The Project

Partners include: New York's Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture & Markets, Department of Environmental Conservation, and Farm Bureau, and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association.

New York's project will build on the existing Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) program. The AEM process coordinates a voluntary program to assist New York producers in developing Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans that will sustain their farms. PRO-DAIRY, a Cornell Cooperative Extension team, with its partners is using this material in the ongoing effort to update and improve existing environmental management system assessment tools. Input from individual producers, discussion groups, and organized producer groups will improve the tools and the process.

Updates

Final Summary - December 2005:

View the Final Report Summary.

March 2004:

View the Summary Interim Project Report.

January 2003:

One farm that also grows vegetables has already been approached by their processor (of cabbage) with inquiries of their ISO 14001 compliance. This farm is eager to see what it will take to make this happen. With the recently developed guidebook we will be able to explore how they can establish an EMS on their farms.

Our intent is to work with these cooperating farms and then develop an example EMS and tools to help other dairy farms develop an EMS quickly and easily. The guidebook developed by the project will be a template to allow farms to participate. The pilot aims to involve at least 5 farms to integrate a full EMS with PRO-DAIRY management. Date to start the development of an EMS on the farms is January 2003. We should know if the farms we've recruited will continue by March 2003.

November 2002

The present price pressures on dairy farms on NY has made it difficult to approach farms with the idea of developing an EMS for their farm. They are reluctant to commit additional time and money at this time. We will work to find cooperating farms and develop an example EMS and tools to help others develop an EMS quickly and easily. The guidebook being developed by the project will be a template to allow farms to participate. The pilot aims to involve 5 farms to integrate a full EMS with Pro-Dairy management. Projected date to recruit farms: January 2003.

September 2002

The CAFO plans, permits, and implementation of regulations has occupied a lot of time and money on dairy farms. Those approached with the idea of developing an EMS for their farm are reluctant to commit additional time and money. We will work to find cooperating farms and develop an example EMS and tools to help others develop an EMS quickly and easily. The pilot aims to involve 5 farms to integrate a full EMS with Pro-Dairy management. Projected date to recruit farms: July 2002.

The New York project is looking at this as a business management project as well as an environmental management project, and plans to combine the assessment tools with the New York Agricultural Environmental Management program. The pilot will involve 15 farms in each of 2 locations through Pro-Dairy alumni lists (a business management program), and will work with 10 to integrate a full EMS with Pro-Dairy management. Projected date to be on farms: July 2002.

© 2006 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.