Ag Solutions and Networking Expo

February 18, 2025 · Bouck Hall Ballroom, SUNY Cobleskill

Join us for a day of networking and collaboration tailored to farmers, rural landowners, and aspiring agriculturalists. The event is designed to focus on the topics that matter most to the agricultural community in our region.

Co-hosted by Schoharie Ag Development, New York Farm Bureau, Cornell Cooperative Extension, SUNY Cobleskill's Institute for Rural Vitality, NYSERDA, and National Grid

Lunch Included

Register by Monday, February 11

Agenda

Tuesday, February 18

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Vendor Set up

8:30 AM

Registration opens

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Vendor Expo Open

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Introduction/Welcome

10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

1: Breakout Session

Choose between 4 concurrent sessions

1a: Clean Energy Solutions for Greenhouses & CEA (virtual)

Gretchen Schimelpfenig, Executive Director, Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering(GLASE)

1b: Going Green: Renewable Energy Support for NY Farms

Guillermo Metz, Solar and Agriculture Senior Resource Educator, CCE Tompkins County Lauren Ray, Agricultural Sustainability and Energy Engineer, Cornell’s Pro-Dairy

1c: Value Add and Product Development

Mary Cool, Food Scientist, Institute for Rural Vitality

1d: Diversification in Action: Real-Life Success Stories from the Farm

Deb Pernat, Dairy Farmer

10:45 AM - 11:00 AM

Break

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM

2: Breakout Session

Choose between 4 concurrent sessions

2a: Secure the Future of the Family Farm for Generations to Come

Laurie Bedford, Financial Consultant, NY FarmNet

2b: Local Ag Issues Roundtables

Steven Smith, District 9 Director , New York Farm Bureau & Caroline Myran, Agricultural Development Specialist, Schoharie County Office of Agricultural Business Development

2c: Building Farm Resilience: A Peer-to-Peer Discussion on Climate, Disaster Preparedness, and Funding

Savanna S. Shelnutt Harvest New York Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist

2d: Growing Agritourism: Free Resources to Promote Your Farm

Cassandra Harrington, Executive Director, Destination Marketing and Visit Schoharie County

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Lunch with NYFB Public Policy

Members of the NYFB public policy department will provide an update on the state's agricultural legislative issues.

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Networking and Vendor Expo

Network with vendors and speakers

Speakers

Savanna Shelnutt

Cass Harrington

Cass is the designated Tourism Promotion Agent for Schoharie County, NY as recognized by Empire State Development and I LOVE NEW YORK.

Caroline Myran

Steven Smith

Laurie Bedford

Financial Consultant for NY FarmNet, covering the capital district, Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountain farms.

Renée St. Jacques is Senior Associate Director of Public Policy and Promotion & Engagement at New York Farm Bureau and works on a variety of policy issues, including renewable energy and food policy.

Kyle Wallach

Katherine Slye-Hernandez, PhD

Lauren Ray

Guillermo Metz

Guillermo Metz is a Solar and Agriculture Senior Resource Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County, helping farmers and other stakeholders navigate large-scale solar development, including opportunities to co-site solar with ag.

Gretchen Schimelpfenig, PE

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