: Laxmi Stebbins Wordham, Brightfeeds

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

For May, NEAFA is focusing on Brightfeeds, a company with an interesting take on foodwaste and animal feed opportunities. “I’ve been with Brightfeeds for a little over 3 years,” said Laxmi Stebbins Wordham, the Chief Growth Officer of Brightfeeds. “We’re still in startup mode, so I wear multiple hats at the company. I originally joined Brightfeeds to focus on growth strategy, which means marketing, business development, and working with customers on both the food and feed sides. When you look at food waste, there’s over 100 million tons of food wasted throughout the supply chain. Most of it, about seventy-five percent of that food waste ends up in landfills. At a landfill it’s going to rot, creating methane and other greenhouse gases. Food waste contributes to 8-10% of GHG globally. Brightfeeds saw an opportunity to take that food waste and turn it into something good for both the environment and our clients. We have a food waste to animal feed processing center in Connecticut. Feeding animals from food waste has a lot of challenges. You need to figure out how to get consistency in nutrients from a source that has a lot of variety. We have sensors for nutrient composition at our facility, which means we’re able to take in food waste streams and produce a consistent and nutritionally beneficial feedstock.”

While based in Connecticut, Brightfeeds serves throughout New England and NY. “We have a transfer station in Massachusetts as well,” said Wordham. “Our food mostly comes from the New England area, and we sell to farms throughout New England and New York. The reason why I joined Brightfeeds in the first place is that it intrigued me from a sustainability viewpoint. I have an engineering degree from Princeton, and I minored in environmental studies. I received my MBA from Harvard. I didn’t have an ag background before Brightfeeds. I worked as a geological engineer for Shell, and then went into business in the tech space focused on wearable technology. When we sold that business in 2020, I thought about what I wanted to do next. I wanted to do something in sustainability, and that’s when I met the cofounders of Brightfeeds, Jonathan Fife and Tim Rassias. I loved what they were doing and that this was something beneficial for the environment and for farmers. Three years later, and here we are making a difference in the industry.”

The process for creating the feed from food waste isn’t a simple one. “It’s a lot more complex than I originally anticipated,” said Wordham. “The technical aspect is what were focused on originally; can we get it to do what we want it to do. When we found that we could, we then focused more on the business development of getting our product out to customers. There’s a lot of complexity to the logistics of getting stuff from point a to point b, and the regulatory environment for both feed and transportation can be challenging. We’re currently in the process of adding two additional facilities. While we do that, we want to make sure that we keep our customers happy, continue collecting food waste in a timely manner from our partner businesses, and make sure on the feed side that we produce quality product. It’s a complex business to navigate, but I’m glad we’re here. We had a booth at this year’s annual meeting with NEAFA, and several customers encouraged us to join. We’re part of this community, and we want to make sure that we have an opportunity to be more involved. We’re excited at the growth we’re currently seeing, at introducing sustainable feed options to more farms and feed mills. We’re excited about the future because our model works.”

For more information, please visit www.Brightfeeds.com

VT Legislative Update

Week 19 Vermont Legislative Session – May 23, 2025

Provided by Shouldice & Associates

Week 19, weird right?  Considering the legislature, as a rule, times out at 18 weeks but would you look at that… we are heading into overtime with an expected additional week or more to go as we head into the Memorial Day Weekend. It also means additional pay being delved out to the legislators even though the bulk of them are tasked with sitting on the sidelines while committees of conference hammer out the final details. But to be clear, as of Thursday, the “must-pass” bills have made their way across the finish line by both House & Senate. But it appears the General Assembly is saying “uncle” on the measures that constituents sent them there to address. There is no hiding or sweeping it under the rug and Governor Scott agrees wholeheartedly. Our fearless Governor is still holding out hope that the legislature will get to a well thought out, compromised bit of language regarding education funding, to his desk and allow him to keep his veto pen in its holster.

Whether through direct feedback on bills that are in no way acceptable to Scott, or through his weekly presser, the message is clear, “the legislature is not doing enough, passing confusing legislation, not meeting the mandate of Vermonters”.  Governor Scott is not going to let the Legislature say, “they tried and it’s the best we can do; we will work on it next year.”  This could mean multiple special sessions unless the General Assembly makes real progress on education/property tax reform, housing, and healthcare reform measures.  Just using one-time funds to buy down property tax rates, giving more authority to the Green Mountain Care Board to control health care costs, or complicating a housing crisis, it doesn’t appear there is much positive feedback to take home to constituents.

Several bills have been passed to control health care costs and even buy down the increased rate of health care premiums.  With Health Insurers releasing their exorbitant rate increases last week, the Statehouse was buzzing about the health insurance crisis and doing their darndest to find ways to help lower costs. Some think it is a little too late to be sounding the alarm bells while others think any aid to lowering premiums is a step in the right direction.

A big question being pondered is, will a panel of regulators control hospital budget increases when they had that authority for years?  Will Blue Cross & Blue Shield go belly up?  Maybe it’s time for hospitals to prescribe “Ozempic or Wegovy” for their budgets.  

The federal implications coming down the road are wildly uncertain, which makes the budget writers very nervous and assume they will be called back in late fall to revisit the budget they just passed last week. What tools will be available at that point to keep the budget on track is anyone’s guess.  Some money, not a lot, has been squirreled away but the unknown is worrisome and could be catastrophic.

Add insult to injury, the Transportation Fund revenues came in on target for the month of April with collections at $0.1 million (0.4%) above the monthly target. Gas tax, Motor Vehicle Purchase & Use, and other fees all came in slightly above target. Diesel fuel and Motor Vehicle Fees were both slightly below target this month. Year to date, the T-fund is below target by $2.2 million (-0.9%).  This is a trend that will continue to fall below forecast.

As of Friday, it was unclear whether the General Assembly would try to adjourn next Friday, May 30th, but it doesn’t look good. If they want to at least meet Governor Scott halfway, they will need to put a bit more effort into education, housing, and health care reforms as they did with the FY ‘26 budget, which the Governor signed on Wednesday. 

The House appeared to be lucky and drew the long straw this week as they scurried out of the statehouse midafternoon Friday and into the long Memorial Day weekend. Meanwhile, Senators were still debating bills on the Floor well after 6PM on Friday. The mojo throughout the Statehouse tells us we are nearing the end of the session with the addition of numerous recesses by both chambers throughout the day as they waited and pondered bill language being juggled around.

And what would a Friday under the Golden Dome be without a little incentive to the legislators from the Governor’s Administration?  Not to worry, late in the afternoon, they sent out a press release titled "Facts Matter: There is a Path to Educational Transformation that Works for Students and Taxpayers” and discussed Scott’s prediction back in January that there have been campaigns from special interests and a focus on “critics say” headlines that are threatening to derail progress.

“We are clearly at a crossroads: we can make bold change and give our schools and taxpayers a better path, or we can yet again kick can, forcing these same budget cuts and rising taxes year after year.

Governor Scott’s plan is thoughtfully and intentionally crafted with direct input from teachers, students, and taxpayers to provide greater opportunities for our kids, and higher pay for many teachers, at cost Vermonters can afford.  

It’s time to stop focusing on what all the paid, adult “critics say” and have the courage to do what’s right for our kids and communities and transform Vermont’s declining education system into the world-class system we know it can be.”

