The Northeast Farm Credit AgEnhancement program recently awarded $30,000 in grants to 12 programs
Grants funded in April 2010:
American Farmland Trust (AFT) will use its $3,500 grant to analyze a regional supply chain of dairy consumption and dairy marketing opportunities and to identify barriers to success in the dairy industry. Staff from AFT and Tufts University’s Agriculture, Food and Environmental Program will work together on this two-year project.
With its $5,000 grant, Cornell Cooperative Extension Saratoga County will develop a leadership and communications skills training program for agricultural producers and professionals from the Capital District and Hudson Valley. The program will include nine workshops for up to 50 participants.
A $500 grant to the Dartmouth YMCA Program will support a summer day camp that features a young farmers’ program with local farmers as camp mentors.
The Eastern States FFA Planning Committee will use its $8,000 AgEnhancement grant for the Eastern States FFA Star program, which will run during The Big E in September 2010. Through this program, FFA representatives from 14 states compete in four categories: Star Farmer, Star Agribusiness, Star Agricultural Placement and Star Agriscience.
Eden Regional Farm Museum will use its $1,500 grant to promote local food production in a five-county area while educating the nonfarm public about the business of agriculture.
The New England Green Pasture’s $4,000 grant supports agricultural programs at The Big E, such as Outstanding Dairy Farm of the Year and Salute to Agriculture.
The New Hampshire 4-H Foundation uses its $3,000 grant to sponsor a trip for 25 teens from Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. The day gives the 4-Hers a first-hand look at career opportunities on a number of different farms, ag research facilities and ag businesses.
A $1,000 grant will help NOFA-NJ develop a curriculum and training program to help farmers establish and operate farm markets.
NY Pork Producers Empire Swine Youth Program applies its $1,000 grant to a multi-faceted event that helps young people challenge their knowledge of the swine industry and their management and interviewing skills. The event is held at the New York State Fair.
The New Hampshire Institute of Agriculture and Forestry will use its $1,000 grant to pilot a project on the production of four-season greenhouse vegetables and fruit.
The Last Green Valley will use its $1,000 grant to develop a Web site of resources to help Connecticut and Massachusetts farmers advance agriculture in their 35-town area.
A $500 grant will help Regional Dairy Extension provide in-service training for northeast and mid-Atlantic dairy Extension agents.
Northeast Farm Credit AgEnhancement is a regional grant program funded by Yankee Farm Credit together with CoBank, Farm Credit East and Farm Credit of Maine. Since its 1996 inception, the program has awarded $1,112,656 through 418 grants.
Click here for more information.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Dairy Price Index (DPI) Methodology
One of our members brought to my attention this article in the May 2010 issue of American Dairymen magazine:
Dairy Price Index (DPI) Methodology for Pricing Wholesale Milk
Click here for the "editor's note" about this milk pricing proposal.
What do you think? Is this proposal a good idea? Would it work? If this interests you, please share your thoughts in the comments.
Dairy Price Index (DPI) Methodology for Pricing Wholesale Milk
Click here for the "editor's note" about this milk pricing proposal.
What do you think? Is this proposal a good idea? Would it work? If this interests you, please share your thoughts in the comments.
Methane Digesters
Methane digesters are becoming more common on Vermont dairy farms. Interest has increased recently as a result of the Vermont SPEED program, which provides incentives to utilities to buy power from renewable resources, such as farm methane, and specifies minimum rates to be paid to producers.
How many farm methane projects are there? The EPA's AgSTAR Program shows 151 farm methane projects operating in the U.S., eight in Vermont. The web site for the CVPS Cow Power program has additional information about several of the Vermont farm methane projects. For a list of pending applications in Vermont, go to the Vermont SPEED web site, click on "Applications being Processed" and look in the farm methane section.
Computer companies such as Google and Microsoft are becoming interested in electricity from farm methane digesters to run computing centers, especially in the west. See this interesting New York Times article from 5/18/10:
One Moos and One Hums, but They Could Help Power Google
Closer to home, Middlebury College is planning to use methane generated from local dairy farm manure not for electricity but for heat. See this news release from 5/12/10:
Middlebury College and Vermont farm energy company partner to explore use of bio-methane gas at the college
For more background and perspective on farm methane digesters, especially in northern Vermont, this 3/19/10 article by Bethany Dunbar is interesting: Confessions of a methane junky. She writes about the methane digesters at Maxwell's Neighborhood Farm, Chaput Family Farms, and the Rowells in Sheldon. (Note: Representative Chris Bray's bill H.566 mentioned in the article did not pass the Vermont Legislature.)
How many farm methane projects are there? The EPA's AgSTAR Program shows 151 farm methane projects operating in the U.S., eight in Vermont. The web site for the CVPS Cow Power program has additional information about several of the Vermont farm methane projects. For a list of pending applications in Vermont, go to the Vermont SPEED web site, click on "Applications being Processed" and look in the farm methane section.
Computer companies such as Google and Microsoft are becoming interested in electricity from farm methane digesters to run computing centers, especially in the west. See this interesting New York Times article from 5/18/10:
One Moos and One Hums, but They Could Help Power Google
Closer to home, Middlebury College is planning to use methane generated from local dairy farm manure not for electricity but for heat. See this news release from 5/12/10:
Middlebury College and Vermont farm energy company partner to explore use of bio-methane gas at the college
For more background and perspective on farm methane digesters, especially in northern Vermont, this 3/19/10 article by Bethany Dunbar is interesting: Confessions of a methane junky. She writes about the methane digesters at Maxwell's Neighborhood Farm, Chaput Family Farms, and the Rowells in Sheldon. (Note: Representative Chris Bray's bill H.566 mentioned in the article did not pass the Vermont Legislature.)
