The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Office of Tioga County invites farmers and livestock producers from around the region to this month’s Farmer2Farmer Potluck Social on Tuesday, April 28, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the CCE Conference Room in the basement of the Ronald E. Dougherty Office Building at 56 Main St. in Owego. This month’s topic is meat processing.
Each month the CCE Tioga hosts an informal potluck dinner and discussion about a timely and relevant topic. Guest speakers are sometimes invited to share insights and to answer questions about specific topics.
This month, Marty Broccoli, program specialist at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County will facilitate discussion among producers about issues surrounding meat processing in the region. As a program specialist, Marty oversees implementation of the County’s Farmland Protection Program, including dozens of economic development initiatives designed to help foster a climate that supports and promotes the retention and expansion of agriculture businesses within the county and beyond.
“Marty brings expertise and years of experience to the discussion,” stated Michele Kline, CCE Ag Team leader. “Many farmers believe there is a bottleneck in getting animals processed, yet leaders in agriculture consider the Southern Tier a great place to raise more livestock to meet the demand for locally grown meat. I hope that by bringing producers together with experts like Marty, farmers can develop a plan that will both promote and grow the meat industry.”
At this event, Marty will help area producers explore answers to questions such as, “Is there really a bottleneck in the meat industry?” “Can the Southern Tier raise more livestock?” “What are the marketing opportunities if we do?” All are invited to attend and are asked to RSVP by calling (607) 687-4020 or emailing Michele Kline at ms328@cornell.edu no later than Monday, April 27.
