Corn Congress to focus on profitability

Published Fe= bruary 14, 2009 – Plattsburgh Press Republican

Corn Congress to focus on profitability

CHAZY — Impr= oving the production and profitability of forage crops grown in New York State's = six northernmost counties, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence, is the topic of the 2009 North Country Crop and Corn Congresses.<= o:p>

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The Miner Corn Con= gress is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, at the W.H. Miner Institu= te in Chazy. The North Country Crop Congresses are set for Wednesday, March 4,= in Madrid and Thursday, March 5, in Carthage.

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At all three event= s, Cornell University and Cornell Cooperative Extension researchers will present the results of their research on regional farms with funding from the Northern New York Agricultural Development Prog= ram, New York Farm Viability Institute and others, and will provide farmers with cost-effective strategies.

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Critical projects identified for research attention by the regional farmers that lead the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program include:

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4&nb= sp; Protecti= ng alfalfa crops from insect pests and diseases such as brown root rot.

4&nb= sp; Growing = grass crops as biofuel, feedstock and livestock forage.

4&nb= sp; Using ma= nure as a crop nutrient resource.

4&nb= sp; Improvin= g soil health with cover crops.

4&nb= sp; Using wideswathing to cut and harvest "hay in a day."=

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Project results can positively impact a farm's profitability. For example, same-day harvesting = of hay crops can add as much as $20,000 to the bottom line of a 100-cow dairy farm, says researcher Thomas F. Kilcer, who will speak at the March 3-5 programs.

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For more informati= on, contact Miner Institute at 846-7121, Ext. 117, and to register for the Madrid and Carthage sites, call Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, 315-788-8450= , by Feb. 27.

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The March 3 progra= m at Miner Institute will include a presentation by Cornell Baker Research Farm Manager Michael H. Davis on the results of grass variety trials. The March 4 and 5 programs will include information on alfalfa variety resistance to ASB and leafhopper, how to capture nutrients from manure application to alfalfa crops, and how sulfur levels in soils affect alfalfa fertility.<= /span>

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Cornell University= Plant Pathologist Gary C. Bergstrom will speak at each of the three Crop Congress= es about potential disease problems in grasses being assessed for biofuel production. He will also talk about brown root rot, a cold-weather disease = that damages alfalfa and other forage crops.