Farming's image suffers in Watertown vicinity

The smell of country air in Jefferson County isn't always sweet.

A recent survey shows neighbors' perceptions of dairy farms are less favorable in Watertown, Black River and surrounding communities than in other farming communities throughout the state, and, according to Julie R. Berry, the agricultural outreach coordinator for the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition, one of the most common complaints from Watertown respondents was the smell of manure.

The survey, conducted by the coalition last spring, showed that 85 percent of state dairy farm neighbors have a favorable impression of dairy farming. In Watertown, the number was 73 percent.

The survey included a total of 647 online interviews from six farming communities, including Auburn/Cayuga County, Avon/Batavia, Rochester/Ontario County, Black River/Watertown, Geneva, and Albany/

Saratoga. The respondents lived within five miles of a farm, but were not farmers or farmworkers.

Ms. Berry said less favorable views likely indicated a lack of knowledge of farming practices among the general public, not a lack of smell in the state's other farming communities.

In fact, she said, the sometimes pungent odors are actually a "sign of good practices" on the part of the farmer, and had neighbors known, they might have responded differently. Smells from dairy farms can be worsened by the use of manure pits, which are an environmentally sound way for farmers to store fertilizer, Ms. Berry said.

She said she suspects that public misunderstanding about dairy farming practices results from growing numbers of people having little background in farming and not knowing whom to approach with questions or concerns.

"We want consumers to know what's happening on farms and feel comfortable asking questions," Ms. Berry said. "As socially networked as we are today, it's easier for messages and misinformation to spread."

She said she is not certain why Watertown respondents showed a less favorable view of farms than those in other parts of the state, but suggested that the number of newcomers unaccustomed to dairy farms owing to the expansion of Fort Drum or the small scope of the survey, which included only 100 respondents from each community, might play a role.

The coalition has run billboards in Watertown, Canton, Albany, Auburn, Buffalo, Ithaca, Cortland, Saratoga, Warsaw, Batavia, Perry and Rochester. It also ran public service announcements in April on television stations in Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany.

The public service announcements feature clips of interviews with farmers and one of five themes: farming as a family tradition, environmental stewardship, farms as a source of quality food, animal treatment and the positive effects of farms on communities.

Watertown's comparatively low scores prompted the Jefferson County Agricultural Development Corp. to partner with the coalition in educational efforts by helping to run the public service announcements on Watertown television stations. The advertisements started the first week in November.

County Agricultural Coordinator Jay M. Matteson said the board had realized before the survey that "there was a need to help the public understand and appreciate dairy farming and its impact on the area. The study showed that the Watertown area actually ranked lower as far as public understanding than other areas. When that study came out, we felt, well, that certainly justifies the effort."

The survey also measured the effectiveness of the campaign efforts.

From 77 percent to 87 percent of respondents who had seen the television advertisements and billboards about dairy farming consider them to be very believable, and three quarters of these respondents indicated that they result in a much more favorable image of dairy farming for them.

ON THE NET

Jefferson County Dairy Farms: www.jeffersoncountydairy

farms.com

New York Animal Agriculture Coalition: www.farmskeepny

green.com