Tempers continue to surface throughout the halls which is normal this time of year, but if one is not necessarily invested in what they are doing, they might find the behaviors a bit curious. Even many of the calmest, levelheaded legislators come unglued on the way to adjournment. Not sure if I’d want to walk in any of their shoes.

H 319 - An Act Relating To Miscellaneous Environmental Subjects

NEW STATUS: Proposal of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) Brennan (05/23/25)

This bill has become a "Christmas tree" with many amendments trying to be tacked on. We are unsure if it will make it across the finish line this year.

H 481 - An Act Relating to Stormwater Management

NEW STATUS: Delivered to the Governor on May 21, 2025 (05/21/25)

H 483 - An Act Relating To The Expansion Of Existing Income Tax Credits

Rep. Kimbell of Woodstock moved that the bill be committed to the Committee on Ways and Means, which was agreed to (03/25/25)

H 484 - An act relating to Miscellaneous Agriculture Subjects

Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31 (05/13/25)

H 494 - An Act Relating To Capital Construction And State Bonding

NEW STATUS: House message: Governor approved bill on May 22, 2025 (05/22/25)

On Thursday, the Committee of Conference finalized the two-year spending bill. It wasn't without equal pushback from each Chamber.

Report from the Committee of Conference regarding House Bill H.494, capital construction and state bonding for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. ​

• Total authorized funding: $111,965,288.44. ​

• FY 2026 appropriation: $61,969,761.44.

• FY 2027 appropriation: Remaining funds.

Appropriations of Interest for FY 26-27

Clean Water Initiatives ​

• FY 2026: $10,000,000.00 for water quality grants and municipal pollution control.

• FY 2027: $10,000,000.00 for clean water implementation projects. ​

• Total: $20,000,000.00. ​

Agriculture, Food, and Markets ​

• FY 2026: $5,000,000.00 for renovations and heat system upgrades.

• FY 2027: $1,500,000.00 for similar projects. ​

• Total: $6,500,000.00.

Funding Sources

Reallocation of Funds ​

• Total reallocated funds: $6,774,938.48 from prior capital appropriations.

General Obligation Bonds ​

• $100,000,000.00 in new bonds authorized. ​

• $6,890,350.00 in previously unissued bonds authorized. ​

• Total: $106,890,350.00. ​

S 45 - An Act Relating To Protection From Nuisance Suits For Agricultural Activities

NEW STATUS: Rep. LaLonde of South Burlington moved that the Committee on Judiciary be relieved of the bill and that the same be committed to the Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry, which was agreed to (05/22/25)

S 60 - An Act Relating To Establishing The Farm Security Special Fund To Provide Grants For Farm Losses Due To Weather Conditions

Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a) (04/25/25)

S 124 - Senate Miscellaneous agricultural subjects

NEW STATUS: Referred to Committee on Ways and Means per Rule 35(a) (05/22/25)

The House Environment committee amended the bill to add a more defined report back from the Agency of Natural Resources, as well as making the Clean Water Act the floor for enforcement. We suspect the Senate will not appreciate the amendment late in the process, we are not sure if they will concur or if this will be pushed to a committee of conference. More next week.

Delay in NY Advance Clean Truck Rule

Under the NY Advance Clean Truck (ACT) rule, manufacturers are required to meet a certain percentage of zero emission vehicle (ZEV) truck sales, beginning in model year 2025, with annual increases thereafter. Manufacturers can accumulate credits and deficits throughout the model year based on specific formulas which consider the specific type and class of vehicles sold. Defects can be counter-balanced the accumulated deficits by earning credits in a few ways. The first is by meeting their annual sales percentage requirements. Manufacturers earns ZEV credits for each ZEV produced and delivered for sale. This credit is considered “earned” when the new vehicle is sold to the ultimate purchaser.

Manufacturers may also utilize “early action banked credits” from sales beginning in Model Year 2022 or trade, sell or transfer credits between manufacturers, provided the transfer is reported properly, to help offset these deficits.

Finally, if a manufacturer does not meet its ZEV requirements in a particular model year, they have an additional model year to resolve the deficit. This system places the burden of compliance on individual manufacturers but also allows manufacturers to support each other in achieving the mandated percentage of ZEVs sold.

Implementation of these rules had been of great concerned to individuals in the agriculture industry, and a delay of implementation was a focus of the joint transportation advocacy day in May. On Friday, May 23rd, the state responded to the recommendations of NEAFA and many others in the agriculture community and other industries, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced they would exercise its authority to utilize enforcement discretion and will not enforce certain provisions of the ACT rules as they relate to pursuing penalties associated with any ZEV deliveries or sales shortfalls associated with Model Years (MY) 2025 and 2026.

More Information can be found in the following PDFS:

NYS Statement 1

NYS Statement 2

NYS Statement 3

NYS Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Enacted

Legislative leaders and Governor Kathy Hochul concluded a protracted negotiation on a new state budget more than five weeks past the April 1 statutory start of the State’s new fiscal year.

The new budget totals $254 billion, the largest in state history. Both houses began consideration and passage of each of the nine primary remaining bills on Wednesday, May 7, and debate and voting on each bill continued into Thursday, May 8. Highlights of the 2026 final budget include:

Farm Workforce Retention Credit. The final budget extends the Farm Workforce Retention Credit for an additional three years. The credit is available through tax years beginning before January 1, 2029.

Farm Employer Overtime Credit. The final budget creates the Farm Employer Overtime Credit Program under a new Article 25-C of the Agriculture and Markets Law and amends Section 42-a of the Tax Law. The program provides tax credits equal to 118% of certified overtime expenses to qualified farm employers for overtime expenses paid to eligible farm employees, effective for taxable years starting January 1, 2026.

Farm Labor Specialist. The final budget includes $702,000 for the farm labor specialist program.

NY Farm Viability Institute. The final budget allocates $2.15 million for this program.

Cornell University Ruminant Center. The final budget allocates $375,000 to support the Cornell University Ruminant Center.

On-Farm Health. The final budget includes $1.25 million for the on-farm health and safety program administered by Mary Imogene Basset hospital.

New York State Occupational Health Clinic Network (OHCN) and New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH). The final budget includes $9.56 million for OHCN and $1.25 million for NYCAMH.

PRO-DAIRY. The final budget includes the following support for the Cornell Pro Daily Programs:

Core Program: The final budget includes $1,463,000 to support the Pro-Dairy core program.

Dairy Profit Teams: The final budget appropriates $374,000 for the Dairy Profit Teams.

Dairy Advancement Program: The final budget includes $700,000 for the Dairy Advancement Program.

PRO-LIVESTOCK. The final budget appropriates $250,000 for the pro-livestock program.

Dairy Farm Modernization Grants. The final budget includes a $10 million capital appropriation to implement the dairy farm good and growth fund to allow for increased investment in on-farm milk storage capacity and improvement in efficiencies in milk transfer systems and cooling technologies.

NY FarmNet. The final budget includes $1.5 million for NY FarmNet.

Agricultural Education and Outreach Programs. The final budget includes $2.5 million for agricultural education and outreach programs. These funds support the following programs:

• $1 million for Future Farmers of America.

• $500,000 for Agriculture in the Classroom.

• $500,000 for Agricultural Educators.

• $250,000 for Cornell 4-H.

• $250,000 for the New York City Urban Agriculture education and outreach.

