Dairy Institute

Alfred State College (ASC) has
joined forces with Genesee
Community College, Batavia, (GCC); Cornell
Cooperative Extension of Wyoming County, Warsaw,
(CCE); and Quality Milk Production Services, Geneseo, (QMPS) to establish the Wyoming
County Dairy Institute.

Under the
direction of William Maddison, Executive Director of CCE, the Wyoming County
Dairy Institute will assess and address the regional agriculture workforce
development needs of Wyoming
and surrounding counties and provide extension education for dairy producers. The collaborative effort intends to provide
workforce development and specialized training for producers and agribusiness
employees; raise the awareness and interest of high school students in careers
in agricultural science and business; and investigate post-secondary academic
programs in the field of agriculture.

The institute
plans to offer both credit and non-credit bearing course work in school
districts, GCC campus centers, and vocational/technical centers (such as BOCES)
of Western New York State. Training modules for adults employed by
regional dairy producers and agribusinesses will be a primary focus.

The joint development of CEU
non-credit professional development "short courses" by ASC, QMPS, and CCE of
Wyoming County will initially target employees of regional agribusinesses. The extent and content of these courses will
be based on an assessment conducted by CCE and will be administered by a team
of dairy experts, including Dr. Dorothea Fitzsimmons (ASC), Dr. Hal Schulte
(Cornell University), Dr. Scott Carrick (Attica Vet Clinic), Dr. Michael Capel
(Perry Vet Clinic), Donna Walker (Dairylea Coop., Inc.), Gus Beck (Don Beck,
Inc.) and Jack van Almelo (Dairy One).

Where there is a demonstrated
demand, the institute will develop and deliver college-level credit-bearing
courses to individuals interested in pursuing the field of agriculture. The development of a sequence of courses that would lead to an
AAS degree in agriculture will be explored. Any such program would employ the
instructional expertise of both ASC and GCC faculty and make use of both
on-site and distance learning methodologies.

Additionally, applications and requests for support
funding have been made to Pro Dairy, the Wyoming County Industrial Development
Association, and the New York Farm Viability Institute. The first module on Biology and Management of
Producing Quality Milk is now under way in Warsaw, NY. The second module scheduled will be Utilizing
DairyComp 305 to Efficiently Manage Cows and Maximize Profits.