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Contents  Mission StatementTo provide farm families with a network of contacts and support services to help them develop skills for dealing with life challenges and transitions - through personalized education, confidential consulting, and referral. |
Who We Are
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Communications Director  |
Human Services Director  |
Program Coordinator
Faculty Advisory |
Whatever your question or concern, NY FarmNet can help you clarify your problem, brainstorm solutions, and develop a plan of action.
“NY FarmNet is a good resource to help farmers.” Ag Lender |
• Provide confidential one to one assistance delivered in a timely manner to New York's farm community.
• Maintain strong farm families and businesses.
• Provide early intervention assistance.
• Enable farmers and their families to develop problem solving skills to meet their individual needs.
• Help farmers and their families with farming transitions.
• Foster information networking within the New York State agricultural community.
• Complement other service providers in meeting the needs of farm families.
“Working with the NY FarmNet consultant has definitely been for the betterment of our farm business and family.” Western New York Farmer
Farmers call FarmNet for help finding solutions for any farm business or family concern. Farmers turn to FarmNet for help because it is a neutral third party with no political or financial agenda, and the assured confidentiality means that farmers feel comfortable calling for assistance.
Farmers contact NY FarmNet by calling toll-free 1-800-547-3276. You will speak confidentially with a staff person who is knowledgeable about agricultural issues. You will be asked to briefly discuss the issue you called about. FarmNet staff will provide an individualized response by providing information, making referrals, or assigning a FarmNet consultant, depending upon your needs and concerns. You will be asked to provide name, address, phone number, and general farm data, which are kept confidential.
We collect this data in order to provide the best service to you. Sometimes we will need to research a specific topic and will need to call you back. Farm data and location are necessary to determine regional and farm-type resources. Congregate farm data (identifying farm type, size, and concerns) is used to obtain funding. Individual farm information is not shared with anyone.
Information: Farmers can call with any farm question or concern about their business or family. Often the caller is seeking specific information such as a contact number for an agency or a publication on a specific topic.We will try to provide the most current information (doing research on topics as needed). This information may be given over the phone or mailed.
Referral: Although the FarmNet staff person who answers the phone is familiar with farming and farm issues, we may not have or be able to find the specific information you need. If we know of someone else who has the information, you will be referred directly to that sourceWe network with other agribusinesses, service providers, educators and specialists on a daily basis, and keep a current referral database on various topics.
Consulting: When farmers can benefit from working one-on-one with someone knowledgeable about farm finances, farm options, family communication or personal issues, a FarmNet consultant will often come out to the farm to meet with the family. Farm Family Consultants and Farm Business Consultants provide free and confidential on-farm visits to answer questions and help find solutions to concerns. Topics include (but are not limited to) business and family finances, farm changes, farm management, disaster, stress, family communication and conflict. Sometimes the consultant will only make one visit, but more frequently the consultant will make several visits. Frequently two consultants will make co-visits in order to assure that both farm and family concerns are addressed.
FarmNet services are provided to farmers at no cost. Sometimes you may be referred to someone who must charge a fee for their services, but there is no fee for FarmNet services (including consulting.)
Workshops, support groups, Agriservice Newsletter, access to NY FarmLink
NY FarmNet is funded through grants, contracts and sponsorships (both public and private). The main sponsor of FarmNet is the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM), but there are many other sponsors that may vary from year to year.
NY FarmNet is a non-profit program, managed internally by the FarmNet Director who works with a Board of Directors. FarmNet is housed and administered by Cornell University, and is coordinated with Cornell Cooperative Extension. Sponsors and affiliates make referrals to FarmNet because their customers and constituents benefit from working with FarmNet, but confidentiality is maintained—our sponsors and affiliates do not receive private or individualized information about our callers without written permission. FarmNet works hard to remain an objective, professional and confidential program with a focus on providing support to farmers.
Yes! In this age of technology many people think that the “net” in FarmNet refers to the internet, but it does not. The "net" in FarmNet refers to the network of services and resources that are available to support farm families and businesses.
“When a farm family and a couple of professionals can successfully tackle knotty emotional issues plus complex financial and production ones all in the same meeting, it feels like a miracle—that's the relationship I have with FarmNet.“ Steve Hadcock, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia Co