Farm Flash - Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County’s
Farm Flash
Planning for the Next Generation and
Controlling your Destiny
(see full article on page 8)
January 2016
CCE of Oneida County
121 Second Street
Oriskany NY 13424
315-736-3394
www.cceoneida.com
Jeffrey Miller
Agriculture Team Leader
E-mail [email protected]
736-3394 x120
Marty Broccoli
AED Specialist
E-mail [email protected]
736-3394 x121
Bonnie Collins
Farm Business
Management Educator
E-mail [email protected]
736-3394 x104
Jim Manning
Farm Business
Management Educator
E-mail [email protected]
736-3394 x129
Mary Wrege
Renewable Energy Educator
E-mail [email protected]
736-3394 x131
Remi Link
AED Assistant
E-mail [email protected]
736-3394 x111
Caroline Williams
Community & Regional
Development
E-mail [email protected]
736-3394 x133
Mary lynn Collins
Dairy & Livestock Educator
E-mail [email protected]
736-3394 x132
Linda Wightman
Ag Administrative Assistant
E-mail [email protected]
736-3394 x124
CCE of Oneida County Farm Flash
Table of Contents
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Page
3
4-7
8
9 &20
10
11
12
13-20
17-18
22-23
Agriculture Enrollment
Upcoming events
Cover story: Business Transition, Estate Planning, Goals
Take home points from winter shop meeting
Anaplasmosis & Common Needles
Local agriculture land use leadership Institute update
Dairy Farm energy efficiency checklist
Crop Shorts
Corn & Soybean contest results
2016 Farm Flash Sponsors
"Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans,
and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities”
Become an enrolled member, make a
financial contribution!
Commercial farmers in Oneida County receive the Farm Flash
free of charge, because many of you have commented that the
newsletter is one of your preferred sources of information and we
want you to receive that information.
Being an enrolled member and making a financial contribution
demonstrates your support for the programs we offer. Financial
contributions from individual residents represent a significant part of
our budget, allowing us to continue to offer high quality programs
and services. Whether its commercial agriculture or 4-H youth
development, our office strives to meet the educational needs of the
residents of Oneida County.
Please fill out the card below and return it to us with your
contribution.
On behalf of the board of directors, staff and, most importantly, the
people of Oneida County, thank you for your enrollment and your
belief in our mission. We appreciate the help you have given us in
the past and are grateful for the gift you provide us now. Thank you.
----------------------------------------Cooperative Extension Oneida County
Agriculture Enrollment
Date_________
Name_____________________________________________
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Telephone:_____________________ Fax________________
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( ) Check here if you would like to receive an email notice of the
latest Farm Flash Online in replacement of receiving a paper copy.
Upcoming Events
Winter Shop Meeting
January 13th 12-2:00pm at Richardson Farms,
5959 Skinner Rd. in Vernon Center. Featured guest speaker will be
Carol Gillis, NY Beef Council. We will be discussing the importance of
responsible antibiotic use in our bull calves. Free to attend, light
lunch to be served.
Please RSVP—736-3394 ext 132
Calf Health and Feeding: Are We Doing Our Best?
Friday January 15th 2016
11- 1:30 at CCE of Oneida Co.
Calf Health Program
Featuring presenters from Leatherstocking Veterinary Services
Free to Attend
Reservations required /Lunch provided
RSVP by Jan. 11th 2016 at 736-3394 ext. 132
Using Software for Farm Financials:
QuickBooks beginner
January 21 at CCE Oneida County 7pm to 9pm
Are you considering using QuickBooks for your farm enterprise?
Than this workshop is for you. We will walk you thought the software
setup, consider your options for reporting, setting up your chart of
accounts, and help you maximize your use of QuickBooks.
To register or information on this class contact Bonnie 736-3394 X104
Farm Family Estate Planning:
It’s All About Family!
February 18 from 7-9 pm
Attend a Free Workshop At CCE Oneida County
How to Protect Your “Stuff” in 3 Easy Steps
by David Zumpano, CPA/Esq.
for the Estate Planning Law Center
Call Bonnie at 736-3394 x104 to register for this class
Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY (NOFA-NY)
34th Annual Organic Farming and Gardening Conference
January 22-24, 2016
Saratoga Hilton & City Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
www.nofany.org, ph. (585) 271-1979
OPEN ENROLLMENT STARTS IN JANUARY
If you are performing an agricultural operation and would like to have
your property included in a state certified agricultural district, Oneida
County has designated the month of January the Open Enrollment
Period. Being in an agricultural district affords you special rights found
only under Article 25AA of the Agriculture and Markets Law.
Persons from any town in the county wishing to submit an application
should pick up forms at their Town Clerk's Office or
www.cceoneida.com under AED tab, complete the forms and return
them to the Oneida County Planning Department, Union Station, 321
Main St., Utica, NY 13501, postmarked by January 31st, 2016.