Weigh-in-Motion Technology. The final budget amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law to authorize the use of WIM technology by the New York State Department of Transportation, Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, New York State Bridge Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York City Department of Transportation, and New York State Thruway Authority, on agency or authority facilities including roadways, bridges, and highways. This takes effect immediately.

Farmworker Housing Program. The final budget allocates $5 million to support the services and expenses of the Farmworkers Housing Program.

Tax Disclosure for CLCPA. The final budget amends the Tax Law to authorize the Department of Taxation and Finance (“DTF”) to disclose certain data from the returns of petroleum or fossil fuel businesses to the DEC or NYSERDA to implement programs to be created pursuant to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (“CLCPA”) and the New York State Climate Change Superfund Act.

President's Pen: Agriculture Faces New Challenges from Tariffs

Charlie Elrod, Ph.D., NEAFA President

As if agricultural producers don’t already cope with lots of volatility in both their input costs and the markets in which they sell their products.  Add to that a chaotic, on-again, off-again, on-again with exemptions, tariff regime and most producers will be forgiven if they can’t quite put their finger on the implications for their businesses.  The consensus from national organizations, from the American Feed Industry Association to the American Farm Bureau Federation, seems to point to a rough few years ahead for agriculture.

Canada and Mexico are our two largest trading partners for agricultural products and will have tariff-free entry for those products covered under the USMCA Agreement which will include most ag products.  However, the 25% tariffs on automobiles, auto parts, steel and aluminum will certainly add significantly to the cost of farm vehicles, equipment and their maintenance.  For those automobiles and auto parts which come from countries other than Canada or Mexico, a 25% tariff will be in effect.  Similarly, steel and aluminum products from all other countries will also face a 25% tariff.

Conversely, destinations for the 20% of US ag products which are exported have retaliated with tariffs on US goods.  The EU, for instance, is placing tariffs on $30 billion dollars of US products coming into Europe.  Of the 99 pages of listed items, the first 3 pages cover meats and meat byproducts, the next 8 pages cover foods of dairy origin and the next 20 pages cover other ag products such as grains, fruits and beverages.  China, which is facing a 145% tariff on all goods exported to the US has reciprocated with a 125% tariff on everything from the US.  These actions will, of course, price those US goods out of the marketplace.  Markets which our ag-related trade groups and government agencies have spent decades cultivating to accept and favor our superior US-grown ag products are now being pushed into the waiting arms of competitor industries from other countries.

Every industry will feel the pain of these tariffs and the retaliatory countermeasures.  But all too often agriculture seems to bear the brunt in trade disputes like this.  In agriculture, we already cope with price volatility on the input side of our businesses and the prices we get for our products are also at the vagaries of the markets.  Add to that having to cope with weather extremes, disease pandemics and regulatory pressure and we can anticipate that our farms and farm-related businesses will definitely feel the squeeze.  That is one reason why organizations like NEAFA, NEDPA, NYFB, AFIA exist.  We will do everything in our power to help our members and their customers weather these storms and hopefully come out stronger on the other side.

NY Legislative Update - April 2025

By Julie Marlette, Hinman Straub

As of the writing of this article, the New York State budget is officially 23 days late. Negotiations over non-financial policy priorities for the Governor have delayed any meaningful conversation on traditional financial issues. The key issues prioritized by the Governor are:

·         Discovery reform.

·         Changes to involuntary commitment.

·         A ban on wearing masks in public/enhanced penalties for wearing a mask during the commission of a crime.

·         Adoption of a mandatory bell to bell cell phone ban in schools.

These four issues have been driving budget conversations for the last month. Adding to the delay, the Governor has also floated a proposal to change the way in which the lieutenant governor is elected. Traditionally, the two positions have run separate elections. Instead, Gov. Hochul is suggesting that the governor and lieutenant governor should run together on a ticket.

At this time, it is likely that an 8th extender will be adopted on Thursday when they return to session. It is not yet clear for how long that extender will be however.

To date, regular legislative activities have not been significantly disrupted. This week and last were slated to be “break weeks.” Generally a post budget legislative break is aligned with observance of Easter and Passover. Next week, legislature would normally be returning for “post-budget” attention to other regular legislation and committee work. While committees meet all session, and bills have been passed throughout the session, the bulk of bills are generally passed in the last 5 weeks of session. With the state budget still unresolved however, it is almost certain that business as usual will be disrupted. This means that the process of advancing legislation will be even more challenging in the final weeks of session.

We will keep NEAFA leadership apprised of activity as it occurs.

Biomethane Potential in New York

Lauren Ray

Environmental Engineer, PRO-Dairy, CALS

Biomethane from New York’s dairy manure and food waste could fuel over 30,000 tractor trailers annually*, displacing at least 300 million gallons of diesel.  Currently, 

• 12 percent of the NY dairy herd has implemented manure anaerobic digestion (AD) to biomethane.

• This energy (with its GHG reduction) has market value under California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

• But it could be meeting NY's needs instead.

Bioenergy is necessary to reach NY climate targets and is part of moving to a circular bioeconomy where organic resources are best utilized.  Manure and food waste anaerobic digestion (AD) are complementary in that they produce energy and recover valuable nutrients to enhance NY’s soil health and fertility (3).  Current management practices of livestock manure and landfilling organics are responsible for over 25 percent of NY’s anthropogenic methane emissions (4).  Smartly designed and maintained bioenergy systems capture this methane and put it to productive use as a flexible and non-fossil fuel energy resource.  This industry requires distributed job creation in rural, populated, and disadvantaged communities, including local construction trades, operation and maintenance personnel, and engineers (5).  Bioenergy technology is already commercially available at many scales, and enhanced energy recovery processes are being innovated. The potential value of our organic resources, a necessary part of our food and agriculture system, will only grow over time.

In order to encourage homegrown renewable energy in New York State, we need to develop mechanisms that establish a competitive market within New York by properly valuing the lifecycle GHG reduction and the energy output.  To accomplish this goal, we need to:

• Maximize methane capture (i.e., minimize methane loss) through high quality design, equipment, construction, and most importantly, ongoing operations and maintenance. This also harvests the most energy.

• Enable simple and science-based treatment of GHG accounting for food processing and consumption waste that is diverted from landfills to AD for energy (6).

• Consider how NY can meet net zero targets by utilizing the steady and controllable sources of bioenergy that the electric demand system will require.

• Allow haulers to diversify their vehicles and fleets to include compressed natural gas (CNG) engines (that can utilize biomethane), biodiesel engines, electric motors, and additional innovative technologies.

• Create workforce training programs and recruit talented engineers. Enhance public education on bioenergy, anaerobic digestion, biogas, hydrogen, biomethane, biodiesel, combustion, vehicle types, etc.

*Estimated using typical AD processing manure from 72 percent of the current statewide dairy herd and conservative food waste volumes. Assumes 10,000 gallons diesel used per tractor trailer per year. See references 1 and 2.

References

1. Lerner, M.S. and Tomich, M.P. (2023) Putting New York’s Organic Waste to Work. Energy Vision. https://energy-vision.org/research-reports/.  (Independently verified by PRO-DAIRY energy engineer.)

2. US DOE. Average annual fuel use by vehicle type. https: //afdc.energy.gov/data/widgets/10308.

3. Gooch, C.A. and Wright, P.E. (2018) Benefits of Anaerobic Digestion on Farms. https://hdl.handle.net/1813/66954.

4. NYS DEC, 2024 Statewide GHG Emissions Report. (Over 25% is used because solid waste and exported waste management combined account for 28% and livestock manure management accounts for 4.6% of all NYS anthropogenic methane emissions.)

