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June 13, 2020
- • Featured • Announcements
8th Annual Dairy Cow Birthing Center - Postponed
The letter below is the official release announcing the decision that the NYAAC Board of Directors made on June 12, 2020 to postpone the 8th Annual Dairy Cow Birthing Center. Also included are anticipated frequently asked questions.
Dairy Cow Birthing Center Supporters,
For the past seven years, the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition (NYAAC) has had the opportunity to meet hundreds of thousands of visitors at the Dairy Cow Birthing Center each year. We have welcomed more than 250 uddermiracles into the world while providing the chance for our visitors to meet and engage with dairy farmers, industry representatives, and passionate dairy advocates. Since day one, our goal has remained the same, to help fairgoers, near and far, understand and appreciate animal agriculture through dialogue and engagement.
While we fully anticipated bringing new and exciting changes to our exhibit this year, it is with great sadness that today we announce that the 2020 Dairy Cow Birthing Center will not be held at the New York State Fair.
We know this is incredibly disappointing for our avid followers, anticipated fair visitors, and for our sponsors and volunteers. Preparing for an exhibit of this caliber takes a lot of planning and preparation and it’s something that doesn’t come together overnight. We took as much time as we could and are making this decision based on information we have today. The decision to postpone this event is one that we didn’t take lightly but this exhibit does not happen without the help of hundreds of volunteers. As a result of COVID-19 and the uncertainty of the near future, the health and safety of our volunteers, visitors, and host farms would be compromised if we were to continue forward this year.
NYAAC is a not-for-profit organization that remains committed to bringing an experience to you this fall, in place of the Dairy Cow Birthing Center. We know that there are many people that look forward to witnessing the miracle of life, meeting with and talking with farmers, and learning about the dairy industry. It is our goal to bring a new experience to you that accurately shows all of the components of dairy farming in New York State including crops, cows, milk production, and even some uddermiracles. Stay tuned to our social media channels and our previous text messaging service for more information as we get closer to this fall experience.
We anticipate being back in full swing at the 2021 New York State Fair and hope to see you in person in Syracuse, where we will continue to bring the experience of a lifetime to you as you visit the Dairy Cow Birthing Center. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time at eileen@nyanimalag.org. Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Eileen Jensen
Executive Director
New York Animal Agriculture Coalition
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 8th annual Dairy Cow Birthing Center postponed?
After lots of discussions with volunteers, farmers, sponsors, and agriculture industry organizations, it has been determined that the 2020 event needed to be postponed for the following main reasons:
- The health and safety of our visitors, farmers, sponsors, and volunteers are a top priority when planning an event of this caliber.
- It takes nearly 300 volunteers to ensure the experience our visitors receive is a positive one. After surveying more than 500 of our volunteers who have worked with us in the past, it was determined that we could not guarantee we would have an effective number of people willing to safely attend the State Fair this year.
- With the uncertainty of the future due to COVID-19, we needed to make this decision based on information we have today. We don’t know where our communities will be in two months as it relates to re-opening, therefore the unknowns are incredibly difficult to plan around.
- The experience that fair-goers receive when visiting the Dairy Cow Birthing Center is a personal one. We take pride in providing the opportunity to have close conversations, provide an intimate and engaging experience and we believe that it would be incredibly difficult to provide an effective experience while implementing current CDC guidelines.
Who made the decision to postpone this event?
The New York Animal Agriculture Coalition (NYAAC) is the host for the Dairy Cow Birthing Center each year. The decision to postpone the 2020 event was voted on by the NYAAC Board of Directors after being provided guidance and information from NYAAC staff.
Why not wait to make this decision?
The Birthing Center does not come together overnight. In fact, it’s an event that takes nearly a year to plan. We have waited as long as we could to make this decision. We will now focus our time and efforts into providing an alternative experience this fall for our avid followers and animal agriculture enthusiasts.
Will the Dairy Cow Birthing Center return in 2021?
We are grateful to be part of the New York State Fair each year and we look forward to bringing farmers and uddermiracles to you in Syracuse next year.
My organization provided sponsorship for 2020, what happens with our donation?
All organizations that have provided sponsorship, grants, and donations for the 2020 event will be contacted by Eileen Jensen, NYAAC Executive Director, within the coming weeks to discuss this decision.
What will the NY Animal Agriculture Coalition be doing in place of the Dairy Cow Birthing Center this year?
The mission of NYAAC is to help others understand and appreciate animal agriculture and that doesn’t stop with the Dairy Cow Birthing Center. It is our goal to provide an impactful and engaging experience for all of our avid Birthing Center followers. We will be focusing our time on developing some great ideas that our Board of Directors are excited to see come to fruition this fall. We will be continuing to work with our Advisory Committee and some volunteers who are willing to share their experiences with you so stay tuned for more information as our new experience comes to life.
Will we be able to witness uddermiracles this year?
It is our hope and great intention to provide an experience this fall that includes the opportunity to witness the miracle of life on dairy farms. We don’t know exactly what this experience looks like just yet, but stay tuned for more information as our ideas and plans continue to be developed.
How do I stay up to date on information being provided by the NY Animal Agriculture Coalition?
NYAAC is active on social media channels and all information related to programs, events, news, and the NY animal industry will be posted on those platforms as well as our website. Stay tuned to @NYAnimalAg or www.nyanimalag.org to stay engaged.
How can I support the NY Animal Agriculture Coalition to ensure engaging programs continue to be provided?
NYAAC is a farmer founded and funded not-for-profit 501c3 organization that strives to enhance the public’s understanding of and appreciation for animal agriculture and modern farm practices. NYAAC is effective in doing so by engaging the public in conversations about animal agriculture and empowering farmers to tell their story firsthand. Our funding for projects just like the Dairy Cow Birthing Center comes from donations, sponsorships, and grants. We will be providing an opportunity to give back to NYAAC during some online fundraisers this fall. Stay tuned to our social media channels (@NYAnimalAg) for your opportunity to help ensure programs continue to be brought to your local community.
Who do I contact with questions?
If you have questions please feel free to contact Eileen Jensen, NYAAC Executive Director at eileen@nyanimalag.org or (315) 719-2795 or Steve Palladino, NYAAC Chairman at steve.walnutridgedairy@gmail.com or (607) 280-4348.