If you have any questions, you may contact Brymer Humphreys Chair
of the Farmland Protection Board at 793-3108, Guy Sassaman at the
Oneida County Planning Department at 798-5710 or Remi Link at the
Cooperative Extension at 736-3394 ext 111.
Winter Dairy Management
Friday, March 4th
Join us for a full-day discussion at CCE Madison County on
Transition Cow Management brought to you through Pro-Dairy Hear
from speakers from throughout the state at CCE Madison County in
Morrisville. For more information contact Katherine
at Madison County CCE 684-3001 ext 100
Annie’s Project level 2
“Managing for Today and Tomorrow”
will be offered at CCE Oneida County beginning on
March 2nd and running 5 consecutive Wednesdays from 5:30 to 9
To register or for additional information
please call Bonnie at 736-3394 ext 104 OR [email protected]
This course will also be offered at
several locations across NY state this Winter.
For more information on these dates and locations visit
Www. cceoneida.com/agriculture/anniesproject
If you are interested in attending in Madison County
call Katherine at 684-3001 x 100
Public Presentation & Horse Communications Workshop
Monday Jan 18 from 10am to noon
CCE Oneida County will be holding a presentation for
youth leaders and volunteers.
You will need to register for 1 of 2 options
For more information and to register go to
http://www.cceoneida.com/events/view/2016-01-18
Upcoming Crop Meetings
Carovail Field Crop Meeting
February 12th 9am to 4pm
American Legion in Cazenovia
Pre-register at 841-3201
NYSDEC credits available
T&P Sales Field Crop Meeting
March 1st 2016
10:30am-2:30pm
Verona Fire Hall, Verona, NY
Pre-register: call 829-8000
NYSDEC credits available
Madison County Crop Congress
Wednesday, March 16th 2016
Empire Tractor, 2893 Rte. 20, Cazenovia
Lunch provided by Empire Tractor
Pre-register by calling 315-655-8146 by March 11th
NYSDEC credits & CCA credits
will be available
T&P Sales Workshop
Vegetable, Fruit & Hops
April 5th 2016
Time and location TBD
Please call 829-8000 for
meeting time, location and to register
NYSDEC credits will be available
FS Growmark Field Crop Meetings
2016 - Date/Time /Locations TBA
Please call 841-8886 for information
On upcoming meeting dates and times
NYSDEC credits will be available
Ag Literacy Week
March 14th – March 18th
We are looking for Volunteers to Read
“Apples”
To Oneida County 2nd & 3rd grade students
Please call Michelle at 736-3394 ext 122 or
Email - [email protected]
Farm Business Planning Course
January 14 - March 17, 2016, Every Thursday from 6pm-9pm
Location: Ithaca, NY TBD
Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming will once again be conducting a
10-week Farm Business Planning Course, beginning in January 2016, for those
interested in developing an agriculturally-related business concept by working
directly with farm business instructors and a team of farmer educators.
Through the Course, students will learn about some of the core pieces of
planning for a farm business: setting appropriate goals, matching production to
market strategy, and assessing feasibility. The Course will also cover basic
financial and accounting concepts, the legalities of farming, and sources of
financing. Students consistently report that the greatest part of the Course is
the opportunity to work with farmer-reviewers and course instructors to outline
goals, develop strategies for achieving their goals and get feedback on their
business plans. Course instructors include Leslie Ackerman (Alternatives FCU
Business CENTS program), Monika Roth (Ag Program Leader, CCE-Tompkins
County), Matt LeRoux (Ag Marketing Specialist, CCE-Tompkins County), and
Devon Van Noble (Incubator Manager, Groundswell Center).
In order to successfully complete this class, students are expected to have at
least one year of hands-on farming experience; a clear business concept in
progress or ready to launch within a year; enough time to fully commit to an
intensive 10-week course requiring substantial outside research and
homework. It is not a requirement that students own land or have the financial
resources to buy land: this course will explore opportunities to lease land for
farming in the Tompkins County area, and to find farm loans through
commercial/agriculture lenders or through local "Slow Money" investors. To
apply or learn more, please visit: http://groundswellcenter.org/farmertraining/
businessplanning/.
2016 Cornell Guidelines
Pricing and Tentative Release Dates
The following is the tentative release dates for titles in the 2016 Cornell
Guidelines series. For 2016, PMEP will once again be offering paid online
access to the Guidelines. They will be offering an online-only option and a
combination of print and online access. To order online go to their website
http://store.cornell.edu/c-875-pmep-guidelines.aspx
Berry Crops
mid-December 2015
Field Crops
mid-December 2015
Grapes
early January 2016
Greenhouse Crops and Herbaceous
The 2015-2016 edition is available
Hops
early February 2016
Tree Fruit
mid-January 2016
Tree and Shrubs
mid-January 2016
Turfgrass
1
The 2015-2016 edition is available
Vegetable Crops
mid-December 2015
Pesticide Guidelines for Managing
Available now
Business Transition and Estate Planning: Goal Setting
Submitted by B. Collins
John Lehr, VP/Farm Business Consultant with Farm Credit East,
stated, “Business Transition and Estate Planning Starts with the End in
Mind”. Using works from Steven J. Covey book, The Seven Habits of
Highly Effective People, John suggests that we be pro-active by
determining where we are today and where we want to be five years in
our business succession or exit strategy.
