Take a look at current efforts of the 2008 Small Farms Work Teams:
Livestock Processing ~ Grasslands Utilization ~ Local Markets ~ Beginning Farmer
In response to the priorities identified in the 2006 Small Farms Summit, four new statewide work teams were launched in 2007. The NY Small Farms Work Team on Livestock Processing Issues, NY Grasslands Utilization Work Team, and NY Small Farms Work Team on Local Markets were self-organized in response to an August 2007 Request for Proposals put out by the Cornell Small Farms Program.
Each work team received a “Small Farms Grant” of $5,000 in federal Smith Lever funds in October to pursue a statewide strategy in their respective issue area. A fourth work team - the NY Beginning Farmer Project – had already been organized and funded through the NY Farm Viability Institute. During the 2007-8 project year, these teams are attempting to improve coordination and communication among agencies, identify additional funding and staffing needs, and make recommendations to further enhance the viability of small farms in New York.
It is important to note that three important opportunities identified in the 2006 Summit are NOT being addressed by these work teams:
Additionally, project leaders have identified “Meeting the Needs of Small Dairies” as another important priority. Small dairies are typically under-represented at extension meetings including the 2006 Small Farms Summit. We believe that, had more small dairy operators been able to participate in the 2006 Summit, small dairy needs would have emerged as a priority since dairy farming is still the major agricultural enterprise in the state, and the majority of our dairy farms are small.
It is our hope that work teams will be organized and funded in the future as leaders emerge to champion these opportunities.
