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NEWS FROM THE CORNELL SMALL FARMS PROGRAM AND THE NY BEGINNING FARMER PROJECT

TOPIC: NY Beginning Farmer Project Publishes “Guide to Farming in NYS”
DATE: For immediate release, July 5, 2007
CONTACT: Erica Frenay, ejf5@..., 607-255-9911, or Anu Rangarajan,
ar47@..., 607-255-1780


A Word file of this article is available at our online Small Farms News
Room: www.smallfarms.cornell.edu/pages/news/


NY Beginning Farmer Project Publishes “Guide to Farming in NYS: What Every
Ag Entrepreneur Needs to Know”

Ever increasing numbers of rural landowners are interested in exploring
ways to use their land for economic
 return. While the motivation and
background of these individuals vary, most of them are not familiar with
the legalities and logistics of starting a farm. Extension educators
across the state are responding to increased demand for information on
farm start-up by offering counseling and classes for aspiring farmers.
Frequently asked questions include: "Do I need a permit to start
farming?", "Are there grant monies to help me get started?", and "How
should I structure my business?"

Several Cornell Cooperative Extension educators saw a need to provide
answers to these common questions in a compiled document that could serve
as a resource to both farmers and educators. The result is the “Guide to
Farming in NYS: What Every Ag Entrepreneur Needs to Know.” This Guide,
originally written in 2004 by Monika Roth and Jacob Schuelke, has now been
thoroughly expanded and reformatted into a compilation of fact sheets. It
is an essential
 reference for new and existing farmers alike, providing
answers to questions about taxes, business planning, labor law, zoning,
regulations, marketing and many other topics that farmers need to know.
Hard copies are being distributed to every county Cooperative Extension
office; farmers can contact their local Extension office to request one.
The entire Guide--or individual fact sheets—-can also be downloaded for
free online at
http://www.smallfarms.cornell.edu/pages/resources/businessmanage/guide.cfm.

This Guide is the first of many new resources being developed by the NY
Beginning Farmer Project, which formed to increase the likelihood of
success of all new and diversifying farmers in the state. The project was
launched in early 2007 and is led by a team of Cooperative Extension
Educators and the Cornell Small Farms Program.
 Contact Erica Frenay,
Project Coordinator, 607-255-9911 or ejf5@... or Anu Rangarajan,
Small Farms Program Director, ar47@..., 607-255-1780 with
questions.

The NY Beginning Farmer project was made possible by grants from the NY
Farm Viability Institute and Cornell Cooperative Extension. Development of
the “Guide to Farming in NYS” received additional support from Northeast
Farm Credit and the Small Farms Program.

For more information about a variety of small farm topics, visit
www.smallfarms.cornell.edu.


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