Business Transition and Estate Planning is important to control
our own destiny. It allows us the opportunity to recognize the
uncertainty that exists and consider how we want to address this risk.
There are many things to think about in Estate Planning, the first
being a list of goals. The goal setting process is often challenging for
farm families because many have not tried to formalize their abstract
dreams. However, when taken seriously, the goal setting process takes
time, creative thinking, discussion, and compromise among family and
business partners. One process to goal setting, could be outlined in a
three step process, goal setting for those involved in the business, each
generation prioritizing their goals, and finally both generations and
business partners coming together to prioritize short-term and longterm goals.
As you establish and set your goals, you need to consider your
financial security in retirement, the financial position of the entering
generation, your health, and your willingness to let go.
You also need to avoid goal pitfalls, which include making goals to lofty,
do to many things at once, failing to use all information available,
making goals without including all decision makers, and finally ignoring
good plans once your develop them.
There is support in Extension offices, Farm Credit, Farm Net, and
your personal attorney that can provide guidance and tools as you begin
this marathon. One tool available to you is AgTransition, this is a free
online tool that guides farmers and ranchers through the process of
developing a written business transfer/succession plan. Enter
AgTransition into any internet browser to locate this tool.
References:
University of Minnesota/Extension, http://www.extension.umn.edu/
agriculture/business/farm-transfer-estate-planning/docs/preparing-totransfer-the-farm-business-2014.pdf
Ag Transitions, https://www.agtransitions.umn.edu/ tool
K-State Department of Agricultural Economics, Transition Planning: 12
Steps to keep the Family Farming, http://www.agmanager.info/
farmmgt/planning/MF3074.pdf
CCE of Oneida County Farm Flash
Page 8
Take Home Points from Winter Shop Meeting
Learning to Become Your Own Consultant
by Marylynn Collins
If you were unable to make it out to Vaill Brothers Farm in November
for the Winter Shop Meeting you missed out on a free lunch as well as
an opportunity to hear from Scott Flowers, a private dairy industry
consultant. Flowers recognizes that not every dairy has the means or
desire to work closely with dairy consultants, but encourages dairy
producers to think and act like one in an attempt to improve farm
profitability. We spent time discussing the topic of shrink on dairies and
why it is so important to limit shrink. Feed shrink on farms is the
disappearance of dairy feed due to waste or loss. Representing the
largest single dairy expense, feeding dairy cows and replacement heifers
carries with it a hefty price tag. The use of silage inoculants, covering
bunk silos with oxygen barrier materials and the implementation of
computer programs such as, TMR tracker were just a few of the
suggestions offered to help minimize shrink. Getting a handle on bird
control during the winter months and improving fly control in warmer
weather will also help reduce feed losses. Shrink may represent 15-30%
of a farm’s feed costs. With current milk prices where they are, taking
extra precaution to minimize feed shrink on your farm should be placed
on the top of the “To Do list”. Flowers shared with us eight key focus
areas that he found critical to improving a dairy farms’ bottom line.
1. Make time for: People, Training, and PROTOCOLS: Having
consistent protocols in place that are practiced by all employees will
save you money. Flowers used the example of assisting with difficult
calvings. Make sure every employee with these responsibilities is on
the same page. Communicate with them how you expect it to be
done, why it is to be done that way, and train them to do it correctly.
2. Maximize milk component production: Remember you are paid
by pounds of fat and pounds protein.
3. Never stop searching for marginal milk opportunities: The
highest profit margin on making milk is that from the incremental
increases in milk production.
a. Where can you find that next ½ or full pound of increased
production?
b. Are there ways to improve cow comfort?
c. What does the time budget look like for the cows?
d. Strive to reduce death losses on your farm
e. Focus attention on improving udder health-are you able to
monitor new infection rates in cows and heifers?
4. Don’t lose your fresh cows: Cows culled less than 60 days in milk
should be 6% or less.
5. Identify and cull your unprofitable and “unvaluable” cows.
Make them pull their weight.
(continued on page 20)
Anaplasmosis and Common Needles
By Dr. Nick Chuff, German Flatts Veterinary Clinic
There has been a recent increase in the number of outbreaks of Anaplasmosis
in the Northeast with two herds that I am aware of in the Remsen area. This is
a blood parasite and can be spread by ticks, biting insects, but most importantly
blood contaminated needles and other equipment (dehorners, ear taggers,
castration instruments, etc.). For years we have recommended single use
needles to control a variety of blood transmitted diseases such as bovine
leukemia virus (BLV) with a great deal of success. The purpose of this
newsletter is to make you aware of the disease and its consequences should it
find its way onto your dairy.
