For the past ten years, consumers have created a demand for organic dairy products. Our project works with all links of the value chain to satisfy this demand in an environmentally, finically, and socially responsible manner. Our team offers existing and transitioning farmers workshops to improve their farm business management capabilities. By sponsoring field days, video conferences, and discussion groups, we have allowed farmers to increase their practical knowledge of organic production techniques. Through facilitation of a statewide leadership team, the NY Organic Dairy Task Force, we have identified barriers and opportunities and have prioritized strategies to ensure the long- term sustainability of organic dairy.

Consumers have been the leaders for more organic dairy products. With the demand increasing by 15-20 percent every year, it is evident that more New York dairies will need to be transitioned to organic to meet future demand. To help support these transitions, an organization was created to support networking opportunities for industry participants.

Organic dairy production is particularly suited to dairies with less than 200 cows, due to the fact that all organic dairies need to graze their animals. This same size of farm has seen the highest reduction in their numbers in New York’s dairy industry as shrinking profit margins have hit all dairies, but small ones in particular. By supporting the organic dairy industry, this project is adding diversity to the dairy industry and increasing business opportunities in rural areas. At the 2005 annual meeting, the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA) singled out lack of educational resources as the second largest barrier to their success. Due to Cornell’s strong position in dairy production and farm management, a Cornell based program is well placed to begin to address education and information needs.

The NY Organic Dairy Task Force was formed in early 2006. Its membership includes leaders from all sectors of the value chain: dairy and grain farmers, dairy processors, Extension educators, and organic certifiers. This group’s first task was to identify and prioritize a barrier and opportunity list. Other tasks have been responding to a critical organic grain shortage in NY. Develop consumer education tools to help them identify milk produced in NY. Identify and act on changes to Federal Milk Marketing rules that would benefit the industry.
Materials were developed for “Organic Dairy Managing For Success” a two-day workshop that helped farmers identify goals and methods of measuring their progress. Four workshops were held in 2007 with more being planned for 2008.
The project sponsored 15 other educational meetings around the state on topics ranging from herd health to crop production.

In depth business planning was completed on four farms: 1) A farm family from Ohio moved to Central NY, a farm business specialist helped create their business plan, the project leader helped find and negotiate a lease for a rental farm. This farm produced $145,000 of organic milk in 2007.
2) A grain grower was in bankruptcy partially due to the difficulty in transitioning to organic production. Through combined work with Farm Net a reorganization plan was developed. The Project Manager was subpoenaed to testify at the hearing as to the accuracy of the plan. The farm was granted the right to reorganize. Through efforts by the project manager, an organic processor loaned seed money to the farmer for this year. He grew 250 acres of corn, 150 acres soybean, and 100 acres of hay, all for the organic market. Crops totaled $530,000.
Two other business plans are still being pursed. The first by a farmer who wishes to increase the number of milking cows in his herd, and the other by a family that wants to start an organic crop farm.
Other efforts by the project, such as the consumer education, federal order changes, and farm business trainings, have increased options for dairy farmers wishing to transition to organic.

New York Farm Viability Institute