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Posts Tagged ‘New York’
Sunday, October 9th, 2011
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently released a third round of state funding to farmers still struggling in the wake of Hurricane Irene. The hurricane, which struck the Atlantic coast last month, did significant damage to farms across the eastern seaboard, hitting with particular fury in North Carolina and New York. New York famers suffered several million dollars in damages as a result of the tropical storm.
Cuomo recently announced that over $1.2 million will be released from the state’s Agricultural and Community Recovery Fund, the third release over the last several weeks.
“This aid will provide immediate assistance to agricultural communities so farmers can begin the rebuilding process,” Governor Cuomo said. “I have visited hard-hit farming areas and seen firsthand the damage to crops, fields, and property. We will continue moving quickly to distribute these funds so those affected by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee can recover as soon as possible.”
The recovery fund was initially announced on September 3, and will provide over $15 million to New York farmers. Funding is designed to help farmers stabilize soil banks, repair waterways, and improve water quality.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Andrew Cuomo, Hurricane Irene, New York
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Monday, October 3rd, 2011
New York farm officials are warning against consumption of raw milk in Tompkins County, particularly milk produced at Jerry Dell Farm in Freeville, New York. A series of illnesses have been traced to the farm, reigniting debate over the safety of unpasteurized milk and dairy products.
On September 22, Jerry Dell Farm was informed by officials from the New York Department of Health and Agriculture that two people were sickened after consuming raw milk from their farm. Subsequent testing detected the presence of Campylobacter, a bacterium frequently found in dairy farms. Ingestion of tainted food can cause cramps, fever, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal distress. Symptoms frequently clear up within five days, but can be serious to individuals with weakened or compromised immune systems.
The discovery has increased debate over the safety of unpasteurized milk products. Many states ban the sale of raw milk entirely, requiring that all dairy products sold to consumers undergo pasteurization to guarantee the destruction of all potential pathogens. New York allows the direct sale of unpasteurized products to consumers, provided that the product be accompanied by a warning that consumption of raw milk could potentially be dangerous.
Many New Yorkers believe that the illnesses that could occur from consuming raw milk outweigh any potential benefits. Supporters of unpasteurized products, however, claim that pasteurization destroys important nutrients. They also claim that raw milk industries help support local farmers.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: dairy farms, New York, raw milk
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Friday, September 16th, 2011
Farmers across the Eastern Seaboard are still reeling from the damage caused by Hurricane Irene. The hurricane, which swept up the east coast, did significant amounts of damage in coastal North Carolina and New York. New York, which is not typically in the path of Atlantic hurricanes, was particularly hard hit with the state’s multi-billion dollar agricultural industry still struggling to repair the damage by the storm.
New York state officials have estimated the agricultural damage to be around $45 million. In response to the storm, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo created a $15 million fund to help repair damaged farms and compensate farmers whose businesses have suffered. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has stepped in, offering low interest loans to farmers hurt by Irene.
New York Senator Chuck Schumer, however, wants the USDA to do more. In a statement earlier this week, Schumer advocated eliminating interest rates for farmers taking out loans to cover Irene. The current interest for disaster loans is 3.75 percent. According to Schumer, “The biggest banks pay almost no interest on their loans every day — forcing farmers to pay a higher interest rate when they have just been walloped by back-to-back storms is flat-out unfair.”
The USDA has not currently responded to Schumer’s proposal.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Chuck Schumer, Hurricane Irene, New York, usda
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Friday, September 2nd, 2011
New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand spent last week touring her state in the wake of Hurricane Irene. During her tour, Gillibrand gave a series of public talks and statements regarding the future of agriculture in the United States and addressing the 2012 Farm Bill. Gillibrand has been at the forefront of agricultural reform in New York State and in the U.S. as a whole.
One of the more important parts of Gillibrand’s tour was her discussion of federal agricultural policy, specifically immigration reform. According to Gillibrand, the failure of Congress to address immigration reform in a way that can aid agricultural production could damage America’s ability to grow enough food, forcing us to rely on imports from abroad. In a sense, Gillibrand argued, this failure represents a potential threat to national security.
Gillibrand’s fears are not completely off base. Recent immigration laws in Georgia and Alabama have severely hurt those state’s agricultural sectors and have cost them millions of dollars in lost revenue. Gillibrand has backed legislation that would loosen restrictions on the guest worker program, but has complained that Congress has instead sought to make it more difficult for foreign workers to enter the United States.
