Friday is entry deadline in forage quality contest

Cornell Cooperation Extension of Northern New York and WH Miner Agricultural Research Institute educators are reminding regional farmers there is still time to submit samples for analysis and the opportunity to win cash prizes as part of the Northern New York Forage Quality Cup competition. Samples will be accepted with a submission form and a $5 sample fee until Friday.

Farmers may also bring samples to the Crop Congress meetings on Wednesday in Carthage or Thursday in Madrid.

Contact Cornell Cooperative Extension offices in Canton, Lowville, Malone, Plattsburgh, Watertown or Westport for a submission form. The Northern New York Forage Quality Cup competition is organized by the Cornell Cooperative Extension associations of Northern New York and Dairy One.

Forage samples will be judged on a county-by-county and a regional basis for forage quality analysis and the milk per ton calculation based on the University of Wisconsin MILK2006 program.

Farmers may submit entries in three categories: conventional (non-BMR) corn silage, BMR corn silage, and haylage/baleage. Farmers will receive a standard forage analysis (valued at $16) from the Dairy One Forage Lab in Ithaca for each entry.

The Dairy One Forage Lab; Miller Spraying; Blue Sea Richer Dairy Nutrition; Farm Credit East, ACA, Burrville and Potsdam; Feed Commodities International, Inc.; Cargill Animal Nutrition; Countryside Veterinary Clinic; Renaissance Nutrition, Inc., and D&D Spray Service are co-sponsoring the competition.

The top-rated samples in each county will receive $50 cash prizes with a $200 cash award presented to the regional winner from all six counties for non-BMR corn silage and haylage/baleage. BMR corn samples will be accepted with one overall regional winner receiving a $200 cash prize.

County contacts for more information are:

■ Clinton and Essex counties: Anita Deming, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County, Westport, 1 (518) 962-4810 ext. 409.

■ Franklin and St. Lawrence counties: Stephen R. Canner, Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County, Canton, 379-9192.

■ Jefferson County: Ronald Kuck, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, Watertown, 788-8450.

■ Lewis County: Joseph R. Lawrence, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Lewis County, Lowville, 376-5270.