The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a $250,000 grant to Cornell University to boost the marketing infrastructure for lambs and goats in the Northeast.

The initial project, which runs to July 2002, includes the development of a regionwide small ruminant auction that will unite small producers and buyers throughout the Northeast through a telephone conference link.

Marketing conferences will be conducted to ensure that this effort meets the needs of producers in the region. Marketing pools throughout the region will be established. Through these pools, producers will be able to combine their output for more effective transportation and marketing. Additionally, a marketing association for small ruminants will be developed and will serve as the regional information clearinghouse.

The grant also provides for designs for – but not the construction of – a state-of-the-art Kosher/Halal kill room. The completed plans will be available to any plant wishing to build or upgrade its slaughter facility.

The grant was written by Duncan Hilchey, a senior Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) associate in rural sociology; Joe Regenstein, Cornell professor of food science; Tatiana Stanton and Tro Bui, CCE associates in animal science; and Michael Thonney, Cornell professor of animal science. The project will be administered by the university's Department of Animal Science.

Robert Melchior has been hired as marketing coordinator. Melchior is a sheep producer in the Newark Valley with extensive experience in finance and commodity trading. He has wide experience in marketing both sheep and goats in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Melchior can be contacted at (607) 255-2850 or by e-mail at mlt2@cornell.edu . His address is: Department of Animal Science, Morrison Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. 14853-4801.