With increased consumer interest in local foods, many farmers are becoming entrepreneurs as they start dairy food-related businesses to add value to the milk they produce.

New York, for example, has been experiencing a relative boom in small dairy processors recently. About 30 new dairy processing plants have popped up in the past three years, almost all of which have been of the small farmstead variety, said Rob Ralyea, a senior extension associate at Cornell.

And rural farmers aren't the only ones getting in on the act, he said. Interest from urban dwellers has prompted Ralyea to travel to New York City to deliver a seminar on starting small dairy processing operations.

"We see a lot of people in the state who desire to get into a dairy processing type operation," he said. "However, they don't fully understand the ramifications and what it takes. We try to provide them with honest answers to gauge whether it is something they really want to do."

At an entry-level workshop scheduled for March 31 at 55 Hanson Place in Brooklyn, experts from Cornell's Department of Food Science and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets will share advice about how to get started, choose equipment and market products. They will also provide an overview of regulations governing dairy processing, and share pitfalls as well as success stories.

A previous workshop, held Feb. 17 in Montgomery County, attracted 50 people in varying stages of starting an agribusiness.

Several participants said they planned to make changes to their farming operations because of what they learned. One noted: "The information provided in this workshop has helped me decide to change our planning process and the scale we want to start at."

"Being armed with information helps those who start a business do it right the first time and helps bolster the dairy industry in New York," Ralyea added. "These workshops play a critical role not only for the local food movement, but also support the state's economic development."

Oneida County farmers will also have the opportunity to attend a similar workshop at the Oriskany Cornell Cooperative Extension office May 13. The Department of Food Science also offers advanced workshops in dairy food processing and production, providing training in areas ranging from milk pasteurization to cheese making.

Stacey Shackford is a staff writer at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.