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Seaway Wine and Viticulture Association

The grower-led group is working towards a Jefferson County (Northern NY) wine industry built around cold hardy grapes, including cultivars such as Frontenac, Prairie Star, Frontenac Gris, Lacrescent, Briana, Sabrevois, and St. Croix. As of June 2004 the group has 21 active members and is still growing. They meet every month at the offices of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, NY, and are in the process of becoming a non-profit organization. The Association will be developing a group web site and vitidatabank that will begin to generate a range of critical data for various vineyard sites throughout Jefferson County and other areas of Northern NY. They are open to new members. If interested, please call:
Duane Smith
Seaway Wine and Viticulture Association
29250 Route 11
Evans Mills, NY 13637
Phone: (315) 629-8728
E-mail: enya@northernfcu.net

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New York State Cheese Guild

The New York State Cheese Guild was organized to foster a strong and vibrant farmstead and artisan cheese-making sector in the state. At the founding membership meeting in January 2003, the numerous cheesemakers present identified 4 major objectives:

• To encourage excellent in New York State farmstead and artisan cheeses;
• To provide activities that will promote and sustain cheese-making as a craft and livelihood within New York State;
• To assist small-scale cheese makers with marketing and distribution initiatives fostering greater access to the broad range of buyers, from brokers to chefs to consumers; and
• To represent the interests of members to government agencies and the media.

The Guild addresses the need for a collective trade organization for the growing number of small-scale cheesemakers in New York State. In addition, the organization will develop a voice and a collective market presence for farm-based and artisan cheese makers. For more information, contact:

Peter Kindel, Listening Rock Farm (President): (845) 877-6335
Jane North, Northland Sheep Dairy (Secretary): (607) 849-3328
Tracy Frisch, Regional Farm & Food Project (Convener): (518) 271-0744
Ron Brovetto, Membership (Treasurer): (607) 278-6622

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Women's Agricultural Network

http://www.uvm.edu/~wagn/

University of Vermont Cooperative Extension Through a series of educational, technical assitance, and networking opportunities, WAgN works to increase the number of women owning and operating profitable farms and ag-related businesses, as well as their profile in leadership positions throughout the agricultural sectors of business, government, and community. From developing and assessing a business idea through the advanced planning and implementation phases, WAgN offers a program to support and encourage these varying levels. Women's Agricultural Network
617 Comstock Rd., Suite 5
Berlin, VT 05602
Phone: (802) 223-2389
Fax: (802) 223-6500

E-mail: wagn@zoo.uvm.edu

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New York Pasture Association

A producer's circle that meets once per month to discuss production issues related to pasturing dairy livestock and poultry. Mission statement: "To encourage a diversified, grass-based, agricultural system that furthers the development of healthy families and communities through the creation of economically viable and environmentally sound farms." Contact Wendy Fast, President, at (585) 335-3439 or icelandicsheep1@aol.com for more information.

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Regional Farm & Food Project

http://www.farmandfood.org

The Regional Farm & Food Project is a 10-county, non-profit membership organization of farmers and consumers promoting vibrant, sustainable agriculture in our region and beyond. Their activities build community, skills, and awareness through education, networking, organizing, and celebration. Regional Farm & Food Project
148 Central Ave.
Albany, NY 12206
Phone: (518) 427-6537 or (518) 426-9331

Grazing Discussion Groups in New York State

Chautauqua County Graziers
Farmer Contact:
Tom Ormond: (716) 267-7855
Extension Contact: Lisa Kempisty

Warren County Graziers (PA)
Farmer Contact:
Jane Burlingame: (814) 757-8540
Warren County: (814) 563-3125

Tioga County Graziers
Farmer Contact:
Marvin Moyer: (607) 687-4053

Tri County Graziers
Farmer Contact:
Doug Davidson: (716) 492-1090
NRCS Contact:
Don Wild: (716) 676-5111

The Highlanders
Farmer Contact:
John Stolzfus: (607) 356-3272
Extension Contact:
Tom Parmenter: (716) 268-7644

Shawmut Grasslanders
Farmer Contact:
Harv Lacy: (607) 545-6527
Extension Contact:
Tom Parmenter: (716) 268-7644

Niagara/Orleans County Grazing Group
Farmer Contact:
Brad Bentley: (716) 765-2874

Herkimer/Otsego Pasture Profit Group
Farmer Contact:
Charlie Treat: (315) 894-2840
CCE of Herkimer:
Kevin Ganoe: (315) 866-7920

Bradford County Grazing Network, PA
Extension Contact:
Mark Madden: (570) 265-2896 or
928-8941

Finger Lakes Graziers
Farmer Contact:
David Hoover: (315) 526-6747
CCE of Yates:
Bill Henning: (315) 536-5123

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Farm Women Support Groups

Last updated October 17, 2003.

• There is a group in Tioga County, NY, though it does not meet regularly. For more information, contact Martha Goodsell at nyfarms@baldcom.net.
• Jude Barry of Cornell Cooperative Extension-Cayuga County has information about a group called GAIA Grower Girls (4 farms, 5 women). For more information, e-mail jab267@cornell.edu.
• In Jefferson County, NY, there is an open group called Women's Agricultural Circle. It meets the second Wednesday of every month. For more information, contact Molly Ames at mba7@cornell.edu.
• A group at Cornell University is organizing a session for women in agriculture at the 2004 Empire Expo (NY Fruit and Vegetable Growers Annual Conference) on February 11, 2004, in Rochester, NY. It will be a kick-off point for them to plan regional programs or groups for women in agriculture. For more information, contact Wen-fei Uva at wl32@cornell.edu.
• Farm Wives United
  P.O. Box 165
  North Java, NY 14113
  E-mail: farmwivesunited@5linx.net
• The Promotion and Education Committee of the New York Farm Bureau is made up of representatives of each of the 11 districts plus 2 at-large members. For more information, contact Judi Whittaker, State Promotion-Education Chair, at nyjwhittaker@fb.com.
• New Jersey Farm Bureau Women's Committe
  P&E and Women's Committee: The P&E Committe promotes a positive understanding and awareness of agriculture and farm bureau. The Women's Committee encourages the women of each family membership to be active members to implement the purpose, goals, objectives, and policy positions of farm bureau. For more information, contact Member@pfb.com.
• American Agri-Women: American Agri-Women is the national coalition of farm, ranch, and agri-business women's organizations. It is a non-profit, non-partisan, public interest organization. To find your local affiliate, visit the web site and click on "Affiliates."