Aug 01, 2006 — The Heritage cheese plant in St. Lawrence County will re-open tomorrow after a one-month shutdown. The Amish farmers who sell their milk there will become owners in a unique arrangement. David Sommerstein explains.  Go to full article

Dec 23, 2005 — Five years ago, just a handful of dairy farmers in the North Country employed Hispanic workers. Today, some 50 farms use or have expressed a desire to hire workers from Mexico or Guatemala. The transition can be a bumpy one, for farmers and for the people they hire. There are the obvious language barriers, but also issues with food and housing and cultural norms. Earlier this month, a small group of farmers tried to bridge that gap in a big way. They took a trip to Mexico, to the very village where their employees come from, and met their families. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Jul 25, 2005 — When people think of dairy country, most imagine cows placidly munching on grass in a green field. In fact, only 15% of New York's dairy farms send their cows out to pasture regularly. Instead, most dairy cows live in barns. The farmer brings their food in and trucks their manure out. Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Adirondack North Country Association want to encourage more farmers to embrace a specific kind of pasturing called rotational grazing. They're organizing a workshop and farm tour Wednesday in Madrid. Participants will visit Bob Zufall's farm in Waddington. He milks 50 cows, and pastures them on more than 300 acres of land, much of it green with native grasses, like orchard grass and white clover. He sets the cows to pasture inside moveable fences on one acre plots. After every milking he moves the fences. Zufall spoke with David Sommerstein. He says he moved to St. Lawrence County from Pennsylvania in 2001. Grazing Day 2005 begins Wednesday, July 27 at 10:30 at the Madrid Community Center. Call 379-9192 x234 to register.  Go to full article

Feb 04, 2005 — There's a continuing crisis in the dairy industry--price instability--and it's getting worse. A government report investigating dairy pricing was released this week. Greg Warner has this report.  Go to full article

Sep 24, 2004 — A kosher cheese maker in Ogdensburg is appealing $185,000 in fines levied by the U.S. Labor Department. Inspectors found serious safety and health hazard violations at Primo Foods' cheese plant. A Lewis County plant owned by the same company was cited for violations last year. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Jul 06, 2004 — After Ogdensburg, the pair headed south to a dairy farm in Oswego County. Clinton and McHugh talked about a fix for the way farmers are paid for their milk. The current system allows for big price swings, but a solution to fit farms around the country has been elusive for decades. David Sommerstein was on hand and has this report.  Go to full article

May 12, 2004 — Dairy farmers across the country contribute part of their paychecks into a government program which pays for a national advertising campaign. Supporters say the "Got Milk?" and "3-A-Day" messages have helped keep the price of milk strong. But one small dairy farm is taking on the U.S. government. The farmers say their milk is different - and they don't want to pay to advertise their competitors' product. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Brad Linder reports.  Go to full article

Apr 08, 2004 — When Kraft ceases cheese production in Canton, the economic effects will be significant, but not bad enough to force many farmers out of business. That's according to Chuck Nicholson, a senior research associate at Cornell University. He prepared a computer model of a Kraft shutdown based on national markets. It predicts a drop in milk prices, the lowest in St. Lawrence County, with ripples felt throughout the Northeast. Speaking with David Sommerstein, Nicholson estimates the average dairy farm could lose up to $12,000. New York could lose $18 million statewide.  Go to full article

Mar 11, 2004 — Two economic development programs to help agriculture in New York are moving forward. Facing the closure of the Kraft cheese plant this summer, the town of Canton is trying to get in early on both projects. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Feb 17, 2004 — Sales are strictly illegal in New York and many other states, but fans of raw milk believe un-pasteurized milk is more nutritious, and more delicious than commercial milk. Modern science doesn't support that, and the idea of milk going straight from the cow onto a bowl of cereal is unthinkable for most doctors and food safety officials. But advocates aren't convinced, and they're waging campaigns across the country to legalize distribution of raw milk. Now they're finding a new audience for their message: small farms looking for a niche in the global dairy market. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Peter Payette reports.  Go to full article