Dairy farmer Andrew Cole of Canajoharie, New York, was awarded a grant for farm business planning. Andrew will work with a Business Consultant at Farm Credit East to assess the farm’s current financial standing on a year-to-year basis and benchmark against industry averages. This practice will help Andrew set realistic business goals for Glastenbury Farm and help plan for the older generation to retire.
Andrew’s parents, Mike and Linda, bought the farm in 1990 and started with 12 cows. Mike grew the herd to 65 cows, and with Andrew joining the business in 2015, they grew to 100 registered Jerseys. Andrew knows that in order to expand his dairy business additional employees will be necessary, and he is working on his farm management skills to attract and retain staff.