Sep 15, 2011 — NCPR is media sponsor for Saturday's 7th annual Lowville Cream Cheese Festival in downtown Lowville. The event celebrates Lowville's distinction as home of the world's largest cream cheese manufacturing plant. Todd Moe spoke with Eric Virkler, Director of Economic Development and Planning for Lewis County, who says the event includes music, art, contests and lots of cheese cake.  Go to full article

Fowler, CA, Sep 06, 2011 — U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has been touring New York's agricultural areas to hear from farmers. The Senate is already starting debate on the 2012 Farm Bill. Gillibrand is the first New Yorker on the Senate Agriculture Committee in 40 years.

She told St. Lawrence County farmers she wants to make sure Northeast farmers have a voice when the new Farm Bill is written. She asked how federal policycan better serve the people in the fields and barns. Julie Grant attended the listening session at Bob Andrews' farm in Fowler.  Go to full article

Madrid, NY, Jul 22, 2011 — A Madrid Dairy could face a fine of up to $37,000 from the state Department of Environmental Conservation after it spilled 1000 gallons of liquid manure from its manure storage lagoon into Brandy Brook on July 6.

The headline of this story formerly read "10,000 gallon." NCPR regrets the error.--ed.  Go to full article

Jul 18, 2011 — There's no doubt farming's a volatile industry. With grain and gas prices constantly fluctuating, and more and more consumers searching for low prices, it's no wonder the number of farms has dropped.

The key to farming since the 1970s has been to go big with a few cash crops, search out efficiency, utilize technology, and produce more from each acre.

Some young farmers want to do it their own way. They want to stay small, avoid mainstream distribution, and maybe grow organic. These new farmers face different challenges from their traditional predecessors, but they can't avoid the economics.  Go to full article

Port Leyden, NY, Jul 12, 2011 — Today, we continue our week-long series Farmers Under 40 with a look at the young people getting into what many consider a shriveling industry.

Dairy remains one of the biggest overall drivers of the North Country economy. Yet half the dairy farms there were twenty years ago are gone. The average age of a dairy farmer is almost 60 years old. Some years it costs more to milk a cow than you can sell the milk for.

till, young farmers are going into dairy. And as David Sommerstein reports, they're bringing a sharp business acumen and a passion to the barn.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jul 05, 2011 — With the legislative session wrapped up, state leaders are assessing where they've come and where they plan to go.

Agriculture commissioner Darrel Aubertine has been on the job for little more than half a year, after losing his Senate seat to Republican Patty Ritchie.

Aubertine is a lifelong farmer from Cape Vincent in Jefferson County. He's shifted from dairy farming to raising beef cows. And he tells David Sommerstein his sons are taking over.  Go to full article

Jun 24, 2011 — The problem of high labour turnover on dairy farms was highlighted in late March when John Barney of Smithville was arrested for hiring Latinos who came here without documentation. Many farmers say they can't get their cows milked any other way, but the hiring of immigrants breeds resentment when unemployment in the region is so high.

Now, several Jefferson County agricultural organizations and the Cornell cooperative extension have created the Agricultural Workforce Development and Training program to train local people and match them with dairy farms looking for help.

Jay Matteson is Jefferson County Agricultural Coordinator. He told Nora Flaherty one of the biggest causes of high turnover is that people just don't know what they're getting into when they take a job at a dairy farm.  Go to full article

Jun 13, 2011 — Dairy farming is a way of life and a major industry in the North Country, but for All Before Five host and recent downstate transplant Nora Flaherty, it's a little bit of a mystery. Nora paid a visit to Canton dairyman Jon Greenwood--he has a herd of about 1200. They started in Greenwood's milking parlor, where the cows were listening to some Latin music.  Go to full article

Jun 06, 2011 — It was a perfect sunny day Saturday, and Canton was out in force for the annual tradition of the Dairy Princess parade. There was dairy royalty, lots of tractors and floats, and plenty to satisfy the sweet tooth. David Sommerstein was there and sent this audio postcard...  Go to full article

Peru, NY, Jun 01, 2011 — The economic effects of the flooding that began in late April are still being felt by many in the north country--the rains have left homes and communities heavily damaged; tourism dollars have been lost.

And after more than a month of exceptionally wet weather, area farmers are saying they may not be able to catch up with the planting they need to do for the fall harvest. Fields have been too wet in many cases to plant corn, or to harvest grass for hay--and it's getting down to the wire.  Go to full article