PRO-DAIRY at Cornell

09/03/2026

Congratulations to Walnut Ridge Dairy and Eileen Jensen, executive director of the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition, recipients of the 2026 PRO-DAIRY Agriservice Awards!

Presented during the Dairy Day Recognition and Awards Ceremony at the Great New York State Fair, the awards recognize outstanding contributions to New York agriculture and sustained support of Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY program. Karl Czymmek, PRO-DAIRY associate director, and state Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, handed out the honors.

Walnut Ridge Dairy has opened its doors for years to applied research, education and on-farm demonstrations. Jensen has led efforts to connect farmers, industry professionals and consumers through outreach on modern food production and animal agriculture.

"This year's recipients represent the strong partnerships that help drive innovation, education and advancement across New York's dairy industry," said Thomas Overton, director of Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY.

Photo credit: Allyson Jones-Brimmer, Northeast Dairy Producers Association

https://cals.cornell.edu/news/2026/09/pro-dairy-agriservice-awards-2026

09/02/2026

Join CCE and partners for a Precision Manure Field Day on Sept. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Joleanna Holsteins, 309 Covered Bridge Road, Unadilla.

The day begins with registration at 10 a.m. under the tent, followed by sessions on the value and variability of manure for corn and hay crops, manure injection, and precision agriculture technology in manure application. A producer panel will share updates one year after adopting manure injection in stubble and sod fields.

A beef barbecue lunch will be served in the tent, followed by manure gas and confined spaces training, manure truck safety training, and live manure injection and semi-solid demonstrations, including coulter injectors in stubble and sod.

Cost is $10 per person. RSVP by Sept. 4 to Donna Wood at 607-865-7090 or [email protected].

This event is supported by the Conservation Innovation Grants program at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

08/29/2026

Please join us in welcoming Cesar Matamoros, Ph.D., to Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY. In this newly created position as precision dairy nutrition specialist, Matamoros will work with dairy farms across New York to increase production and nutrient use efficiency, supporting the state's growing demand for milk and milk components.

Matamoros brings hands-on experience from his prior role as Northeast U.S. dairy technical lead for a national dairy nutrition company, where he worked with farms of all sizes, nutritionists, and feed mills throughout the region. Raised in Honduras, he brings a global perspective on dairy production systems and a strong commitment to training farm teams at every level.

He earned his B.S. in agronomy from Zamorano University and his Ph.D. in ruminant nutritional physiology and lactation biology from Penn State, and completed USDA-funded fellowships researching ways to increase milk fat production.

https://cals.cornell.edu/news/2026/08/cesar-matamoros-joins-pro-dairy

08/27/2026

New episode of Cornell Cow Convos: What happens to a dairy farm when wildfire smoke fills the air? Hosts Alanna Homan and Margaret Quaassdorff talk with Dr. Amy Skibiel of the University of Idaho about protecting cattle, employees and farm operations during a smoke event.

Cornell Cow Convos is a monthly podcast from Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell PRO-DAIRY. New episodes post the last Thursday of each month.

https://soundcloud.com/user-301921459-118136586/e-39-what-should-we-do-about/s-CeSxjtuMHVp?si=46370def4d3048dba0fffbb02dc50827&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

08/25/2026

08/21/2026

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $8.5 million is available through Round 2 of the state's Dairy Modernization Grant Program. Grants of $50,000 to $250,000 will help dairy farmers and cooperatives expand milk storage, upgrade transportation and improve cooling technology. Applications are due Oct. 28. Virtual office hours for applicants are set for Sept. 9 at noon.

Round 1 of the NYS Dairy Modernization Grant Program was awarded June 2, 2025: Governor Hochul Announces $21.6 Million Awarded to More Than 100 Farms to Support New York's Dairy Industry​

07/30/2026

Dairy diets thrive on consistency, but fields need diversity. In this week's Hoard's Dairyman Intel, Joe Lawrence, Cornell PRO-DAIRY, reflects on takeaways from the American Dairy Science Association meeting, examining how growers can balance the predictability nutritionists want with the crop diversity that keeps soil and pest management strong. Lawrence introduces the concept of "functional diversity," arguing that the answer isn't more plant species but a better understanding of the role each one plays.

I had the opportunity to attend the American Dairy Science Association meeting a few weeks ago. It was an impressive event where I learned a lot, though I will admit some of the animal science was a little over the head of this agronomist. I also had the

07/29/2026

Annual ryegrass is gaining attention among New York dairy farmers as a dual-purpose crop, offering strong forage quality and winter ground cover. But a new fact sheet from Cornell's PRO-DAIRY program cautions that success depends on getting the details right.

Authors Joe Lawrence, Kirsten Workman and Mike Hunter note that planting timing, soil moisture and field selection all affect establishment, with the crop fitting best after winter wheat or spring cereal grains rather than after corn or soybeans. Confirmed glyphosate-resistant ryegrass populations in New York also make certified seed and expert herbicide guidance essential before termination.

The takeaway: annual ryegrass can be a valuable niche crop, but farmers should stay flexible, plan for backup harvest options and prioritize w**d resistance management.

This fact sheet was authored by Joe Lawrence, PRO-DAIRY forage systems specialist, Kirsten Workman, PRO-DAIRY nutrient management specialist, and Mike Hunter, IPM coordinator, and was shared in the July 2026 PRO-DAIRY e-Leader newsletter, distributed to an email list of nearly 7,000 dairy producers,...

07/27/2026

For Madison McCall, a Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY internship in 2022 opened the door to a career in agricultural engineering. Now a full-time engineer, she's come full circle, mentoring two new interns, Kelly Bliss and Taylynn Tryon, on an innovative dairy farm construction project in New York.

Through PRO-DAIRY's Agricultural Engineering Internship Program, students work alongside practicing engineers on real projects, gaining hands-on experience that's launching agricultural and environmental engineering careers across New York.

Curious about this year's interns and their projects? Join the Animal Science Summer Research and Intern Poster Session from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, July 31, in the Stocking Hall atrium on Cornell's Ithaca campus.

For many students, internships offer valuable workplace experience. For Madison McCall, a 2022 Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY internship became the first step toward entering an agricultural engineering career.McCall, now a graduate of Clarkson University (Civil Engineering B.S.) and Cornell (Structural Eng...

07/24/2026

Milk protein is becoming an increasingly important focus for the dairy industry, creating new opportunities and challenges for dairy producers. In Episode 38 of Cornell Dairy Convos, Mike Van Amburgh, professor at Cornell University, joins Dr. Alanna Homan, Cornell Cooperative Extension Regional Dairy Management Specialist, and Kathy Barrett of Cornell PRO-DAIRY to discuss what's driving the industry's emphasis on milk protein production, the management considerations for farms and the research priorities needed to meet future demand.

Listen to Episode 38 today: https://soundcloud.com/user-301921459-118136586/cornell-cow-convos-e38