5. Milbrandt, A. (2021) Comparison of Select Food Waste Utilization Options. Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. NREL/BR-6A20-81024. https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy22osti/81024.pdf.

6.Generate Upcycle. (2003) Food Waste Infrastructure Recommendations from a leading investor/operator. https://generateupcycle.com/white-paper/.

NEAFA Highlight: Lon Stephens, Co-Operative Feed Dealers

Jon Beatty and Lon Stephens, Co-Operative Feed Dealers. Beatty took over as the General Manager after Stephens retired in February, 2025. Photo provided.

NEAFA would like to congratulate Lon Stephens on his retirement from Co-Operative Feed Dealers after forty years of service to the company and agriculture at large. Stephens started his career as a  territory sales representative in 1985, and took over as the General Manager of Co-operative Feed Dealers in 1991. “It was a unique opportunity to be given such a free hand to do what I thought best,” said Stephens. “CFD just celebrated its 90th anniversary in February, and during my tenure I had the opportunity to lead the company in a few different directions. I appreciated being given the chance to help the company grow in my own way. I worked for nine board members, just a great group to work for and under. We’d have a meeting every month to review the company. We represent a great group of feed dealers and farm supply stores.”

Stephens was no stranger to agriculture before joining CFD. “I was always interested in agriculture, my brother as well,” said Stephens. “I used to work on a farm during the summers in Northern NY,” said Stephens. “I went to Canton ACC for two years, and then transferred to Cornell for a bachelor’s in Ag Engineering.”

CFD and Stephens have a long history with NEAFA as well. “When we first joined, I knew it as the Eastern Federation of Feed Merchants, before they merged with the New England Grain and Feed Council,” said Stephens. “I served on the EFFM board at one point as well. NEAFA has had great leaders along the way. Rick Zimmerman took the association in some good directions as the Executive Director and his lobbying efforts in NYS were always appreciated. It’s very important that this segment of the ag market be represented, and NEAFA is sincere and doing the work. They’re serious in following their mission in education and representation.”

Looking towards the future, Stephens has a message for agricultural leaders and businesses. “Everyone in this industry has to continue to innovate,” says Stephens. “It’s very important, and some may not be able to see it all the time. I’m not a visionary, but if we hadn’t innovated in the 90’s, I’m not sure how successful we would be today. There’s been a lot of consolidation in the market. There are fewer customers and dealers as well. We had to come up with ways to keep our position. One thing for example, we were the first Muck Boot distributor. We got on board with that, and it took us in a lot of different directions. The core is still in farming and agriculture, but it opened markets for us into sporting, casual, and even fishing industries now. We had to innovate and find new products and strategies to bring to our clients so that they can innovate and get into different things. A large part of what I consider successful about my time as the general manager at CFD was that I hired good people, and gave them the space to manage their departments and grow their business.”

Looking to his retirement, Stephens still sees agriculture being a part of his life. “I would like to keep my hand in it to some degree,” said Stephens. “It took me about a month before I stopped worrying about the day-to-day things at the company that I looked after for 34 years. I retired at the end of February, and honestly right now it just feels like the longest vacation I’ve ever had. I am enjoying it, but I would step back into it part time if the opportunity came along.”

Vermont Legislative Update

By Emma Shouldice

Vermont’s democratic legislators are busy playing “chicken” with the Governor regarding the budget adjustment bill, setting the property tax, and education funding. It has made for a fiery first half of the session and shows it could run longer than the normal budgeted eighteen weeks.


To add a little spice to all things legislative, Sarah Clark, Secretary of Administration released a letter which lambasted the Chair and committee members of House Appropriations last week. The words on the page were a bit cringeworthy and a direct punch to the gut if you were the one being called out for your actions.

“While we have appreciated the face-to-face negotiations over the last several days, it appears you prefer to start putting these negotiations in writing, and making them public, so we will follow suit. It is unfortunate that I was uninvited to testify in your Committee this morning to present our feedback on the budget adjustment and provide clarity on our compromise proposals.

Given some of the misinformation we have seen in the last 24 hours, I think it’s important to level-set where this discussion stands, from the Administration’s perspective.”

Potential areas under consideration are modernizing the property tax structure, property tax categories, foundation formula, and the homestead exemption. This is effectively re-arranging the money, but it is uncertain how that will lower property taxes or costs for Vermonters. In short, with costs increasing, any measure that is passed is unlikely to reduce property taxes but may hold it steady from the 2025 increase. Will that be enough for Vermonters? That question is one that nobody currently has the answer to.

It is the time of year when committees try to fill their day while they wait for the budget bills to be finalized in preparation for long floor debating these bills. The House Agriculture Committee is looking at many different agriculture related bills to determine if there are any that have enough interest from members to work on for the remainder of the biennium. Protecting farms is of utmost importance to VDPA and we look forward to supporting legislation that helps farmers continue to live and work in Vermont. The agriculture committees are very busy working on the right to farm, CAFO permits, and expanding provisions for selling goods produced from the farm at a farmstand.

Importantly, the Right to Farm bill is making its way through the legislative process and we look forward to strengthening the law, as Vermont has one of the weakest right to farm laws in the country. Meaningful testimony has been taken in the House and Senate to support farmers from nuisance suits when they are following the required agricultural practices.

The legislative session is theoretically at the halfway point and there has been no discussion regarding the ban on neonicotinoids, but we are hopeful that the education of new committee members will begin, and we can gear up for thorough discussions to come.

New York State Budget Update

By Brianna Wagner, Hinman Straub, Special to NEAFA

The New York State budget negotiation process is underway with the Assembly and Senate releasing their Legislative budget proposals on March 10, 2025. As negotiations continue, there is a consensus among advocates that the final budget is unlikely to be finalized by the April 1 deadline as Legislative session is scheduled to continue during the first two weeks of April, followed by a two-week break (over the Passover and Easter holidays). 

What Was Added

The Assembly matched the Executive proposal by allocating $1.463 million for Pro-Dairy to enhance support for dairy farmers, while the Senate increased this amount to $2 million. The Senate proposal also included an additional $126,000 for dairy profit teams, which was not included in the Executive or Assembly proposals. Unlike the Executive and Assembly proposals, the Senate included $250,000 for Pro-Livestock positions at Cornell to assist farms in silvopasture practices and carbon sequestration efforts. 

While the Assembly accepted the Executive’s proposed $9.56 million for the Occupational Health Clinic Network (OHCN), the Senate significantly increased the funding to $20 million. The Senate also raised funding for Future Farmers of America (FFA) to $1.375 million, which is slightly higher than the Executive’s proposed $1 million. 

Both the Senate and Assembly increased funding for farm-to-school initiatives to $1.508 million, doubling the Executive’s proposed $750,000. The Senate allocated $3 million to the New York Farm Viability Institute—$2 million more than the Assembly and Executive proposals—to support research and innovation in farm profitability and sustainability. Additionally, both the Senate and Assembly included $1 million for grants to support beginning farmers and another $1 million for grants to assist disadvantaged farmers, neither of which was included in the Executive proposal. 

The Senate’s proposal included major initiatives such as the NY Home Energy Affordable Transition (HEAT) Act, the Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring and Prevention Program, the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, the Safe Water and Infrastructure Action Program, and the Floating Solar Incentive and Education Program.

