November 27, 2009
Contact: Stephen Canner, Cornell Cooperative Extension St. Lawrence County, 315-379-9192

Cornell Cooperative Extension & 10 Seed Companies Present St. Lawrence County Fall Seed Expo December 4

With margins well below long-term averages, dairy and field crop farmers in New York are considering every possible combination of cost cutting measures and efficiency gains. Many new crop technologies have been integrated into corn and soybean genetics, allowing farmers more pest control options and the potential to reduce costs. Yet the new technologies aren’t always cheap. Farmers in tight financial times face a complex array of choices as they sort through the offerings from many different seed companies.

Farmers will have the opportunity to obtain data to support their decisions at the Fall Seed Expo at the Madrid Community Center, Madrid, NY, on December 4, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The event is sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County and 10 seed companies.

Participants will hear Cornell University Crop and Soil Sciences Professor Dr. William J. Cox present the results of Cornell corn and soybean variety trials performed in Northern New York and elsewhere in the state. The variety trials provide data from unbiased comparisons of varieties from several different companies and are a valuable tool for farmers making seed purchase decisions for the next growing season. This research is funded by the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (www.nnyagdev.org).

Mary Beth de Ondarza, an independent dairy nutrition consultant and principal of Paradox Nutrition, will talk about what traits to look for in silage corn with the dairy cow’s health and productivity in mind.

Representatives of the sponsoring seed companies will each present a brief introduction to what’s new in their seed lineup for the 2010 growing season. The seed companies will also set up informational displays, where farmers can meet informally with seed company representatives and ask technical questions, learn about discount programs, or place orders.

The Fall Seed Expo event is sponsored by BlueSeal, Croplan Genetics, Dairyland Seed, Dekalb/Asgrow, Doeblers, King’s Agriseed, Mycogen Seeds, Seedway, Syngenta, and T.A. Seeds. Lunch will be served, sponsored by the seed companies. Contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County at 315-379-9192 for reservations or more information. # # #