What is Anaplasmosis?
Anaplasmosis is a red blood cell parasite that causes anemia, depression,
cessation of milk production, and abortions. The incubation period is 3-6 weeks
after being exposed. Often the first clinical sign is a dead animal since the
disease may just manifest itself as weakness. Fevers of 104-107°F with anemia
are common with a mortality of up to 50%. Some animals get icteric (yellow)
mucous membranes (conjunctiva and vulva) but they must survive two days
after they show symptoms for this to develop. Diagnosis involves a PCR blood
test but results can be variable. Once the animal is infected she becomes a
carrier for life and can infect other herd mates.
An experimental vaccine exists but it yields variable results. Treatment of acute
cases is LA 200 four times at three day intervals. It has a 96 hour withdrawal on
milk and 30 day withhold on meat after the final treatment. Complete recovery
may take three or more weeks. Animals under one year of age rarely get
symptomatic but can also become carriers for life. Adults two years or older
succumb to severe illness and death especially following periods of stress or
weather extremes. Outbreaks have been particularly severe in herds using
common needles and indiscriminate oxytocin injections in dairy cows.
What should I do in my herd?
There have always been good reasons for using individual needles.
1.
Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV). In the US, approximately 30% of our cattle
are infected with this disease that is only transmitted by blood. For every
10% increase in infection rate we lose approximately 209 pounds of milk
per cow per year. This doesn’t even include the decreased cow longevity.
As mentioned above, we have been very effective in reducing this incidence
primarily by using individual needles.
2. Bovine Virus Diarrhea Persistently Infected Animals (BVD-PI). Again this
is a very costly disease that can be transmitted by blood. The cost
associated with having BVD-PI positive animals in a herd is estimated
at $20-88 dollars per cow per year for that herd.
I highly recommend that you use start using individual needles for each
injection and necropsy animals that die for unknown reasons. Individual needles
are not a large expense especially if you order them by drop shipment. The
information above certainly indicates that there is a huge cost benefit/ratio for
adopting this protocol.
CCE of Oneida County Farm Flash
Page 10
Local Agriculture Land Use Leadership Institute update
Jim Manning, Farm Business Management Educator
Almost 30 farmers, town officials, and other involved residents
of Oneida, Madison, and Onondaga counties have been participating
this fall and winter in an innovative series of workshops developed by
the American Farmland Trust and Cornell University. The goal of the
Local Agriculture Land Use Leadership Institute (LALULI) is to increase
knowledge and leadership capacity in communities as they face the
challenge of ensuring the continued contribution of agriculture while
also accommodating a changing economic landscape.
At the first workshop, on November 18 th, participants learned
about legal structures for farmland protection and the roles of local
government and land trusts. New York State’s Environmental
Conservation Law provides for the creation of “conservation
easements” which limit the future uses of a property for the purpose
of preservation. Such easements permanently extinguish the right to
use the property in ways incompatible with the conservation purposes
– such as commercial or residential development - but may allow
agricultural uses. The property remains in private ownership and on
the tax rolls. The conservation easement may be held by a public
body (federal, state, county or town government), a Soil & Water
Conservation District, or a non-profit conservation organization (a land
trust) which is responsible for monitoring and enforcement of the
terms of the easement.
As of December 2011, almost 3,000,000 acres of US farm and
ranch land have been protected for continued agricultural use with
conservation easements held by land trusts. In New York State, the
statewide Farmland Protection Program provides for the purchase of
development rights (PDR), paying qualifying farm landowners for the
value of development rights extinguished when they place a
permanent conservation easement on their property. Since its launch
in 1992, this competitive program has permanently protected 225
farms across the state, representing over 56,000 acres, with
disbursements to landowners of more than $134 million.
For more information on planning for agriculture and the role of
local governments, visit the Farmland Protection Board page on CCE
Oneida County’s website (bit.ly/1QhNTKU) , the American Farmland
Trust’s website (www.farmland.org), or contact Jim Manning at
[email protected] or (315) 736-3394 x129.
Contact Information for Local Agency’s that support Agriculture
NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) 793-2554
Oneida County Soil & Water Conservation District 736-3334
Natural Resource Conservation Service 736-3316
Tightening Farm Budgets?
Start 2016 by Completing a Quick Dairy Farm Energy
Efficiency Checklist
by Mary Wrege
You can use this form to determine if there are potential energy
savings for your farm that could be captured in an energy audit.
If you have one or more item(s) that can be answered “yes”,
an energy audit may be needed for your farm. Once you have
filled out this form appropriately, you are welcome discuss the
results with Mary Wrege, Energy Educator with CCE.

Are you using incandescent lights, standard metal halide
lamps, mercury vapor lamps, halogen lamps, or older T12
fluorescent fixtures? ___Yes ___No

Do you have a single phase vacuum pump rather than a
variable speed drive? ___Yes ___No

Do you lack a water pre-cooler? ___Yes ___No

Do you have single phase milk transfer pump rather than
variable speed drive? ___Yes ___No

Do you have reciprocating compressors rather than scroll
compressors?