Additionally, the Senate proposed increasing the maximum loan amount given to a single agricultural producer for farmworker housing projects from $200,000 to $400,000 annually. Both the Senate and Assembly recommended amending the tax law to allow professional employer organizations in contractual relationships with farm employers to qualify for a tax credit. The Senate proposed extending the Farm Workforce Retention Credit by five years, while the Assembly proposed a three-year extension.

Lastly, the Senate aims to expand the tax credit for farmers to cover standard construction materials and labor costs for farmworker housing.

Advocacy

As budget negotiations progress, NEAFA remains engaged with New York policymakers to ensure that agriculture remains a priority in the final budget.

NEAFA Member Profile: Sebastien Fortier, Manuchar, Inc.

Sebastien Fortier, President of Manuchar, Inc. Photo Provided

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

NEAFA had the chance to catch up with Sebastien Fortier, President of Manuchar Inc., the Canadian branch of Manuchar, for this month’s member highlight. “Manuchar is a very old company,” said Fortier. “It was founded in 1880 in Antwerp, Belgium, about 35 miles north of Brussels. We started as a logistics company, and then add the chemical portion as time went on. Manuchar sold 2 years ago to Lonestar Fund, so while we operate internationally, we are now an American owned company. We started operating in Canada in 2015. I used to be a customer of Manuchar at my former job from 2005 to 2015. When I saw the quality of the products and the professionalism that Manuchar had, I said to my boss that it would be a good idea to partner with them, but the company I worked for didn’t want to make that commitment. I saw the opportunity, and had to take the leap myself. I own 20% of the company. We work in Canada and the US, and handle 10.4 million tons of product per year. Throughout the world, Manuchar employs 2800, and works in 140 countries, doing approximately $2.4 Billion per year business. In the agricultural sector, we work primarily in animal nutrition and feed additives.”

For Fortier, agriculture is a lifelong love. “My grandmother had a farm, my mother was raised on the farm, and that farm is still owned by family members,” said Fortier. “They had a dairy, but now focus on corn, oats, etc. under the Semican name. My uncle, Jacques Beauchesne, was president, but he sold recently to retire. When I finished University in Commercial Marketing, I did my MBA in International Business, and I started to cover Semican territory in New England. At that time, it was more for bird seed and animal feed. My background wasn’t there though, and my uncle suggested that I switch to a company where I could work in animal nutrition and with feed additive chemicals. I did, but I’ve also wanted to be an entrepreneur since I was born. I enjoyed the industry, but wanted to do it on my own terms. When the opportunity with Manuchar came up, it was an easy decision to partner with them.”

Location plays a large role in how Fortier and his company work throughout Canada and the Northeastern region of the US. “We are blessed to be surrounded by water here in Trois-Rivieres Quebec, Canada,” said Fortier. “It is an easy and low-cost transportation mode for chemical products; it links us to all over the world. I wanted to take advantage of that opportunity, which I think is underutilized. Rail and truck can be expensive, but by using the river, we can reduce the need to rely on those modes of transportation, and keep our carbon footprint lower as well. This is why we established ourselves here in Trois-Rivieres. we have the port readily available. Our offices are surrounded by water, and I can see the activity at the port every day. Cargo carried by boat is very cost effective. While you may be able to move 44,000 lbs with a truck, a vessel can carry 44,000 tons.”

Part of what has made Manuchar so successful is their hands on approach to working with their clients. “These days, a lot of chemical companies are massive,” said Fortier. “We’re a boutique service. We’ll be able to answer a phone call, so that you’re talking with a person, and with someone that knows what you need. We work hard to make it easy for our customers to get a product to their specifications. We have a large capacity to purchase, but we’re a small enough company that you can always get the person you’re used to working with. We’re flexible, local to the Northeast, reliable, and professional. We try to do everything with a smile to make it easier on everyone. I haven’t lost a customer in 10 years. There is nothing more rewarding than working in agriculture. I’m just a small player trying my best to help feed the word. It helps drive me every day. I’m not saying I’m changing the world, but we keep your production running, anytime, anywhere, because we know the importance of what agriculture is. In agribusiness, you see families working together more often than in other fields. It makes for better relationships, because at the end of the day, your customer becomes your friend. And that makes it less like a job, and more enjoyable.”

Manuchar’s interest in NEAFA came from their relationship to the northeast. “NEAFA provides an enjoyable atmosphere for us to meet our clients face to face with events like their annual meeting,” said Fortier. “I enjoy getting to meet people in person, and NEAFA helps us do that. The St. Lawrence River lets us get goods throughout the Northeast and New England. It provides a natural route for us to serve so many of the membership that NEAFA caters to.”

For more information about Manuchar, visit www.Manuchar.com

2025 HHNC: Industry experts share insights and research updates

Nearly 150 dairy industry professionals gathered in East Syracuse, NY last week to hear from industry experts about the latest trends and research related to dairy herd health and nutrition.   Participants gained insights about the use of high oleic soybeans in dairy cattle diets, strategies to improve transition cow health and productivity, and how automated monitoring technologies can be used in herd health monitoring and management. A series of thematic sessions explored the impacts of late gestation heat stress on dairy cow performance and the long-term effects on their calves, while also highlighting effective heat abatement strategies that have been implemented on-farm. Attendees gained practical insights and expert perspectives on reducing heat stress, including ventilation, soakers, and structural evaluations, to enhance dairy cattle health and productivity. For nearly 20 years, this conference has been hosted by Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY and the Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance (NEAFA).

“The Herd Health and Nutrition Conference is a great venue to network while being exposed to the latest research around dairy nutrition, management and sustainability,” said Jenny Mills, NEAFA Board Past-President.  “The Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance is proud to collaborate with Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY to provide a program of research backed solutions that can be implemented on dairy farms immediately. In addition, the opportunity to network with our colleagues across the agriculture supply chain in one place helps us all continue to learn, grow and improve our industry.” 

“We were excited to have our industry professionals join us in Syracuse once again for this conference. We greatly appreciate the continued partnership with NEAFA.” said Tom Overton, Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY Director. 

PRO-DAIRY and NEAFA thank the industry sponsors whose contributions helps make this event possible.  The next Herd Health and Nutrition Conference will be hosted on March 31, 2026. To join the mailing list and for more information, visit cals.cornell.edu/pro-dairy. PRO-DAIRY is a nationally recognized extension and applied research leader serving dairy farms for more than 35 years.

President's Pen: The Dairy Toolbox is available to help us tell our story

By Charlie Elrod, NEAFA President

How many times have you heard complaints about how far-removed society is from the realities of modern agriculture?  How often have you wished for a concise and informative educational piece to help you communicate all our many positive contributions to the health and well-being of society or to tell our sustainability story?  Thanks to the collaboration of several ag organizations, The Dairy Toolbox is now available to do just that.

Thanks to this creative collaboration, the Dairy Toolbox provides about ten short videos, from 1 to 5 minutes long, highlighting different aspects of dairy management, research, cropping, and sustainability.  You might think about putting them all together into a video loop to play at a company, customer or community meeting.  The video clips could also be incorporated into a presentation you’re making as a “public service announcement” to help enlighten your audience. 

