The sheep and goat industries in New York are experiencing a resurgence, largely tied to increased consumer demand for dairy products from sheep and goat milk, as well as the rapidly growing practice of grazing sheep under large solar installations.
Jessica Waltemyer has joined the PRO-LIVESTOCK team as the small ruminant systems specialist. Her focus is to support small ruminant producers of varying sizes and production approaches, and will include statewide extension programming, research, and support of Cornell Cooperative Extension educators, the Cornell Small Farms Program and allied industry professionals.
“Small ruminant producers are passionate about the industry, and NY has continued to grow in small ruminant sheep and goats in part because of our solar initiatives, while other states have leveled off,” Waltemeyer said. “With best management practice training, business planning training and continued small ruminants research, we can see this industry become a viable option for NY producers to see economic return.”
A collaboration with Northeast Fiber Exchange Program, the Fashion Innovation Center and the Hudson Valley Textile Project is one of Waltemyer’s first efforts. She sees supporting management practices to produce high quality fiber products and training on recognizing and sorting high quality fibers as a marketing opportunity for NY producers.
Waltemeyer is also focused on eliminating bottlenecks to growth of the industry, including limitations in meat processing capacity, small ruminant veterinary care, and a need for farm succession planning. Demand for support and information in this industry is high, she said, with over 450 producers registering for a recent small ruminant webinar on managing internal parasites that she offered.
Waltemyer was born and raised on a small family farm in Butler County, Pennsylvania. She has always had a passion for livestock, community outreach and knowledge. Currently, she lives on and manages a 220-acre farm with her husband, Marc, and their three kids Jaxson, Cole and Trace. They milk 70 head of Jersey and Holstein dairy cattle, and raise a flock of 20 hair sheep, two livestock guardian dogs, five herding dogs and six riding horses.
Waltemeyer brings 14 years of experience serving the Cornell Department of Animal Science, where she managed the 250-head Cornell Sheep Flock and collaborated with staff and faculty to develop research projects and undergraduate courses. In addition to her management role, she also instructed the Practical Large Animal Handling Course, co-lectured the Dairy Sheep Management Course, instructed Advance Lambing Internships and was the instructor for the Meats Course. She has a MPS from Cornell University and a BS from University of Findlay.
