The Peru Gazette

The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has posted its 2014 Economic Impact Report online at www.nnyagdev.org. The two-page report offers a concise snapshot of the value of the 2013 projects funded by the research, technical assistance, and outreach program. The NNYADP receives funding from the New York State Legislature through the support of Senator Betty Little, Senator Patty Ritchie, Senator Joe Griffo, the state agriculture committees, and other regional and state legislators.

The NNYADP–funded projects include groundbreaking initiatives, including the development of a ‘superfruit’ and the extension of proven-successful practices to farmers across the Northern New York region.

The benefits of the research include opportunities to increase production efficiency and revenue, reduce costs and labor, and enhance animal health, soil health and water quality.

Learn more and find project reports online at www.nnyagdev.org.

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The 2013 projects of the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program included:
. establishment of New York state’s first Juneberry nursery with potential to help New York develop another ‘superfruit’

. the first heated environment trial for the production of winter season lettuce in NNY high tunnel structures

. the start of the first comprehensive corn and soybean disease diagnosis and assessment database to help guide seed selection and intervention practices

. crop and livestock protection projects focused on reducing parasites in sheep and goats, brown root rot in alfalfa, and leek moth in onion, garlic and other allium crops

. the first application of native-NY nematodes to control weevils in strawberry crops

. outreach to alfalfa growers to use the new Managing Alfalfa Snout Beetle (ASB) Primer for the cost-effective, on-farm application of native-NY nematodes to control destructive ASB pest

. precision apple orchard thinning to improve fruit size and yield

. bioenergy crop production research with willow and grass crops

. a survey of economically-feasible and nutritious substitutes for corn in dairy cow feed rations

. maple producer outreach regarding basic equipment changes that can increase sap yields and sugarbush income

. outreach to encourage use of early intervention practices to correct vegetable crop nutrient deficiencies

. variety trials for corn, legume, small grain, soybean and tall fescue crops under NNY growing conditions, and

. four agricultural environmental stewardship projects for precision nutrient management and the use of tile drainage and fall cover crops.