Agricultural Labor Survey!
Available on-line at: https://tinyurl.com/farmlabormanagement
Agricultural Labor Survey: Help Us to Help You!
Do you manage employees on a farm? Do you need help recruiting and retaining good staff? Please take a brief survey and share important feedback that will help CCE develop improved resources for farm managers. The Cornell Small Farms Program, Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Team, the Lake Ontario Fruit Program and the Cornell Farmworker Program are partners in this initiative.
Participants can enter to win either a $100 gift certificate for Tractor Supply or a free Cornell Small Farms on-line agricultural course of their choice in the coming year. One winner will be selected for every 50 participants.
Growing a great workforce can result in long-term benefits for your business. Share your management challenges and successes to help us develop effective management tools, such as on-line courses and videos, plain language guides, and workshops.
Learn about other programs and events, including the Improving Ag Labor Management Workshop series, at the Labor Ready Farmer webpage: https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/projects/labor-ready-farmer/
For more information, contact: Kat McCarthy (kmm485@cornell.edu. Or 607-255-9911) or Anu Rangarajan (ar47@cornell.edu).
Thanks so much for your input!
The Labor Ready Farmer Project Team
Agricultural Labor Survey Flyer (pdf; 210KB)
Apples
Apricots
Asian Pears
Blueberries
Cherries
Currants
Gooseberries
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Raspberries / Blackberries
Strawberries
Unusual Fruit
Upcoming Events
2026 Winter Fruit Schools
February 4, 2026 : 2026 Winter Fruit School - Niagara County
Lockport, NY
Registration Closed, but want to see if there is room for you? Contact Craig Kahlke @ 585-735-5448, cjk37@cornell.edu
CCE-LOF are excited to bring you a return to LOF's Winter Fruit Schools, in which there will be two nearly identical programs on consecutive days in two locations in LOF's territory. We are in the process of putting together the program, and have garnered key input from our growers, businesses, and other personnel. Please note registration cost increases after January 27th, Registration Now!
February 5, 2026 : 2026 Winter Fruit School - Wayne County
Williamson, NY
CCE-LOF are excited to bring you a return to LOF's Winter Fruit Schools, in which there will be two nearly identical programs on consecutive days in two locations in LOF's territory. We are in the process of putting together the program, and have garnered key input from our growers, businesses, and other personnel. Please note registration cost increases after January 27th, Registration Now!
2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars
January 22, 2026 : Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
Week 1: Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
January 29, 2026 : Cost of Production for Fruit Crops
Week 2: Cost of Production for Fruit Crops - A new tool for tree fruit, updates on berry production in NY, and strategies for tracking and using expense data.
February 12, 2026 : Fire Blight Management Updates
Week 3: Fire Blight Management Updates - Pathogen Biology, Defense Inducers, Biopesticides, and Pruning Therapies
February 19, 2026 : Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
Week 4: Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
March 12, 2026 : Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
Week 5: Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
March 19, 2026 : St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
Week 6: St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
Advisory Committee Meeting - Program Updates
February 26, 2026
Spencerport, NY
Join the Lake Ontario Fruit Team for programming updates and goals. This meeting is your chance to shape the research priorities of our specialists and team. Your insights are vital to delivering the most valuable resources and support to the WNY apple industry.