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Farm Credit Fellow - Hannah Fay
Hannah Fay was in the St. Albans office for the Farm Credit Fellows program the week of May 3-7:
While in the St. Albans office Hannah learned some of the day-to-day workings of being a loan officer. Part of that job entails tradeshows and regional events. This picture was taken at the Logger’s Expo held at the Champlain Valley Fair Grounds. Hannah and her husband Chris milk 200 Jerseys on their farm in Maidstone, VT with Chris’ parents. Hannah received her associates degree in 2003 from Vermont Tech in Ag Business and will graduate later this month from UVM with her bachelors degree in Animal Science. After graduation Hannah will return home to the farm and work to complete the generational transition.
While in the St. Albans office Hannah learned some of the day-to-day workings of being a loan officer. Part of that job entails tradeshows and regional events. This picture was taken at the Logger’s Expo held at the Champlain Valley Fair Grounds. Hannah and her husband Chris milk 200 Jerseys on their farm in Maidstone, VT with Chris’ parents. Hannah received her associates degree in 2003 from Vermont Tech in Ag Business and will graduate later this month from UVM with her bachelors degree in Animal Science. After graduation Hannah will return home to the farm and work to complete the generational transition.
Farm Credit Fellows
It’s Farm Credit Fellow season once again! This year there are 26 students in the program from the University of Vermont, the University of Maine, the University of Connecticut and Cornell University. The program helps students learn about agricultural finance and Farm Credit.
The Farm Credit Fellows program begins in the spring of the junior year with a trip to the offices of Farm Credit East in Enfield, CT. The Fellows hear presentations from representatives of CoBank, Farm Credit Financial Partners, Inc. (FPI), the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation and Farm Credit East. Here are the students and advisors from UVM who attended this year's session on April 15-16:
In the summer between their junior and senior years, each Farm Credit Fellow spends a week-long internship in an office of one of the northeast Farm Credit associations. Four of the Fellows will be visiting Yankee Farm Credit:
Hannah Fay – St. Albans, May 3–7
Henry Pearl – Middlebury, May 24–27
Michael Fitzgerald – White River Junction, May 24–27
Virginia Purrier – Newport, May 24–27
Each participating university has an on-campus class or seminar related to agricultural finance in the fall of the senior year that completes the Farm Credit Fellows program (click here for Cornell University).
Kelly Langmaid, loan officer from the Newport office, is responsible for scheduling and follow-up for all Farm Credit Fellow internships. Kelly matches up the Fellows and their host offices, and she follows up with a survey after the internships. For more information about the Farm Credit Fellows program please e-mail Kelly.
The Farm Credit Fellows program begins in the spring of the junior year with a trip to the offices of Farm Credit East in Enfield, CT. The Fellows hear presentations from representatives of CoBank, Farm Credit Financial Partners, Inc. (FPI), the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation and Farm Credit East. Here are the students and advisors from UVM who attended this year's session on April 15-16:
In the summer between their junior and senior years, each Farm Credit Fellow spends a week-long internship in an office of one of the northeast Farm Credit associations. Four of the Fellows will be visiting Yankee Farm Credit:Hannah Fay – St. Albans, May 3–7
Henry Pearl – Middlebury, May 24–27
Michael Fitzgerald – White River Junction, May 24–27
Virginia Purrier – Newport, May 24–27
Each participating university has an on-campus class or seminar related to agricultural finance in the fall of the senior year that completes the Farm Credit Fellows program (click here for Cornell University).
Kelly Langmaid, loan officer from the Newport office, is responsible for scheduling and follow-up for all Farm Credit Fellow internships. Kelly matches up the Fellows and their host offices, and she follows up with a survey after the internships. For more information about the Farm Credit Fellows program please e-mail Kelly.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Board Officers and Committees
At the April 29, 2010 Board meeting, the Board of Directors elected the following officers:
Chairperson - Paul E. Gingue
Vice Chairperson - Rocklyn A. Giroux
Also approved were committee assignments:
Executive Committee
Alan J. Bourbeau
Paul E. Doton
Paul E. Gingue
Rocklyn A. Giroux
Celeste Kane-Stebbins
Audit Committee
Rocki-Lee DeWitt
Walter M. Gladstone
Paul F. Saenger
Charles J. Sniffen
Stephen H. Taylor
Compensation Committee
Rocki-Lee DeWitt
Paul E. Doton
Celeste Kane-Stebbins
Paul F. Saenger
Stephen H. Taylor
Membership/Governance Committee
Alan J. Bourbeau
Bryan E. Davis
Rocklyn A. Giroux
Walter M. Gladstone
Charles J. Sniffen
Chairperson - Paul E. Gingue
Vice Chairperson - Rocklyn A. Giroux
Also approved were committee assignments:
Executive Committee
Alan J. Bourbeau
Paul E. Doton
Paul E. Gingue
Rocklyn A. Giroux
Celeste Kane-Stebbins
Audit Committee
Rocki-Lee DeWitt
Walter M. Gladstone
Paul F. Saenger
Charles J. Sniffen
Stephen H. Taylor
Compensation Committee
Rocki-Lee DeWitt
Paul E. Doton
Celeste Kane-Stebbins
Paul F. Saenger
Stephen H. Taylor
Membership/Governance Committee
Alan J. Bourbeau
Bryan E. Davis
Rocklyn A. Giroux
Walter M. Gladstone
Charles J. Sniffen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)