Diane and Rob Rollins have been selling turkeys for Thanksgiving at their D&R Farm in Hampden, MA, since 2009. They also raise and sell chickens, eggs, seasonal produce, jams, pies and baked goods from their farm store and at farmers markets. Rob was born and raised on Sunny Acres Farm in bordering ...

After being in practice for more than 40 years, Dr. Pam Ruegg, DVM, Michigan State University, has seen many changes not only in how mastitis is detected, but how it’s treated. “What I’m seeing around the U.S. is a lapse in people using DHIA individual cow data, fewer people doing foremilking and re...

A paper published in May 2025 in “Microbiology Spectrum” examined the practice of applying beneficial biofilms to calf hutches. To the authors’ knowledge, it was the first study to evaluate the use of beneficial biofilms in individual pre-weaned calf housing. One of the authors, Sarah Morrison, a re...

In a recent presentation, Brook Duer, staff attorney, Penn State Center for Agricultural & Shale Law , shared information on H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act). The legislation enacted on July 4, 2025 created a reconciliation bill that made appropriations to select agencies and programs. Title ...

We are now seeing the end of autumn’s beautiful foliage, with the chill of winter winds reminding us of the cold weather to come. And we’re all getting ready to mark off that checklist of “to-dos” before winter sets in. Safety – Here in the Catskill Mountains of New York, we are at the end of the ea...

An article titled “Attack of the Superweeds” was written by H. Claire Brown in the New York Times four years ago. The sub-heading read “Herbicides are losing the war…and agriculture might never be the same again.” Brown began by explaining the concept of superweeds: “Weeds that have evolved characte...

The inaugural American Dairy XPO (ADX) delivered all that it promised – the latest in cutting-edge technology, global innovation and education as well as plenty of opportunities for socializing and networking. The premier dairy trade show, which took place Nov. 5 and 6 at the Champlain Valley Exposi...

Many farmers rely on a variety of farm safety net programs to ensure protection for the investments they’ve made in crops and livestock. Jeremy Forrett, retail financial services leader, Farm Credit East, discussed changes in FSA programs and federal crop insurance resulting from the passage of One ...

Planting cover crops is like eating your vegetables – just because you know you should doesn’t mean you will. And like vegetables, the good news about cover crops is the same as the bad: they’re just too beneficial to pass up. While the last thing you probably want to do after an autumn harvest is p...