Information sessions being held until Friday, May 22
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
In conjunction with May being recognized as Beef Month in New York, the state’s Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said New York Beef Council’s “Farm to Fork” tours are great opportunities for consumers to have conversations with the people who produce their beef.
“There has been increased demand for locally grown beef over the last few years,” said Commissioner Ball. “These tours will give consumers a window into cattle farm operations across Upstate New York and the dedicated farmers behind them.”
Tours will be held until Friday, May 22. Each tour runs from 10am – 2pm and will include a free steak lunch.
The tours are:
- Wednesday, May 20 – Westerlo NY/Golden Acres (Capital Region)
- Thursday, May 21 – Earlville, NY/Drover Hill Farm (Central NY)
- Friday, May 22 – Medina, NY/SK Hereford (Finger Lakes)
“Consumers want to know where there food is coming from and these tours will help restaurant owners and retail establishments learn more about the products they’re selling and better understand the importance of the local beef industry to New York State’s agricultural economy as a whole,” Ball said.
Currently there are more than 13,000 cattle farms in New York housing a total of nearly 1.45 million cattle. They generate more than $294 million in sales to New York’s economy.
"Our goal is to educate influencers about the beef industry in New York State and we hope in turn they will spread the message about beef production in the state,” said Jean O’Toole, Director of Public Relations for the New York Beef Industry Council.
Tell us your thoughts about these “Farm to Fork” tours. Should there similar events around the country?