___Yes ___No

Do you lack a Compressor Heat Recovery (CHR) for your
water heater?
___Yes ___No

Are some of your circulation fans older than 10 years?
___Yes ___No

Are there large motors on the farm that are old and run for
more than 6 hours a day? ___Yes ___No
Form adapted from University of Missouri Extension information.
Questions: Mary Wrege, CCE Oneida County
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (315) 736-3394 ext 131
CCE of Oneida County Farm Flash
Page 12
Crop Shorts
By Jeff Miller
Seed costs I included an article on seed costs by Gary Schnitkey,
University of Illinois to provide his documentation of changes in seed
costs and the cost benefit analysis based on seed cost per bushel and
seed cost as a percentage of crop revenue. We are in the midst of
another seed revolution where the seed has become much more than a
plants fruit with a few characteristics that affect plant yield and
nutritional qualities. It has also become a vehicle for crop protection
characteristics.
The question then becomes how do you use this new technology to gain
the most benefits at an economic cost.
Some of the first benefits I saw when Roundup ready soybean seed was
made available:
 Growers had a tool to help them control quackgrass
 Because there was no impact of roundup on developing soybean
plants growers were able to plant longer season soybean varieties
and improve yields
We also saw benefits in controlling some harder to kill perennial weed
escapes in roundup ready corn fields.
When corn rootworm resistant varieties were made available we saw
improvements in yield per acre.
Today growers have to evaluate pest problems to determine what
attributes they need in the seed they purchase.
If you have a single year or two years of corn before rotating to another
crop you probably don’t need to buy corn seed with CRW resistance and
you can save $70 a bag on seed costs. If you scout for CRW at silking
and populations don’t exceed research based thresholds you can
continue to save on seed costs.
If you haven’t seen quackgrass, wirestem muhly or any other hard to
kill perennials in your corn fields in recent years and you have been
using a pre-emergence combination of herbicides that has controlled
annual weeds than you can save some money by purchasing a
conventional hybrid and avoid the additional cost of glyphosate tolerant
seed.
Corn seed costs from 1995 to 2014
By Gary Schnitkey, University of Illinois
Of all non-land costs for corn, seed costs on a per acre basis increased
the most between 2006 and 2014, increasing by 164% (farmdoc daily
September 1, 2015). This article provides perspective on these seed
cost increases, indicating that higher than usual cost increases occurred
from 2006 to 2009. Perspectives also are provided based on seed costs
per bushel produced and seed costs as a percent of corn revenue.
Commentary on potential seed costs decreases and impacts on seed
companies then is provided.
Seed Costs per Acre
Figure 1 shows per acre seed costs for corn from two sources:
1. FBFM, Central Illinois, High-productivity Farmland - This is data
summarized from grain farms enrolled in Illinois Farm Business Farm
Management (FBFM). Figure 1 shows a summary of per acre seed
costs for central Illinois farms having high-productivity farmland.
Expected yields on these farms average over 190 bushels per acre.
2. USDA, US - This data is from the Economic Reporting Service, an
agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This data represents
an average of U.S. farms. Expected yields for this aggregation of
farms is over 160 bushels per acre.
These costs come from two independent sources having different data
collection methods. As can be seen in Figure 1, per acre seed costs from
FBFM and USDA follow each other closely. The correlation coefficient
between the two series is .99.
Seed costs increased in most years, with a distinct break in cost increases occurring in 2006. From 1995 to 2006, per acre seed costs from
USDA increased an average of 5% per year. For the next three years,
double-digit seed cost increases occurred. Seed costs increased 12%
between 2006 and 2007, 22% between 2007 & 2008, and 31% between 2008 & 2009. After 2009, rate increases returned to the 1995 2005 level of 5% per year.
The period of double-digit seed cost increases corresponds to an increase in the long-run average level of corn prices. From the mid-1970s
to the mid-2000s, corn prices average about $2.40 per bushel. In the
mid-2000s, corn use in producing ethanol increased, resulting in an
overall corn price increase. While $2.40 per bushel was the average before 2006, a more reasonable estimate of the long-run price after 2006
is $4.60 per bushel. Of course, there has been and will continue to be
variability around those long-run prices (farmdoc daily 2/27/13).
Seed Costs per Bushel Produced
As a result of these cost increases, seed costs per bushel has increased.
Figure 2 shows seed costs per acre divided by yield per acre. For the
USDA series, seed costs per bushel were in the low $.20 per bushel in
the late 1990s. Seed costs per bushel then reached a high of $.86 per
bushel in 2012. Part of the reason for this high were low yield caused
by the 2012 drought. Seed costs per bushel were $.58 per bushel in
2013 and $.52 per bushel in 2014.
