Four Cornell Cooperative Extension associations in Northern New York are weighing interest in two new regional agriculture specialist positions.

One position will work with dairy farmers, the other with crop growers in St. Lawrence, Clinton, Essex, and Franklin counties.

“By combining resources we can offer an attractive package that will bring us highly qualified individuals with not only strong educational background but with practical field experience that will allow them to be of immediate benefit to North Country dairy operators and crop producers,” says Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County Executive Director Anita Deming.

The regional specialists will work with a volunteer advisory committee of farmers and representatives of agribusiness, the Cornell Cooperative Extension of St Lawrence County Extension Learning Farm and other research farms ion the region, and the Cornell PRO-DAIRY and Nutrient Management Spear programs.

The Northern New York regional positions are modeled after similar outreach in Western New York. Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team Dairy Specialist Jerry Bertoldo says, “Taking a regional approach to Extension cost-effectively maximizes program impact by replicating information delivery throughout the region with the flexibility to address county-by-county needs.”

Details for the Northern New York Dairy Specialist and Northern New York Crops Specialist positions are online respectively at http://cce.cornell.edu/learn/About/Pages/pa544.aspx and pa545.aspx.

Anyone interested in serving on the advisory committee may contact Anita Deming at (518) 962-4810 for more details.