ALBANY — The Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance (NEAFA) launched its newly formed Agronomy Committee Friday October 19th. Dr. Kristan Reed, the NEAFA Partners Sesquicentennial Fellow in Dairy Cattle Nutrition, highlighted the inaugural event. The committee was brought together to address the complex animal agriculture nutrient challenges, particularly as they pertain to animal nutrition and feed management.
NEAFA President Andy Dugan appointed board member Ryan James to chair the committee. Committee members include Ryan James, Joe Augello, Greg Comeau, Corwin Holtz, Brad Lawes, Kimberly O’Brien, Art Whitman and Jamie Zimmerman. The committee’s mission statement reads as follows: “The NEAFA Agronomy Committee will produce, guide, and disseminate information on technologies, programs, and research that will contribute to an economically, socially and environmentally viable industry for our members, policy makers and the greater agricultural community.” James added that “this new committee compliments NEAFA’s mission of serving the agriculture industry. The Agribusiness and Feed Alliance’s objectives of advocacy, collaboration and education provide significant opportunities for addressing nutrient management challenges within the northeast animal agriculture industry.”
Dr. Reed briefed the Committee on her Ruminant Farm Systems Model (RuFaS) research. Her work is focused on better understanding dairy farm nutrient management through whole farm models that represent the latest state of knowledge of complete dairy nutrient cycles. The RuFaS model promises to assist in deciphering the complex interrelationships between various sources and types of dairy farm nutrients and how to best balance all nutrient sources and uses. The Committee agreed to continue to provide feedback to Dr. Reed as her modeling work progresses.
The Committee met at Dairy One’s Ithaca, NY offices. Jamie Zimmerman, CEO and General Manager of Dairy One, and Jack Van Almelo, Manager of Dairy One’s Agricultural Consulting Services (ACS), briefed the Committee on program and services provided by ACS.
Committee membership is open to NEAFA members. Contact Rick Zimmerman, NEAFA Executive Director, for more information.
–Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance
