Lee Publications

Farm Bill reforms please Upstate NY farmers and businesses

by Pat Malin

ONEIDA, NY — Stability. That one word was on everyone’s lips during a recent discussion of the 2014 Farm Bill.

Dairy and crop farmers and representatives from the New York Farm Bureau joined U.S. Representative Richard Hanna (R-22) at the HP Hood milk processing plant on Feb. 13 to weigh the impact of the new legislation on Central New York farmers, and they all agreed the five-year bill is an improvement over the previous versions.

“It brings consistency of supply on our end,” said Rick Kovarik, director of operations for the Hood plant, which packages 45 million gallons of milk annually. Continue reading→

More than 8,000 cattlemen and women attend convention

by Rebecca Long Chaney

NASHVILLE, TN — More than 8,000 Cattlemen and Cattlewomen arrived at the National Cattle Industry Convention to attend meetings, be inspired by speakers and special guests, enjoy the trade show and network with cattle friends from coast to coast and overseas.

Whether beef producers wanted to learn new trends in the industry by visiting the more than 300 exhibitors in the trade show or take in meetings and workshops, there was something for everyone in Nashville. The convention marks the largest annual gathering of the beef industry and included special meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), American National CattleWomen (ANCW), as well as the Certified Beef Board (CBB). Continue reading→

Three Mass. Cover Crop and Soil Health Forums to be held Tue. 2/18 cancelled due to snow forecast

Posted in Country Folks Post

Due the winter weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service for Tuesday, February 18th, the Soil Health and Cover Crop Forums scheduled in East Wareham, Grafton and Leominster, Massachusetts have been cancelled. The forum at UMass., Amherst will be held as scheduled. Continue reading→

Shearer Aaron Loux

Posted in New England Farm Weekly

by Laura Rodley

Veteran shearer Aaron Loux has helped teach shearing at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY for four years, and works shearing for shepherds with herds of one to 3000. He first attended Cornell’s shearing classes when he was a junior in High School. He lives a nomadic life, travelling to the farms where he shears, with his home base at his parents’ Busy Corner Farm in Cummington, MA. He served for two years as co-chair of the Massachusetts Sheep and Woolcraft Fair. Continue reading→