Overall, the increases in seed costs per bushel indicate the proportional
increases in seed costs have been higher than proportional increases in
yields. Stated alternatively, the increase in yields did not keep pace with
the increase in seed costs. For example, seed costs per bushel would
have remained the same had seed costs per acre increased five percent
per year and yield per acre had increased by five percent per year. On a
percentage basis, seed costs increased more between 1995 and 2015
than did yields per acre.
Seed Costs as a Percent of Corn Revenue
A different perspective results from seed costs as a percent of corn
revenue, as is shown in Figure 3. As can be seen in Figure3, seed costs
as a percent of corn revenue have a less pronounced trend than does
seed costs per bushel produced. However, a trend still exists. The red
dotted line shows a linear trend fit through the USDA series. On a trend
basis, seed costs as a percent of corn revenue were below 10% in
1996 through 1998. This trend percentage increased to 14% in 2016.
CCE of Oneida County Farm Flash
Page 15
Commentary
Overall, seed costs have increased on a per acre basis, on a per bushel
produced basis, and on a percent of corn revenue basis. As the need to
reduce non-land costs continues, seed costs is one area requiring
examination (farmdoc daily September 1, 2015; August 4, 2015).
Moreover, seed cost control becomes more important as the percent of
corn revenue devoted to seed increases. Means of reducing seed costs
within farmers' management discretion are somewhat limited. Farmers
can purchase lower priced hybrids, with the concern that lower yields
will result. Farmers can also potentially reduce seeding populations.
However, large seed costs reductions are not possible without one or
more seed company significantly reducing seed prices.
While the seed costs shown in the above figures represent costs to
farmers, these seed expenditures are revenues to seed companies.
Seed cost increases, along with more acres devoted to corn, resulted in
growing revenues to seed companies in the past decade. Investors in
publically traded companies tend to desire companies that have revenue
growth prospects. Rates of seed costs increases have slowed, leading to
prospects of more modest revenue growth for the next several years.
Lower growth may be one factor leading to the merger and acquisition
discussions between major seed technology companies within the past
several months, with mergers potentially leading to growth for the
combined company. As this time point, this appears to be the major
strategy being contemplated for continuing seed revenue growth. A
strategy of lowering seed prices to attract more seed sales does not
appear to be being attempted.
Permalink: http://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2015/11/corn-seed-costsfrom-1995-to-2014.html
Corn Contest The range of yields in the corn contest this season was
180bu/ac to 264bu/ac. This shows the potential for corn grain yields in our area.
The growers that enter this contest would say that the contest yield is above
their average yield and that profitability is still their number one goal. So what
do they do to optimize profit.
 Pick a high yielding hybrid suited to the location where it will be grown
 Till fields that need it. Use no-till where you can
 Invest in seed treatments that protect the seed and seedling plant from
insects and diseases
 Test soil and fertilize to meet crop needs
 Apply nitrogen at rates that are slightly above your average yield. So most
of these growers apply 1.2 lbs of N per bushel. They shoot for 160bu/ac to
180bu/ac which would be 200 to 220lbs of N /ac.
 Some of these growers have tried applying all of the N treated with
guardian before planting with incorporation. Many of them are reevaluating
that practice and returning to sidedress N applications.
 They would encourage you to spend time and invest in your planter
 Grain growers usually shoot for a plant population between 30,000 and
33,000, silage growers should shoot for a finished population of 34,000
 Scout fields for weeds, identify weed problems and plan your herbicide
program based on weed compliment and crop rotation. Timely control of
weeds is essential in achieving higher yields. All of the growers in the
contest use preemergence herbicides
 Most growers don’t spend a lot of time scouting for insect pest problems
probably because they happen more sporadically. When a problem is
identified they act very quickly.
 None of the grain producers I know are applying fungicides to corn fields. A
few growers who have BMR hybrids are applying an early season fungicide
application.
 Grain growers time harvest to grain moisture levels to limit drying costs
 Participants in the corn contest would recommend tracking yields and costs
to determine cost of production. This is essential for marketing.