There are also a couple of great infographics highlighting the opportunity provided by anaerobic digestion on dairy farms and the many ways that water is conserved and recycled in daily dairy operations.  Similarly, there are several one-page fact sheets on different aspects of dairying such as recycling as an integral part of dairy farming, practices used to reduce emissions, efficiency gains in agronomic practices and milk production, and sources of feed and bedding used in dairy production.  All provide informative, fact-based insight into modern dairy management.

Lastly, there are several resources designed to be used in your social media efforts.  Many of these are NY-focused and communicate facts about the industry in NY, while others are more broadly oriented.  The graphics are attractive and quickly convey key messages such as “up to 80% of a cow’s diet cannot be eaten by humans”, an effort to push back on the misguided idea that cows consume feedstuffs that could otherwise be used to meet the nutritional needs of people.  There are also multiple posts that could be used in your social media feeds to help expand the reach of this messaging. 

All the materials available in the toolbox can be downloaded for your use in whatever way you can imagine to help tell the dairy industry’s story.  Consider sharing the link with your customers to further spread the word.  Spanish translations of the materials are being developed and additional pieces will be forthcoming as the needs arise.  I hope you’ll check out the Dairy Toolbox and use those resources to help tell dairy’s amazing story.

NEAFA 2025 Annual Meeting a Success

By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA

NEAFA hosted its annual 2025 Annual Meeting February 4th and 5th, 2025 at the Albany Marriott Hotel in Albany, NY. The theme this year focused on “Growing Our Industry,” and featured presentations outgoing NEAFA President Jenny Mills, NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets Deputy Commissioner Elizabeth Wolters, a dairy markets update and outlook from Chris Wolf, research updates from Kristan Reed and Joe McFadden, Vermont and New York Legislative updates from Emma Shouldice and Matt O’Connor respectively, an update from AFIA VP of Public Policy and Education Leah Wilkinson, and a keynote from Kim Bremmer.

“We declared three years ago that advocacy would be the key driver for NEAFA,” said outgoing NEAFA President Jenny Mills. “In NY, we’re pleased with the relationship that we’ve made with Hinman Straub, and the relationships that we’ve made with legislators up and down the state that we haven’t had before. More of our committees are in touch with the Department of Agriculture, which is very important, and we’ve recently established relationships with the Department of Labor as well, with workforce initiatives that include transportation, and I’m proud of the work that NEAFA has done there… We can take pride in the collaboration that NEAFA has with Cornell, Pro-Dairy, or our friends at NEDPA. Collaboration with groups like this help us spread our voice and make sure that legislators understand what’s happening in our industry.”

Deputy Commissioner Wolters focused on the importance of Dairy for New York agriculture. “Dairy allows New York to rank in the top 5 states for agriculture,” said Wolters. “We’re dedicated to helping NY farmers to grow, and adapt with the goal of making New York the most sustainable dairy farmers and processors in the country. New budget lines are in place to help with that. (NY) Gov. Hochul has made strides to expand dairy processing, with applications opened for NY Dairy farmers to expand on farm milk processing and help with dairy storage and transportation. There are over 300 world recognized dairy processing facilities in the state. We continue to look to the horizon, and are focused on building a stronger, sustainable workforce. We want to continue to help farmers address aging infrastructure and housing, with more money in the budget towards meeting those goals. NY is committed to helping our farmers get through the challenges ahead.”

Wolters also touched on grants available to NY farms looking to reduce their carbon footprint and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “We’re in our 8th round of funding,” said Wolters. “Over $49 million of applications were submitted, with $33 million given out. I’m excited about that. We keep putting more money out and we get more requests. It shows the dedication from our farmers to reduce their carbon footprint.”

Chris Wolf, Ph.D, and the E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics in the Dyson School of applied Economics and Management at Cornell University, gave an update on Dairy Markets, and an outlook for 2025. “2024 started poorly, but had a good recovery in the fall,” said Wolf. “US Milk Production was a bit down by 0.5% year over year (yoy) in December 2024. That’s not the real story however. When you look at components, butterfat was up 1.47% in 2024… butter stocks were up 11.6% yoy in warehouse storage. Butter consumption has been strong, but it may be plateauing. Nonfat dry milk stocks are also up 19%, but we had low inventories a year ago.”

Wolf also addressed the needs that new processing centers may have in 2025. “New milk sources are necessary for new capacity,” said Wolf. “There are four new processing centers in NY alone, really big ones. There’s also a big investment in a cheese plant in South Dakota, as well as big ones in Kansas and Texas. Is there enough supply to fill these plants? Historically, they’ve figured it out. But if we’re going to produce that much more cheese and products that go with it, we have to figure out where it goes, including exporting. It takes a while to ramp up these big plants, they won’t immediately be producing a lot of cheese every day. It’s also a question of if other smaller plants will be shutting down. It’s good to see co-operatives in the northeast investing and revitalizing for the future.”

For 2025, the main concerns for Wolf are related to HPAI reducing production in the US, bluetongue in Europe reducing production there, and the potential impact that tariffs could have on trade going forward. “Trade is a big deal for dairy,” said Wolf. “18% are exported, more protein components than fats. 43% of exports went to Mexico and Canada. Tariffs in 2018 to 2020 with China lead to a decrease in exports there. US Dairy exports eight billion dollars’ worth of trade annually, about four percent of all agriculture. Potential trade wars could effect corn and soybean prices, and we currently get 80% of potash from Canada.”

Kristan Reed, Ph.D., spoke on the RuFaS Model that she works on as the Scientific Director. Her position at the USDA was unfortunately terminated 2/14/2025. RuFaS, short for Ruminant Farming Systems, “is a next-generation, whole-farm model that simulates dairy farm production and environmental impact. We are using modern, modular coding and development practices to build a flexible, adaptable, interoperable research and decision-support tool for sustainable ruminant production,” according to the RuFaS website. “We’re currently making sure that RuFaS can handle the diversity of farming practices across the country,” said Reed. “No two farms are alike. So we’ve developed methods for collecting inputs. The model was challenged, but after many iterations, it works, and we’re very happy with how it works.  There are a wide range of foot prints that aligned with previously reported values, and emissions trends also followed expected patterns in response to production and management factors.”

Joe McFadden, Ph.D., the associate professor of dairy cattle biology and the NEAFA Faculty Fellow in the Department of Animal Science at Cornell University, gave an update on Methane Mitigation. “There are 100 people working in the lab now,” said McFadden. “We have Post Docs in the lab, graduate students, and we’ve been hiring more senior staff. The focus for 2025 is on infrastructure development. Our animal respiration chambers are active and climate controlled, we’ve acquired five GreenFeed units and we have 68 Galan gates ready for use. We’re gathering daily emission data on 68 cows. We’re running 40 tests a day along with a manure greenhouse gas analyzer.”

McFadden and Cornell have also been focused on establishing the program in India. “The interest there is because they produce a lot of methane,” said McFadden. “I’ve spent three years working to gain trust, negotiate with and talk to people there. We’re taking a holistic approach; improve veterinarian health, understand the barriers to implementing productive strategies, and what is unique about foraging there. Maharashtra has the same number of cows as the entire US. We have the support of the government there to work with NGOs to bring down methane 30%, and then the goal is to scale that out across all of India.”

Emma Shouldice, of William Shouldice & Associates LLC, and Matt O’Connor from Hinman Straub gave updates on legislation in Vermont and New York respectively, including on neonics and the ramifications of the bill passed in Vermont. For more in-depth coverage, look for articles from Shouldice and Hinman in the upcoming newsletters.

