By Danielle Penney-Stroop, NEAFA President
Happy August Everyone! - July proved to be a challenging month with all the precipitation the Northeast has been experiencing. To say we have been inundated with moisture is an understatement unlike our counterparts in the western half of the US. Despite our weather struggles to make decent hay and haylage, or the beating of equipment repeatedly stuck in the mud, the uplifting and wonderful view is seeing our youth partaking in county fairs and showing their livestock again. Fair season is back on and the amazing NYS Fair is around the corner for a full 3 weeks this year. Do not forget to stop by and show your support for the NYS Dairy Birthing Center, brought to us by our friends at NYAAC.
While these events are bringing a sense of normalcy to our lives once again, it is critical to look at how the effects of the global pandemic, in combination with economic downturn, civil unrest, climate change and weather events, are shaping our future and culture. Now is the time to reflect yet be bold moving forward & creating new initiatives. The world is changing rapidly, and we need to be in continual motion and a part of the discussions with our leaders and consumers that are driving policies and change. Flexibility and adaptability will continue to be our mantra as we work collectively and embrace the constant change that we will continue to face in the agricultural industry, especially in the livestock arena.
The NEAFA board met a couple of weeks ago to conduct a strategic planning session on the future of our organization. Our facilitator was Dr Larry Van de Valk of Cornell University, and throughout our day and half long conversations, it has become apparent that returning to normal is not our goal or even an adequate option. Now is the perfect time to enhance and mold the Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance into a stronger organization, maximizing upon our three pillars of Advocacy, Collaboration, and Education.
Prior to the strategic planning retreat, NEAFA sent out a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) to members and nonmembers for their feedback and guidance. Sadly we only had 25 responses, largely comprised of NEAFA's board members. Given this small response, it is difficult to gauge the effectiveness of NEAFA’s goals, although it has been said that no response can sometimes also serve as a response. Therefore, I am challenging the NEAFA board to actively engage with our members and industry allies more routinely. We will not only share our projects and accomplishments, but also identify our members’ needs more effectively. Together we can focus on the opportunities that lie ahead for our industry and organization.
While we recognize the importance of continually increasing our overall membership, another area that we identified as an opportunity for improvement and growth of NEAFA is the necessity for increased exposure and presence of our organization among our future generations & engaging our youth.
While it was a very effective meeting, we perhaps were left with more questions than answers in some respects because of the vast opportunities that lie ahead. We may not have all the answers right now, but we want you all to know that changes are forthcoming. In the coming months, the board will be sharing our strategy and mission as we forge ahead. I invite and encourage members and non-members a like to please share your thoughts & views, exchange ideas, open lines the of communication, and collaborate with greater purpose. A prime opportunity for such engagement is at this year’s Annual Meeting and Golf for Goodworks, Aug 30th-Sept 1st at Turning Stone Resort & Casino. We look forward to seeing all of you there!