February 4, 2010
Contacts: listed at end

Farm Labor Workshops in Chazy, Canton, Burrville;
Sessions Set for Dairy Managers and Direct Market Managers

Northern New York — Do your employees make you money or cost you money? A question every employer asks, particularly in economic downturns. The Cornell Cooperative Extension associations of Northern New York have organized separate workshops to help dairy farm managers and direct market farm managers address employee recruitment and selection, labor regulations, training and employee expectations.

Thomas R. Maloney, senior extension associate with Cornell University’s Department of Applied Economics and Management, will speak at each workshop.

“Farm employees are a critical component to making farms function efficiently and productively,” Maloney says. “Good management starts with hiring the right people and then training and supporting them to maximize their contributions to the farm business or farm market.”

The workshops are split into two sections:
• 12noon-3pm sessions will focus on management of dairy farm labor
• 6-9pm sessions will address labor management for non-dairy farm manager and growers with employees who sell direct to consumers at farm stands, farmers’ markets and elsewhere.

The workshop dates and sites are:
• Tuesday, February 23, Chazy, NY, WH Miner Agricultural Research Institute, 1034 Miner Farm Road, 518-962-4810 x409 to register

• Wednesday, February 24, Canton, NY, Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County Extension Learning Farm, 2043 State Highway 68, 315-379-9192, 518-483-7403 to register

• Thursday, February 25, Burrville, NY, Farm Credit East, 25417 NY Route 12,
315-376-5270 to register.

Farm Business Management Educator Jessica Prosper with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Franklin County says, “Farmers and market managers attending these workshops will learn ways to build, refresh or improve their plans for dealing with essential employment issues and opportunities, such as retaining good employees, giving incentives to keep employees motivated and efficient, and writing job descriptions. The workshops will also cover the state and federal employment regulations that all employers must meet.”

Registration is encouraged. See contact numbers above. To learn more about agriculture in Northern New York, contact your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office or visit the website at www.nnyagdev.org.  #