Leah Wilkinson, the Vice-President of Public Policy and Education for the American Feed Industry Association, gave an overview of upcoming AFIA events, studies, and legislative work on the national scale. Upcoming events include an AFIA 600 course focused on designing, implementing, documenting an animal food safety plan. The next dates for the course are March 11th to April 15th, and September 16th to October 21st. There will also be a PCQI refresher course December 9th and 10th. With regards to legislation, “The 119th Congress To Do list is long and growing,” said Wilkinson. “They have to process nominations, raise the debt ceiling, tackle Trump Tax Extenders, and work on appropriations for FY 25 and 26, the National Defense Authorization Act, the Farm Bill, etc. The tariff conversation isn’t done, but we currently have to sit back and let the dust settle to see where things fall.”

The Annual Meeting wrapped up with a presentation from keynote speaker Kim Bremmer of Ag Inspirations, LLC. Bremmer focused on the need of agribusinesses to get positive messaging about agriculture out to the public more, since misinformation and context is often missing from organizations and legislators outside the industry.

NEAFA Joins Fellow Agriculture Advocates in Calling for Investment to help the Industry Move Towards Net Zero

By Hinman Straub, Special to NEAFA

This year, a number of agriculture related groups joined Cornell in asking for a significant state investment support “Net Zero Dairy”.  While many of the funding streams and programs included in this proposal are not new, but steady or moderately increased investments in those programs, the focus of the new investments is being directly focused and linked to the investments and changes needed to support  farms, farmers and agriculture related programs in the transition to emission reduction and  evenly net  zero.

New York has set strong goals around greenhouse gas reduction, maintaining clean water and other environmental targets. To best serve the New York State economy, New York dairy farmers should be the primary providers of the milk needed to support the first goal. To do so and remain strong environmental stewards and partners for the state, a significant investment in the transition to net zero is needed.

To support these changes, NEAFA is seeking support for the following investments as a part of this package. Some of the components of this package include:

$2.463 million total PRO-DAIRY funding The Executive budget proposal would provide $1.463 million for Pro Dairy, an amount equal to last year’s enacted budget. NEAFA, with partners is seeking and additional $1 million. If appropriated, the funding would be utilized as follows:

•              $500,000 would fund four new positions.

o   Two Farm Business Management specialists

o   One Dairy Nutrition specialist.

o   One Animal Well-Being specialist.

•              $500,000 for applied research and extension support.

These positions and the research that would be supported are critical to addressing the unique needs of the dairy industry and the knowledge and information needed to reduce diary related emissions while also protecting that health of cows and maintaining production.

$1.190 million in total funding for Dairy Profit Teams. The Executive proposal would continue to provide $700,000 for the Dairy Advancement Program (DAP) and $374,000 for Dairy Profit Teams, which is constant with the funding provided in the last enacted budget.  However, demand for the services offered by these programs exceeds the supply supported by current funds. DAP funds are used by small farmers that are seeking to grow their businesses and adapt to the current financial and business environment. Along with partners we are seeing an addition investment of $150,000 in this program.

$750,000 for the Cornell University Ruminant Center (CURC). CURC is the leading American university dairy research facility that is best equipped to conduct studies at the scale needed to identify strategies that will improve the production of milk and milk-components, decrease the intensity of GHG emissions, and safely evaluate the true capabilities of what the dairy industry can accomplish while improving milk production efficiency and mitigating climate-related challenges. This funding would be a new state investment.

$1M to establish a Dairy Foods Innovation Hub. Building on Dairy Promotion Order Funds to create an Innovation Hub would create a platform to develop new dairy products, while increasing processing capacity, training the next generation of entrepreneurs and increasing access to local foods. This funding would be a new state investment.

Additional information on these programs can be found here, in a joint communication released by partners in the industry, including NEAFA.

2025 NEAFA Legislative Advocacy Day

By Jenny Mills, NEAFA Past President

On Tuesday February 4, ten NEAFA members and the Hinman Straub team met with 15 NYS legislators to review budget priorities.  This year, the Executive budget released in January was more favorable to agriculture than in the past.  NEAFA’s collaboration with the Northeast Dairy Producers Association, NY Farm Bureau and Cornell PRO-DAIRY and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences was appreciated as most of these asks are within all the groups talking points.

A huge thank you to Julie Marlette, Jim Carr and Carla Downie from Hinman Straub who accompanied our teams and organized visits with a variety of legislators. 

A summary of NEAFA’s legislative budget priorities are below.  Please reach out with any questions, or if you have interest in participating in our next Lobby Day!  We plan on returning to Albany for another formal Lobby Day in May, focused on policy issues.  

NEW, INCREASED AND RESTORED NEAFA SUPPORTED FUNDING REQUESTS

$4.73 million for Net Zero Dairy. New York’s farms are a critical part of the state’s economy. Dairy farms are the largest segment of New York agriculture and generate over $4 billion annually in farm gate revenue and more than $12 billion total. New York has supported expansions in dairy processing capacity that are projected to require 20 percent more milk (three billion pounds) to supply recent, pending and anticipated expansions. At the same time New York has set strong goals around greenhouse gas reduction, maintaining clean water and other environmental targets. To best serve the New York State economy, New York dairy farmers should be the primary providers of the milk needed to support the first goal. To do so and remain strong environmental stewards and partners for the state, a significant investment in the transition to net zero is needed.

$100,000 in Additional Funding for FarmNet. In addition to supporting the Executive Proposal to provide $1.4 million, a restoration of the $100,000 to this network of 46 consultants across the state is needed. These practitioners are in place to respond to farmers’ requests for assistance. Professional financial and mental health consultants help farm families and businesses deal with the financial and emotional issues characteristic of an industry under severe stress. In 2021, FarmNet professionals worked with over 729 farmers on issues ranging from economic and mental health to business and estate planning.

NEAFA SUPPORTED EXECUTIVE PROPOSED APPROPRIATIONS

Farm Labor Specialist - $702,000. State support has allowed for a professional farm business / human resources cooperative extension specialist to provide timely, valuable information and guidance to employers of farm workers throughout the state. Recent increases in state investment have allowed the program to expand career growth and services for the Hispanic farm workforce, to improve farm employee housing management, and to improve employee training and workforce availability in New York agriculture.

New York State Occupational Health Clinic Network (OHCN)- $9,560,000. OHCN, through its nine member centers, serves as an essential resource for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of occupational disease and other work-related injuries and illnesses.

New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) - $1.25 million. NYCAMH at the Mary Imogene Basset Hospital runs several on-farm health and safety initiatives. This includes safety surveys, as well as training on topics including, but not limited to, ladder and chainsaw safety, large vehicle handling, sun and hydration and other topics upon request. 

Dairy Farm Modernization Grants - $10 million (Capital). The Executive Budget proposal includes a new $10 million capital allocation to implement the Dairy Farm Good and Growth Fund to allow for increased investment in on-farm milk storage capacity and improve efficiencies in milk transfer systems and cooling technologies. This investment would, among other things, allow for investment in on-site storage and processing of milk during extreme weather situations that prevent milk from being transported safely.

Agricultural Education and Outreach Programs $3 million. These programs, including Future Farmers of America (FFA), Agriculture in the Classroom, Agricultural Educators, and other outreach programs to create a pipeline for the next generation of farmers, agribusinesses, food companies, and industry leaders. Significant private industry support is bolstered with public funds to maximize the success of these programs. These funds would support the following programs:

·         $1 million for Future Farmers of America.

