Ag Expo Attracts Many to SUNY Cobleskill

Above photo: An Ag Solutions & Networking Expo drew a large turnout to Bouck Hall at SUNY Cobleskill Tuesday.

COBLESKILL — Agricultural information and opportunities abounded at the day-long Ag Solutions & Networking Expo, held in the Bouck Hall Ballroom at SUNY Cobleskill on Tuesday, March 3.

The event was a chance to "join farmers, agribusinesses and ag partners from across the Mohawk Valley for a day of workshops on ag topics and networking," according to an advertisement. It was billed as the second annual Ag Expo at the college.

Schoharie County Agricultural Development Specialist Caroline Myran explained that there used to be a similar live event at the college that went strictly online during the Covid Pandemic. Current organizers have brought it back live the last two years and have tried to make it bigger and much more extensive, she added.

Myran described her role as "project manager" for the Expo organized by an Events Committee consisting of representatives from the county, SUNY Cobleskill, National Grid, CCE Schoharie & Otsego Counties, New York State, Farm Bureau of New York, the Institute for Rural Vitality and NYSERDA.

"There are vendors from all over the region and the state here," Myran said. "It's a farmer-focused event. The point is to bring this content to our farmers and provide space to network with each other and others, and see all the resources available to them."

There were breakout sessions and workshops throughout the day on various topics, including energy grants and information to enhance energy efficiency, Agritourism, farmer business planning, succession land planning and others. Lunch was also provided.

When not in the workshops, attendees could walk around to all the tables and get information and ask questions from representatives from Farm Credit East, New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, the New York Farm Viability Institute and so many others.

"It's just a combination of everything," said attendee Bill VanWormer of Central Bridge. He's the nephew of farmer and Town of Esperance Supervisor Earl VanWormer III. Bill manages the Patroon Land Farm in Vorheesville that supplies food to the Northeast Regional Food Bank and also helps run the family farm in Central Bridge.

"I came to make connections to help with our farm and the food bank. Farming is a hard business so any connections you can make that will help your situation is always better," Bill continued.

"There's a whole wealth of information here for farmers and the agricultural community," his uncle Earl VanWormer said.

Shaun Fagant, Regional Director for Fenimore Asset Management in Cobleskill that provides various kinds of financial assistance to farmers and others, said he attended the Ag Expo "to support the community and get our name front and center in the community." One of the firm's employees is local farmer Brendan Scoralick.

Attendees at an Ag Solutions & Networking Expo at SUNY Cobleskill Tuesday ask questions at one of the many Ag-related vendor tables. Photos by Chris English.