Grower Name
Pawlowski
Robert
Brockett
Mike
Teel
Jeremy
Townsend
Bernie
Collins
Jim
Fedor
Dave
Brouillette
Randy
Brockett
Mike
Brouillette
Randy
Durant
Wayne
Fedor
Dave
Teel
Jeremy
Collins
Jim
Tranchik
Mark
Farm Name
Zennyll Farm
Humphrey Farm
Teel Farms
Townsend Farm
Collins Farm
Fedor Farm
Brouillette Farm
Humphrey Farm
Brouillette Farm
Durant Farm
Fedor Farm
Teel Farms
Collins Farm
Fish Creek Farm
Grain yield bu/ac
263.87
246.23
240.88
233.44
226.92
221.77
220.75
220.32
220.04
217.24
214.02
203.14
182.02
179.94
Soybean contest The range of yield in this year’s contest fields was 54-75
bu/ac. The wet conditions in June reduced overall growth of soybean plants,
this was combined with extremely dry conditions in July and August when pod
fill was occurring. Average yields in most fields were less this year than in
previous years. Most growers use the following practices in growing soybeans:
 Choosing a high yielding hybrids that are suited to the location
 The greatest acreage is planted to 1.9s
 Plant by mid May if possible
 Plant in 30” rows at 160,000 at 1.5” depth
 Treat seed with poncho or cruiser to control aphids in early season
 Spray glyphosate between 3 and 4 weeks after planting
 Scout soybeans for soybean aphids and white mold
 Maintain a pH of 6.5 to 7.0
 Apply fertilizer based on soil test results
Grower Name
Farm Name
bu/ac
Pawlowski Robert
Zennyll Farm
2
74.99
Collins
Jim
Collins Farm
2
70.31
Fedor
Dave
1
67.69
Brockett
Mike
Fedor Farm
Humphrey
Farm
1
66.63
Teel
Jeremy Teel Farms
1
62.70
1
60.05
1
1
55.61
53.87
Pawlowski Robert
Brockett
Simmons
MIke
Frank
Zennyll Farm
Humphrey
Farm
Simmons Farm
Drainage Workshop
Seventy-nine farmers attended the Drainage Workshop at the CJ Fulmer
American Legion in Waterville on December 9th. Eric Young research agronomist
with Miner Research Institute estimated the cost of drainage at between $1000
and $1500 per acre. This cost can be recouped relatively quickly by increasing
crop yield and quality and allowing for more timely field operations.
Two main methods of installation were discussed. Troy Finn lead the
discussion of interception drainage which is individual drainage of wet spots in
fields. Troy explained how they use a trackhoe with a semicircular plate welded
to tooth on the edge of a 2 ft bucket. This bucket is used to dig the trench with
the extra plate digging a deeper slot where the tile is laid. This provides
additional support for the tile line while it is being covered. Troy said that they
use the sod taken from the surface of the ditch and hand place over the laid tile.
Any stones are placed to the far side of the ditch away from the tile to protect
the tile. The ditch is dug to provide a consistent grade downward from the wet
area to the outlet. Troy explained that they generally tile small acreages when
doing interception drainage and have o drain fields contact FSA in advance have
a lot of structure and therefore don’t need to take extra measures to cover tile
with straw or gravel as a filter to prevent sedimentation in the tile.
CCE of Oneida County Farm Flash
Page 18
Pat vanLieshout’s farm is in the lake laid plain in Verona. There are
layers of material in his soil. He said that they quite often are laying tile in fine
sand that can cause sedimentation in the tile without using special measures.
They buy drainage tile with a sock that provides a barrier for the fine sands to
entire the tile. He said that they also use gravel at times around the tile. The
vanLieshouts use a tile plow to install drainage tile in a grid pattern in fields to
improve consistency of drainage throughout the field in heavier soils. Both
farmers indicated that they shift from perforated tile to solid plastic pipe from
30 – 60 ft from field edges to prevent tree root penetration which can clog up
tile lines. Both farmers also talked about the importance of an adequate outlet
and the importance of installing rat guards.
Tony Capraro, NRCS and Maryann Snider, FSA talked to the group
about conservation compliance. They talked about laws that were passed in
1985 titled swamp buster and sodbuster laws. They explained that farmer’s
fields that were drained and farmed prior to 1985 are exempted from the law.
They recommended that growers who plan to drain a field contact FSA so they
can determine if the field is exempted from the swampbuster law. Tony and
Maryann indicated that some determinations can be made from the office and
may take as little as 2 weeks while those situations that require farm site
determination may take significantly longer because there are only a few staff
trained for this activity in the state.
Larry Goerhing from Cornell ended the day with a discussion of
management techniques to minimize the environmental risks of water exiting
tile drains. He talked about how siting outlets in less environmentally sensitive
locations is one strategy when available. Growers can apply fertilizer sources
at rates based on soil analysis and at a timing that is closer to the time of need
for the individual crop. He has some trials investigating the properties of
activated carbon and wood chips to tie up nutrients from drain tile water.
You can find a great deal of additional information on drainage on our website
http://www.cceoneida.com/agriculture/crop-production/soil-drainageresources/
Crop Congress This year’s Oneida County Crop Congress will be held at
Whites Farm Supply in Waterville on January 6th with registration starting at
9:30am. I will talk about pests I found in local fields this past season and how
you can use that information to make adjustments for the 2016 growing
season. Jerry Cherney will explain his first year’s results looking at yield and
quality comparisons of grass and low lignin alfalfa with conventional alfalfa.
Growers are seeing more white mold in soybean fields in the past two yearsKeith Waldron NYS IPM will discuss this disease and management options.
Keith will also talk about common diseases found in alfalfa fields and their
management. Many growers are considering cover crops but have limited
windows for planting after crop harvest. Chris Pelzer, Cornell will explain
current research results from inter cropping studies they have conducted.
