Healthy soils are the foundation of long-term land viability and economic success for farmers. In 2022, UVM Extension formed the Farmer Soil Health Innovator Network (FSHIN), a peer learning network that brings farmers, researchers, and technical service providers together to share knowledge and implement management practices to improve soil health and water quality in the …
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Learn How to Get the Most Out of Your Wearable Data with the Tri-State Dairy Exchange Team
By Amber Machia How to Get the Most Out of Your Wearable Data Since January 2025, the Tri-State Dairy Exchange team has hosted live monthly webinars on the last Wednesday of each month, from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Sessions have focused on current dairy research and program updates, including interviews, presentations, and roundtable discussions. The …
Precision Payoff: Variable Rate Nitrogen Management Can Serve Financial and Environmental Goals
Nitrogen fertilizer has nearly doubled in price since December, but most farmers need to purchase it to grow a corn crop high in yield and quality. How can they get the best return on that investment and reduce the risk of losses to the environment? One answer could be variable rate nitrogen management: strategic application …
A Watershed Moment: The Franklin and Grand Isle Farmer’s Watershed Alliance Celebrates 20 Years
Written by Elizabeth M. Seyler PhD On a cold evening in February, a jovial group of farmers, UVM Extension agents, legislators, consultants, and agency personnel filed into the Elks Lodge in St. Albans. Eighty-two people in all, they gathered not to discuss drought challenges or farming policy but to celebrate the work of a devoted …
Can Tile Drainage and Best Management Practices Improve Water Quality and Crop Yields in the Lake Champlain Basin?
Though numerous famous groundhogs saw their shadows on February 2, predicting six more weeks of winter, this long, cold season will someday come to an end. Flowers will bloom, birds will sing, and farmers will wonder about precipitation. Will it be another dry year or a wet one? How big will storms be? What management …
When Knowledge Crosses Borders: How UVM Extension Research Inspired Soil Health Practices in Turkey
“If these sunflowers grow, I’ll shave my mustache,” a farmer joked when Dr. Metin Tuna asked him to try direct seeding sunflowers. Dr. Tuna is a plant geneticist, breeding professor, and researcher at Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University in Tekirdağ, Turkey. In 2015, Dr. Tuna met UVM Extension Research Specialist Lindsey Ruhl while she was in Turkey on a …
UVM Extension Attends the First Annual American Dairy Xpo
UVM Extension attended the first Annual American Dairy Xpo on November 5 and 6 in Essex Junction, Vermont. This new event was a dairy-specific showcase featuring more than 200 exhibitors from around the world who came together to share the latest innovations in education, technology, research, and business. The halls of the Champlain Valley Exposition …
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Milk Quality Matters: Lessons from Dr. Paul Virkler and the Tri-State Dairy Exchange Team
By Amber Machia The mission of the Tri-State Extension Dairy Team is to unite Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont in advancing dairy management through collaborative educational programs, addressing shared industry challenges, and fostering innovation across northern New England. Since January 2025, the team has been hosting live monthly webinars on the last Wednesday of each …
Updated Funding Information for Dairy and Crop Operations Available Now
Written by Amber Machia Updated Information about Funding Opportunities for Dairy and Crop Operations Alternative funding streams have become important to Vermont dairy operations, often supporting access to technology, improvements to equipment or infrastructure, or opportunities to diversify. Given the volatility of the milk market, every dollar counts. Competitive grants and programs available in the …
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Managing Immature and Frosted Corn Silage
Written by Heather Darby Timely harvest of corn silage is one of the most critical factors affecting forage quality. To ensure maximum yields of dry matter, nutrients per acre, palatability, intake, and minimize storage losses corn should be harvested at 35-30 % dry matter. In most years, an early planting date and proper hybrid selection …
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