By Matt Sheffer, NEAFA Treasurer
Harvest is complete, football season has brought excitement or disappointment for your favorite team, and we begin the transition into the holiday season. Thanksgiving to many of us, me included, is a time spent with family, food, and the high probability of a post-meal nap. Happily, in our industry the historical context and tradition of Thanksgiving is still honored as a harvest celebration.
While the holiday combines old and new traditions, one that is constant is taking a moment to reflect and give thanks. As I look through the lens of NEAFA there is much to be thankful for. As an organization we continue to support and grow a sustainable agribusiness industry in the Northeast. To do so we need and rely on our members to be active in the organization by becoming sustaining sponsors, attending the Golf for Good Works tournament, the Annual Meeting, and volunteering time by serving on committees and the board of directors. It is due to this active membership we can continue our Good Works donation program, NEAFA scholarship, and opportunistic giving as there is an industry need.
A great benefit of NEAFA is our self-sustainment. As we begin to wrap up CY2024, our organizations financials are again strong. Sue and our events committee do a great job keeping costs in line. Both our income and expenses are within 5% of budget on our financial statements. This financial freedom allows us to donate to many worthy causes in our industry. I have shared below a list of past recipients of our Good Works funds.
Thank you for your continued support of the organization and speaking for both the executive board, and board of directors, we hope you have a great Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends.
Matt Sheffer
NEAFA Treasurer
o 4-H Junior Dairy Leaders Program & 4-H Foundation
o FFA Foundation & FFA Scholarship Program
o NY Animal Agriculture Coalition Birthing Center at the NYS Fair
o Madison County Junior Holstein Association
o NY Holstein Spring Dairy Carousel
o NY Holstein Association All Breeds Senior Convention
o New England Green Pastures Program
o 4-H Junior Dairy Leader Programs
o 4-H Dairy Judging Teams
o Northeast Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge
o Cornell University Alliance for Science
o Vermont State Dairy 4-H
o Cobleskill Dairy Judging Team
o LEAD NY
o Maine 4-H Foundation
o Clinton County Farm Bureau – Day on the Farm
o Food and Farm Experience, NYFB Foundation
o 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Teams
o Cornell Dairy Fellows Program
o Oakfield Corners Dairy - Growing Through Showing Program
o Vermont Breakfast on the Farm