6. North Country Dairy Viability Initiative (NCDVI)

Location:

• The cluster has participation from stakeholders within the entire dairy industry supply chain throughout the northern tier of New York.  Six counties; Clinton, Essex, St. Lawrence, Franklin, Lewis and Jefferson participate in some way.

Common feature:

• The NCDVI is a group of representative members of various stakeholders in the dairy supply chain such as producers, manufacturers, dairy cooperatives, community members and agri-service providers including educators and economic development professionals who came together initially in response to the threat of the closing of a major cheese manufacturing facility. 

Why interesting:

• This group includes many non-producer participants and despite challenges and tensions, the group has continued their interactions despite the early setback of a plant closing.  With efforts towards preventing the closing unsuccessful but information gathered on the resulting impact of the closing on producer prices as partial successes, the group continued work on identified areas needing attention. These representatives recognized that regardless of short-term differences in perspective, the complete value chain could and would be negatively impacted by the failure of any one piece. The mission has become to strengthen the position of all stakeholders to improve the overall health of the system. The recognition that critical mass and system sustainability is crucial for all individuals has encouraged this group to continue the mutually agreed on activities including activities such as education of all stakeholders on system realities, promotion of the industry, and research of opportunities and challenges.

Types and numbers participants:

• Executive Committee – 15 individuals – one representative from each of the six counties (CCE usually) one manufacturer, a representative of economic development, one cooperative representative, one producer and one Cornell campus based representative.
• Steering Committee– A much more inclusive list, about 50 people.
• County committees – Sub-groups working on issues specific to that county. Not all counties have active committees. I.e St. Lawrence county sponsored a dairy night at Clarkson Hockey arena featuring a cow painted zamboni and worked on milk vending machines in local schools.
• Sub-committees – I.E. manufacturing subcommittee met around a project to investigate a local manufacturing facility for MPC’s.

Brief history:

• Group started in 2001 with regional listening sessions. Activities have been on-going. Structure and inclusive participation are on-going topics of discussion.

Key contacts:

• Doug Dornbier – Kraft, Judy Tomlinson - Empire State Development, Doug Shelmidine – dairy producer, Dr. Richard Halpin – CCE of Jefferson Co., Madeline Pennington – Retired from CCE of St.Lawrence Co., R. David Smith, Cornell /CCE.

Liaison:
Molly Ames, Farm Business Mgt Educator, Jefferson County Cooperative Extension, 129 Mullin Street, Watertown, NY 13617, Phone: 315-788-8450, Email: mba7@cornell.edu.