Cornell and Cornell Cooperative Extension websites. If you do not know which Cornell Cooperative Extension educator has the specific expertise you need, first contact your local CCE office.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension state-wide website.
- Capital Area Agriculture and Horticulture Program, covers Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Washington counties with expertise in farm business management, livestock, horticulture (ornamental plants, greenhouse management, turf, Christmas trees), and field crops. You are currently on this blogsite and can find agricultural resources from the educators of this CCE team.
- Central New York Dairy Livestock and Field Crops Team covers Chenango, Fulton, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Otsego, Saratoga, and Schoharie counties with expertise in dairy, livestock, field crops, and farm business management.
- Cornell Small Farms website offers a variety of resources to beginning and established farms.
- A previous CAAHP “Resource List for Beginning Farmers“
Safety:
Soils Information:
- UC Davis user-friendly version of the USDA Web Soil Survey. Smart app and a web applications for soils (no printable reports) https://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/soilweb-apps
- Online Soils Map at https://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/gmap/
- Cornell Composting
Farm Business Information:
- Guide to Farming in NYS
- Farming alternatives: a guide to evaluating the feasibility of new farm-based enterprises (NRAES-32)
- Business Planning for the Agricultural Sector
Field Crops & Pasture:
- Cornell Field Crops
- Cornell Forage Information
- The Hay Manual
- Alternatives Field Crop Manual
- Northeast Cover Crop Council a bit tricky navigating the website, but you can find profiles on individual cover crops.
Livestock:
- Cornell Livestock Program
- Maryland Small Ruminant Page
- Managing Manure
- Livestock Fencing Basics
- Fences for the Farm
- Pasture and Grazing Management for New York
- Grazing chart example
- Grazing Chart directions
Horticulture:
- Contact Jingjing Yin (jy578@cornell.edu) if you are in Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, or Washington county. Contact your local CCE office in you are in another county.
Dairy:
- Contact Daniela Carranza (dg647@cornell.edu) if you are in Chenango, Fulton, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Otsego, Saratoga, or Schoharie county. Contact your local CCE office in you are in another county.
- Cornell ProDairy
Vegetables, Small Fruits, Tree Fruits, and Grapes:
- Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program if you are in this 17 county area. Contact your local CCE office in you are in another county.
Woodlands:
- Cornell’s ForestConnect
- Master Forester Owner Volunteer Program will send a volunteer to make a site visit to help you evaluate your woodlot and direct you to resources.
Farm and Farmstead Planning:
Real Property Taxes
- Reduce the assessment (and taxes) on agricultural land with the NYS Agricultural Assessment Program.
Sales Tax (Selling items at retail and exemption when buying items for agricultural production)
- Depending on what you plan to do, you may need to collect sales tax. Sales tax information for beginning businesses for collecting sales tax is at this site.
- Items purchased for producing an agricultural crop may be purchased sales tax free. Form ST-125 from NYS Dept. of Taxation and Finance is what needs to be completed.
