Five Re-Elected to Executive Committee of the New York Dairy Industry Task
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
(Syracuse, NY) - Three dairy farmers and two agri-business professionals have been re-elected for two-year terms on the executive committee of the New York Dairy Industry Task Force.
The New York Dairy Industry Task Force is a volunteer group comprised of more than 70 farmers, agribusiness professionals, government agents, researchers, educators and other connected to the dairy industry who serve as an advisory group to the New York Center for Dairy Excellence.
In April, Task Force members re-elected to the committee dairy farmers Kerry Adams of Black Brook Farm in Shortsville, N.Y.; Connie Patterson of Patterson Farms in Auburn, N.Y.; and Rob Noble of Noblehurst Farm in Linwood, N.Y. Agri-business representatives re-elected the committee include Julie Berry of the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition and Janice Bitter of Farm Credit East.
The Center for Dairy Excellence, guided by the Task Force, brings together agricultural leaders to develop and implement programs and strategies that foster farm profitability and a strong dairy farming industry. The Center is an initiative of the New York Farm Viability Institute (NYFVI), a nonprofit group that awards grant funding to research and outreach projects to help farmers increase profits.
The full Executive Committee, which has staggered terms to retain experience and ensure continuity, is comprised of six farmers and five agri-service representatives. One of the farmer members is a dairy farmer director from the NYFVI board, who serves a one-year term. Dave Wood of Eildon Tweed farm in West Charlton, N.Y., was re-affirmed as the NYFVI farmer representative.
Other Committee members, not up for election in 2010, include dairy farmers Christine Nellis of Nellis Acres Farm in Fort Plain, N.Y. and Steve Palladino of Hardie Farms in Lansing, N.Y., as well as Dorothea Fitzsimmons, assistant professor of animal science at Alfred State College, Tom Overton, associate professor of animal science at Cornell University and director of PRO-DAIRY, and Jamie Zimmerman, general manager of Dairy One Cooperative.
Non-voting advisors to the executive committee include Jerry Cosgrove, deputy commissioner of New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets, and Catharine Mural, associate director and national affairs coordinator for New York Farm Bureau.
For more information about the New York Center for Dairy Excellence, contact mark Kenville at (315) 453-3823 or visit www.nycde.org.
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