We have experienced contamination of a local well from manure this past
year. Karl Czymmek will talk about sensitive soils in our area and manure
management recommendations for those soils. A number of dairy farmers
have installed solar thermal panels with very positive results. Mary Wrege
will end the program with a discussion of farm applications of solar technology.
There is 2.25 NYSDEC credits and 5 CCA credits.
To preregister call 315-841-4181, by Dec 31st.
(continued from page 9 take home points from shop meeting )
6. Don’t spend (invest) any more money into growing your
replacements that you need to. We discussed shooting for an age at
first calving of 23 months vs 26 months.
7. Maximize your reproduction program in both cows and heifers.
Get your cows bred back sooner than later. Cost of a day open goes from
approximately $3/day when fresh and peaking to $5/day in late lactation
8. Enhance your calving and calf management: Strive for a goal of Dead
on Arrival rate (DOA) for first calf heifers under 8% and under 6% for whole
herd DOA rate. Keep morbidity (treating calves and heifers) to below 30%.
If you are looking to improve your knowledge of calf health care and needs
Oneida County Cooperative Extension is offering a class on calf care on Friday
January 15th 2016 from 11:00am to 1:30pm. Guest speakers from
Leatherstocking Veterinary Services will be presenting. There is no fee to
attend, but reservations are needed. Please call 736-3394 ext. 132 to let us
know you plan to attend
Ready to quit smoking?
Register now for a free three-week smoking cessation program
In partnership with the Oneida County Health Department, Rome
Memorial Hospital is hosting the three-week smoking cessation program,
Classes will be held 5-6:30 p.m. On Tuesdays, Jan. 12, 19 and 26.
Space is limited to 15 people To register, call the OCHD 798-5486 by Jan. 5
or email Rachel at [email protected].
The program is open to all Oneida County residents over the age of 18.
No Health Insurance? High Deductible?
If you are 40 years old or older,
The Cancer Services Program may be able to help you get screenings for,
breast cervical or colon cancer. Call 798-5248 for more information.
CCE of Oneida County Farm Flash
Page 21
CAROLINA EASTERN-VAIL, INC.
GROWMARK FS
————————————
PO Box 65
Office: 315/841/8886
7610 State Route 20
1/800/852/5003
Sangerfield NY 13455
Fax: 315/841/4405
[email protected]
Fertilizer, Lime, Seed, Agronomy
Satisfying Customers, Profitably
Farm Credit East, ACA
Your First Choice For Financial Solutions

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Farm Loans

Agribusiness Loans 
Leasing
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Appraisal Services 
Tax Services

Financial Records 
Crop Insurance
Credit Life Insurance
Payroll Services
Business Planning
Estate Planning
Profit Improvement
995 State Route 12PO Box 60Sangerfield, NY 13455
(800) 762-3276(315) 841-3398 FAX (315) 841-3397
www.farmcrediteast.com
Fertilizer · Crop Protection
Seed · Custom Application
Tom Hartnett, CCA
Certified Crop Advisor
(315) 841-3201 · (888) 991-9292
FAX · (315) 841-4339
8341 St Rt.20 · Oriskany Falls, NY 13425
Rt 31 Canastota
697-2214
Rt 26 Lowville
376-0300
Rt 12 Waterville
841-4181
Stray Voltage Testing, LLC
Servicing Farms in NY Since 1988
 Stray Voltage Tests
 Energy Efficient Light Fixtures
 T-8—T-5 and many LED choices
 Whole Panel Surge Protection
 Surge Protection for all your
electronic Equipment
105 Sedgewick Park, New Hartford, NY
315.735.0952 office 315.794.5324 cell
Performance
PREMIXES
Home of:
Quickcow
Booster
Quickcow
Caps
PERFORMANCE
PREMIXES
Sales Agent for
Pioneer Hi-Bred
Oneida & Herkimer Co.
Sales Agent for Browns Feed
- BULK
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“Let the Performance Begin”
Call Andy Mower Owner/
President
315-734-1705
Serving The Dairy Industry for
over 30 years
Andy Dugan, PAS
General Manager
[email protected]
315-841-8282 Office
515-525-7711 Cell
Gold Star Feed & Grain, LLC
7593 State Hwy 20
PO Box 127
Sangerfield, NY 13455
LOUIS J. GALE & SON, INC.
Waterville, N.Y. 13480
7889 Canning Factory Road
841-8411 OR 841-8410
RETAIL FEED—GRAIN—SEED
CUSTOM MIXING & GRINDING
HI MAG LIME, PESTICIDES
GROW RIGHT FERTILIZER
SOY BEAN ROASTING
CORN DRYING
Farmers, do you need help?
Need to take a sick day? Would
you like to take a vacation or
just a day away from the farm?
Farmsitters Chore Services
is made up of former dairy
farmers. We will make sure
your animals are well cared for
Call Terrance (315) 397-2593
References
121 Second Street
Oriskany, NY 13424
«Text2»
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Non-Profit
US Postage
Paid
Oriskany, NY
13424
Permit # 68