Farmer Training
At the Watershed Agricultural Council, we believe education is vital to the success of new and established farm operations. We collaborate with Cornell Cooperative Extensions and other agencies to deliver learning opportunities for farmers of all ages, experience levels and farming expertise.
Our workshops and trainings run the gamut of topics, such as
- Farming for the first time, business planning and market analysis;
- Learning to raise healthy heifers through NYS Calf Health Assessment Program;
- Taking a pasture walk to better understand a rotational grazing strategy;
- Discovering the importance of proper record keeping in receiving Nutrient Management Credit payments;
- Transitioning from dairy to beef;
- Operations and maintenance of your Whole Farm Plan BMPs; or
- Supplementing a farm’s bottom line with a value-added dairy product like cheese, learning how to make it and then marketing the final product.
Speakers are often experts in their fields like veterinarian, precision feed managers, no-till operators and Extension agents. Or you might hear and learn something from your neighbor farmer.
Producer Groups
We also coordinate Producer Groups focused on dairy, beef and sheep/goat issues. These farmer-to-farmer gatherings meet periodically to discuss livestock topics of interest or to find solutions to on-farm hurdles. If you are interested in joining a Producer Group, contact:
Beef: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Grazing: Dale Dewing, CCE-WAP Team Leader (607) 865-7090, ext. 246
Calf health: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Sheep, goat, small ruminant livestock: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Below are upcoming events for farmers:
Upcoming Events › Agriculture
November 2025
Beef Quality Assurance (BQA)\ helps producers identify management opportunities that can result in added profits to your bottom line. BQA raises consumer confidence in beef through creating awareness of Beef Farmers commitment to proper management and adoptiom of techniques that ensure a safe quality beef supply. 9:30 – Presentation on Beef Quality Assurance 10:30 – Understanding Drug Labels Exercise 11:30 – Chuteside Activities including Injections Register by November 6 with Kim Holden at (607) 510-7126 or kmh19@cornell.edu or this link:…
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Current research shows many benefits to raising dairy calves in well managed pairs or small groups with full social contact. Dr. Jennifer Van Os, UW Wisconsin, will share her findings and provide you with the tips to make it work on your farm Sanitation of feeding equipment is a critical component to keeping calves healthy. Meghan Moody will demonstrate best techniques to truly clean equipment and will use a luminometer to demonstrate how clean the equipment actually is. Morning: Hobart…
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