Dairy Program

A program for dairy producers and advisors in the Northeast.

The USDA Northeast Climate Hub, in collaboration with Cornell University, is offering a cohort-based learning and training opportunity for dairy producers and technical service providers who are interested in climate change adaptation and mitigation.

This program is for dairy producers who are thinking about climate change, interested in learning about climate impacts, and motivated to pursue climate adaptation and/or mitigation within their operation. This program is also for service providers who work with dairy farmers and are interested in strengthening their abilities to provide climate-focused support. Farmers and service providers must be located in New York, Vermont, or Maine to be eligible for this program.

Program Goals

• Provide geographically specific climate change information relevant to vegetable and small fruit production

• Empower dairy farmers and agricultural advisors to become climate leaders in their communities through peer-to-peer learning

• Create opportunities for farmers to create farm-specific climate adaptation and mitigation plans with support

• Strengthen agricultural advisor knowledge and abilities in climate adaptation and mitigation planning

• Support development of outreach and education products that reach farmers and agricultural advisors beyond the program

What do Fellows in this program do?

• Work in farmer/service provider pairs throughout fellowship 

• Receive both in-person and online climate change training and resources from subject matter experts 

•  Learn how to create a farm-specific climate adaptation and mitigation plan 

• Build a community of other dairy producers and advisors who are concerned about and ready to address climate change through field walks, peer-to-peer network meetings, or talks relevant to specific subject matter requests

• Gain experience and confidence talking about climate change