CHAZY, NY - Annual Crop Congresses in Northern New York provide dairy farmers and agribusiness professionals with the opportunity to learn the latest in crop production, weed control, soil testing and dairy farm management. The dates for the 2010 Crop Congresses are February 17 in Chazy, March 24 in Carthage, and March 25 in Madrid.

• Corn-Alfalfa Rotation Management – Dr. Quirine Ketterings, Cornell University Nutrient Management Spear Program

• Costs of Roundup Ready Corn Production vs Conventional Herbicide Programs – Anita Deming, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County

• Getting the Most from Your Soil Tests – Miner Institute Agronomist Eric Young

• CAFO Update and Emerging Environmental Issues – Karl Czymmek, Cornell University PRO-DAIRY Program

• An Update on Weed Control in Corn – Dr. Russ Hahn.

Cornell University Nutrient Management Spear Program Director Dr. Quirine M. Ketterings says her 2010 presentation regarding best practices for managing corn grown in rotation with alfalfa is a topic farmers have requested.

“The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has provided funding for research that has produced valuable insights for efficient, environmentally-friendly use of on-farm and purchased nutrients to grow high yield, high quality corn with under Northern New York growing conditions. Because corn is often grown in rotation with alfalfa or alfalfa-grass mixtures to maintain soil health, we focus our work on providing management information for optimizing rotation management.”

Karl J. Czymmek is a Senior Extension Associate in Animal Science with Cornell’s PRO-DAIRY Program. Czymmek, who will present only at the Chazy crop meeting, says, “Along with the other excellent crop production topics, farmers attending the Chazy meeting will get an update on the New York CAFO Permit situation and learn about additional environmental forces that will influence how we farm.”

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County Executive Director Anita Deming will be presenting opportunities for farmers to save costs on their 2010 corn production by evaluating the use of partial budgets to examine planting Roundup Ready corn seed compared to planting conventional corn and using herbicide treatments to control weeds in the crop.

Deming says, “Putting the numbers produced by research data and economic evaluation side-by-side for various crop and dairy management options is a good tool for decision-making on the farm.”

Miner Institute Agronomist Eric Young says, “Taking full advantage of soil tests and accurately accounting for nutrients provided by the soil, manure and sod decomposition helps to reduce the amount of purchased fertilizer a farm requires, and also identifies fields that need fertilizer the most. At the 2010 Crop Congresses, a range of crop and nutrient management tools will be discussed that can optimize the efficiency of crop inputs and improve a farm’s bottom line.”

Cornell University Weed Control Specialist Dr. Russ Hahn says, “Each year’s field research adds to our knowledge base for more efficient development of strategies to manage weeds in field crops. Farmers can attend Crop Congresses not only to hear the latest data but to brainstorm with researchers and their fellow farmers about the best practice for their farms.”

Dr. Hahn’s update on weed control in corn will touch on the role of newly registered herbicides in weed control programs for conventional and glyphosate-resistant corn hybrids and how these new products can help prevent or manage herbicide-resistant weed populations.

Registration for the Chazy program is not required. Lunch will be offered for $5. For more information, contact Eric Young at 518-846-7121 x113, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it