·         $1 million for Agriculture in the Classroom.

·         $500,000 for Agricultural Educators.

·         $250,000 for Cornell 4-H.

·         $250,000 for the New York City Urban Agriculture education and outreach.

New York Farm Viability Institute - $1 million: The 302 projects that this program has supported have returned nearly seven dollars to the State’s economy for every dollar invested, and farm profitability has been enhanced by approximately $149 million. Projects have included the development of IPM practices in onions, reduced tillage on vegetable farms, biological controls for pest management, and the use of profitable winter forages as cover crops. They are also expanding to include climate change and green operations.

Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Control – $20 million: This program provides essential funding for assisting New York’s animal agriculture industry facing costly water quality regulations prescribed by the DEC and EPA. Farmers are stewards of soil and water resources, yet comprehensive nutrient management plans can require more than what a farm business can reasonably afford.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - $5.5 million: For over 32 years, this nationally recognized program has provided the research and education necessary to develop and employ a “toolbox” of options that provide effective pest control in dairy barns, crop fields, orchards, vineyards, greenhouses, farmsteads,     golf courses, and gardens. Reducing pest threats, protecting the environment, and protecting New Yorkers are a major part of the IPM Program’s mission.

This funding would support the following programs:

·         Within Cornell University Integrated Pest Management program, the proposal would allocate $4.25 million to support this work, including support for farmers for adopting integrated pest management practices and field trials.

·         $1 million proposed to be available through community nonpoint pollution control for community integrated pest management.

·         $250,000 proposed for Cornell for pesticide pest management control.

2025 NEAFA Scholarship for Future Agriculturists Recipients

By Jenny Mills, NEAFA Past President

This past week at the New York Farm Show, NEAFA Good Works Chair John Clark and the FFA team recognized the following students as the four NEAFA Scholarship for Future Agriculturists Recipients:

Andrew Curtis-Szalach– Cazenovia NY

Proud member of the Cazenovia Aggies FFA

Currently serving as the NY State FFA Treasurer

Future Plans:  I plan to study Agricultural Systems Management

About Andrew:

“Andrew was raised on a 7th generation dairy farm in Cazenovia NY.  While he loves animals he discovered his true passions revolved around the growth of crops, and the operation of machinery to support field operations.  His SAE was in the area of repairing equipment and maintaining machinery vital to farm operations.  He hopes to one day become an agricultural educator.”

Serena Drost-  Greenwich NY

Proud member of the Greenwich FFA

Currently serving as chapter Secretary

Future Plans:  Attending SUNY Cobleskill to study Animal Science

About Serena:

“Serena was first exposed to agriculture visiting a farm where her brother milked cows.  That started a path of interest that included showing dairy cattle, and discovering her passion for animal science.  She has been an active member of her FFA, serving leadership roles throughout her high school years.  She looks forward to being an advocate for agriculture in her future.”

Allie Erhart– Cattaraugus NY

Proud member of the Cattaraugus Little Valley FFA

Currently Serving as Co President of the FFA

Future Plans:  Attending SUNY Cobleskill, to study Animal Science

About Allie:

“Allie has grown up raising and showing livestock, and that has become the driver for her future interest in studying animal science.   She has been an active member of the FFA, competing in many events at every level including competing at National FFA Convention is the Conduct of Meeting contest.  Allie credits much of her success to the support she has received from family, friends, and teachers.”  

Hannah King– Schuylerville, NY

Proud member of the Schuylerville FFA

Currently serving as Chapter President

Future Plan: Attending a university to study biology or veterinarian sciences.

About Hannah:

“Hannah was raised on her families dairy farm, Kings Ransom in Washington County.   Living and actively participating in the farm has given Hannah her roots in agriculture and has developed her interest in health sciences of both animals and humans.  She has been an active member of the Schuylerville FFA for several years, and credits her FFA experiences for developing her leadership skills and passion for learning."

These scholarships are administered through the NY FFA program but are open to any Senior in high school pursuing study in agriculture throughout New York and New England.  The scholarship deadline is in early January.  An anonymous committee works to narrow the field of finalists to 12, who then submit a 2-minute video about themselves.  The NEAFA Good Works committee works to judge these videos and applications to award 4 winners a $1,000 scholarship.   Congratulations to all our finalists!!  Please check out the links to the winners’ videos to learn more about them!  Click Here for Videos

Executive Pen: We Really Can Make a Difference!

by Charlie Elrod, Ph.D., NEAFA President

Before launching into the topic of this month’s Executive Pen article, I want to take a moment to offer my sincerest thanks to Jenny Mills, the Past-President of NEAFA, for the dedication and effort she contributed to our alliance over the last two years as President.  Coming off the transition to working without an Executive Director and navigating a new relationship with our advocacy firm, Hinman-Straub, Jenny really put her heart and soul into making sure there were no lapses in our presence in Albany or Montpelier or our collaborations with NEDPA, VDPA, NYFB, CAO and the other alphabet soup of organizations with whom we collaborate.  Thank you, Jenny.  I have always, and will continue to value your wisdom, knowledge and compassion to help make me a more effective leader for NEAFA.  It goes without saying, but can’t actually be said enough, that we wouldn’t be able to function as we do without the ever-present guidance and institutional memory provided by Sue Van Amburgh.  I hope you will take a second to drop them each a note (Jenny Mills, Sue Van Amburgh) to recognize and thank them for their service to our alliance and the greater industry.

On to the topic at hand.  It’s no news to you that we have recently come off our annual meeting, which included our lobby day and about which you can read more in this issue of the newsletter.  That was followed a week later by our participation in the Council of Ag Organizations lobby day on February 10th.  Between the two, we had about 50 meetings with legislators, all talking about agricultural issues.  Some might wonder whether our assembling to traipse up and down the floors and halls of the legislative office building, meeting with members of the state assembly and senate, is really worth the effort.  I’ve wondered that myself.  Does hearing from regular people like us make an impact on the legislative or regulatory processes of government?  Hell yes, it does!

Many of you have participated in the transportation summits we organized with NEDPA and NYFB over the last couple of years and are aware of some of our efforts to help shape the transportation landscape for our members and your customers.  There are so many issues around this: driver availability, insurance, CDL training, emergency road closures, etc.  This month it is my pleasure to report that in the closing days of 2024, the NYS Disaster Preparedness Commission issued new guidance on the determination of essential workers during weather emergencies or in declared disaster areas.  Among the major categories of Safety and Security, Health and Medical, Food Hydration and Shelter, Energy and Communications, we have, through our collective and repeated lobbying efforts, been able to attain essential worker status for: “workers in agriculture, such as milk haulers, dairy processing personnel, grain truck transporters, and those maintaining service vehicles and facilities for agricultural businesses”.

This is a huge win for the dairy and feed industry which has often been affected by extreme weather events and road closures.  Now, within the constraints of safe operation, for our employees and equipment, we are able to keep milk moving from farm to processors and processors to stores as well as getting feed and supplies to livestock.  This was a specific priority coming out of our transportation summits and hopefully just the first of many advances we can facilitate to ease the transportation bottlenecks affecting our businesses.  We don’t always get the wins, as in the legislation on neonics, but when we do, it is well worth the effort.  Thanks to all who participate in our advocacy efforts.