• Time to check the progress of your first cutting
• Most farms are ineligible for NYSERDA funding for Renewable Portfolio Standard Attributes
• Reforming the energy vision: NYS Clean Energy Standard
• OSHA issues final rule about workplace injuries, illnesses
• Apply for Beginning DAIRY LEADER and Junior DAIRY LEADER
• NEDPA seeks Member Services Provider
• Save the Date: Summer Repro Programs and Dairy Profit Seminars

Time to check the progress of your first cutting

PRO-DAIRY's Dairy Forage Systems Specialist Joe Lawrence, along with Ron Kuck and Kitty O'Neill, Cornell Cooperative Extension, have released an article with tips for first cutting. View the first cutting article online.

They write, "In a recent discussion about harvest strategy, the conversation turned to identifying fields for heifer hay, and I found myself asking the question, Why set a goal for anything less than dairy quality feed?” 

Apply for Beginning DAIRY LEADER and Junior DAIRY LEADER

Based on the success of Junior DAIRY LEADER, a new program, Beginning DAIRY LEADER, has been developed. This program is for high school students entering at least their sophomore year, but not graduated, who have potential interest in dairy industry or agricultural careers. High school participants will have the chance to explore post-secondary agricultural education and career opportunities in a networking environment through interaction with faculty and students, college planning and personal development.

Junior DAIRY LEADER is a statewide year long program for youth between the ages of 16 to 19 who have an interest in learning more about careers in the dairy field, along with adding to their leadership, personal and professional development.

NEDPA seeks Member Services Provider

To provide more service to its growing membership, the Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA) is seeking an outside individual or organization to perform Member Services coordination for the organization.
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“Since its founding over two decades ago, NEDPA has established a successful track record of addressing evolving policy, regulation, and issues impacting the Northeast dairy industry,” said Jon Greenwood, chairman of the NEDPA Board of Directors. “The next step for NEDPA is to provide more customized service to our increasing number of dairy farm members, providing them with the tools and resources they need to meet regulated and suggested industry requirements.”

The NEDPA Member Services Provider will work on opportunities and challenges that have direct on‑farm impact and respond directly to member questions and needs concerning those opportunities and challenges. Farm visits and travel to industry meetings and events is required.

The NEDPA Member Services Provider  description is available at the NEDPA website homepage. To apply, send a cover letter and resume by June 6, 2016 by email to info@nedpa.org or mail to NEDPA, PO Box 133, Geneseo, NY 14454.

For more information about PRO-DAIRY, visit prodairy.cals.cornell.edu. 

Julie Berry, Editor  |  Tom Overton, Director  |  Facebook

In-depth review by the PRO-DAIRY Environmental Systems Team reveals that NYSERDA’s Main Tier Solicitation Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 3257  ‘Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Program Purchase of Renewable Energy Attributes’ is only available to farms that have financed a new digester, biogas cleanup system or engine-generation set without NYSERDA funding.

If you received NYSERDA funding for your digester or engine-generation set, you are ineligible for current RPS Attributes funding from NYSERDA. If you think you are eligible (you have made a significant capacity upgrade to your biogas generation and utilization system without NYSERDA funding) and need help applying or have questions about eligibility please contact the PRO-DAIRY Environmental Systems Team (dairyenvsystems@cornell.edu) or Jason Oliver (607-227-7943); we can help. Submissions are due by May 26, 2016. 

To meet the New York State Energy Plan of 50% renewable energy by 2030, the Department of Public Service (DPS) is developing a Clean Energy Standard (CES). The DPS draft of the mandate ‘Staff White Paper on Clean Energy Standard’ was released on January 25, 2016.

Under the CES framework, new energy procurement requirements for utilities and energy supply companies (ESCOs) would require a percentage of their electricity to be from renewable resources, including existing and new biogas engine-generation sets. The online New York Generation Attribute Tracking System (NYGATS) will be used to issue, track, and manage these Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), as well as environmental benefits as Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) attributes. Cost containment mechanisms are proposed to minimize rate increases.

The PRO-DAIRY Environmental Systems Team has already and will continue to submit comments on the CES draft. The DPS is also seeking public comment, due by June 6, 2016. For more details on the Clean Energy Standard, to view the ‘Staff White Paper on the Clean Energy Standard’ and for ways to comment visit the DPS Clean Energy Standard webpage.

OSHA issues final rule about workplace injuries, illnesses

On May 11, OSHA issued a new final rule that requires employers in high-hazard industries to send OSHA injury and illness data for posting on the agency's website. Additional information is on OSHA's webpage about the final rule.

This rule applies to farms with 20 or more employees and is effective July 1, 2017, said Jim Carrabba, NY Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health. Farms (or select businesses) with 20 to 249 employees will need to submit their 300A Summary of Work Related Injury and Illnesses to OSHA on their website. These reports will be publicly posted by OSHA. Reporting is required annually. Businesses with more than 250 employees are required to submit all of their Injury and Illness reporting records.

Save the Date:

Summer Dairy Reproduction Update
New research helps dairy producers optimize herd reproductive efficiency. Come learn about ways to enhance repro performance, including how to select the ideal voluntary waiting period. Programs are at five locations statewide from June 13 to June 22. Register with the local Cornell Cooperative Extension office. More details are available on the Summer Dairy Repro flyer.

Dairy Profit Seminars at Empire Farm Days
Empire Farm Days is scheduled for August 9 through 11. This year's 2016 Dairy Profit Seminars, which are a collaboration between PRO-DAIRY and DAIRYBUSINESS magazine, will include:

• Enhanced Herd Health through Effective Protocol Management;
  
• Spreading the Word – Manure: The Planning and Implementation Process; and
• The Changing Labor Environment – Responses and Approaches.

The Junior DAIRY LEADER formal presentation and graduation ceremony will be held at 1:30 pm, Wednesday.