Our Mission
We help New York State farms navigate times of transition, opportunity, and challenge. We accomplish our mission through educational programming and holistic consulting that addresses financial, family, and social stress.
Vision
NY FarmNet is a leading resource for a diverse, dynamic, and healthy agricultural community.
Audience
NY FarmNet serves the needs of NY farms and farm families in dealing with the financial and emotional challenges they are facing. We assist new and existing farmers by addressing the financial challenges and opportunities involved in building a successful farm business. We also aid agribusiness professionals who work with farms in understanding the stress and mental challenges of farming and how to effectively interact with these situations.
Funding
NY FarmNet receives funding from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the New York State Office of Mental Health, the Cornell College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, public and private grants, and donors. We are a part of the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University.
NY FarmNet works with farmers in times of crisis, change, and opportunity.
Founded in 1986 in response to the national farm crisis, NY FarmNet provides free, confidential, on-farm consulting to any farmer, farm family, or agribusiness employee in New York State. Our program operates an 800 help line where a caller can reach someone any time of day, throughout the year, without having to navigate through a phone menu.
NY FarmNet consultants work with farmers in teams of two, one focusing on financial issues and one focusing on family or emotional issues. Financial consultants have a background in agriculture and assist with business plans, cash flow analysis, succession planning, life after farming, developing financial records and record-keeping systems, and loan applications, to name a few. Family consultants have a master’s level degree in social work or counseling. They work with farmers to improve family and marital relations, develop strategies for better communication, manage stress and anxiety, facilitate difficult discussions, and run family business meetings so that all members have a voice.
NY FarmNet was founded by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, and the main office still operates from Ithaca as part of the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics &Management. The Dyson School is part of Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the SC Johnson College of Business. NY FarmNet is funded primarily by grants from the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets and the NYS Office of Mental Health.
NY FarmNet 2019 Program Evaluation Report
Compiled by Amelia Parseghian and Kate Downs