In addition to discussing farm policy, Gillibrand and her colleague Chuck Schumer toured regions hit by Hurricane Irene. The full extent of the damage caused by Irene has yet to be totaled, but the estimates so far are extensive. Gillibrand urged the Department of Agriculture to declare a state of disaster as quickly as possible to ensure that New York farmers can make ready use of disaster funds.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: farm bill, Hurricane Irene, Kirsten Gillibrand, New York
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Sunday, July 24th, 2011
Earlier this week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed sweeping legislation that would significantly cut wine regulations. The legislation has been debated for the past two years. In 2008, the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets commissioned a study of state wineries. The ultimate goal of the commission was to explore ways to boost the state’s lucrative wine industry.
The Fine Winery Bill, which was recently signed into law, mirrors many of the recommendations of the wine commission. The heart of the bill is the removal of regulations that prevents small wineries from expanding.
For example, the bill allows farm wineries to open branch stores without having to obtain separate liquor licenses. The bill would also reduce the amount of paperwork required to ship wine out of state. Also, the bill would allow wineries to participate in more charitable events and tastings (the current law restricts these to five per year).
The Fine Winery Bill has received praise from members of both parties in the New York Assembly and Senate. Wine production is a major part of the New York economy. The state’s wine and grape industry represents about $3.7 billion of the New York economy, with wine production increasing 50 percent in the last twenty years.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Andrew Cuomo, New York, wine production
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Thursday, June 23rd, 2011
Earlier this week, the New York Senate overwhelmingly voted to make sweet corn the official vegetable of the State of New York. The long raging, albeit somewhat trivial, debate has been over onions or corn, both of which are grown in abundance in New York. Recent public polling show that the public, by a margin of about 4-1 support making corn the official vegetable.
Sweet corn is the lead fresh produced vegetable in the state, and many New York Senators have close ties to agricultural regions that specialize in corn production. Even Senators from onion producing regions, like Senator David Carlucci, acknowledged the overwhelming support for corn in the vote.
On the surface this seems like a trivial vote to conduct, particularly given the rancorous debate in the New York Senate over issues like property taxes, same-sex marriage, and farm subsidies. However, many farming advocates recognize the vote as an official stance by the state government recognizing the importance of agriculture and agricultural production for the state economy.
Peter Gregg of the New York Farm Bureau stated that the vote was a part of “giving vegetables the props they are due.” Others, like Senator Carlucci, claimed that the vote sent a message to the people of New York that the state appreciated the importance of local agriculture. Currently, agricultural production is one of the leading industries in the state.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: farm bureau, New York, sweet corn
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Sunday, June 12th, 2011
The New York Senate is currently considering legislation that would make it illegal to videotape or record on farms or ranches without permission from the owner. The bill is aimed at groups like PETA, which have gone undercover on New York farms in order to document alleged animal rights abuses. Similar bills have been passes in both Florida and Iowa.
At the recent Dairy Day, a celebration in Albany praising the state’s diary industry, PETA activists set up protest booths where they showed video evidence of animal rights abuses documented on New York hog farms. The Ag Gag law, as it is known by some detractors, introduced by Republican State Senator Patty Ritchie will prohibit all videotaping, even by whistleblowers, without permission by the owner of the farm.
Agricultural organizations compared the bill to current laws governing the private sector. Julie Suarez, a spokesperson for New York’s Farm Bureau, stated that private companies like J.P. Morgan and Chase are well within their rights to block individuals with video cameras. Farms and ranches, she argued, should enjoy the same protections.
Ritchie’s bill recently passed the Senate Agricultural Committee, with the only opposition coming from Democrats Tony Avella and Shirley Huntley, and has not yet come up for debate in the Senate. It is unlikely that it will pass, however, given that there are currently no sponsors for the bill in the Assembly.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: farm bureau, New York, PETA
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Sunday, June 12th, 2011
New York Congressman Richard Hanna recently unveiled a bill in the House of Representatives to create jobs in upstate New York. The bill, known as the HARVEST Bill, focuses on seven areas: High-tech manufacturing, Agriculture, Reforming taxes, Veterans in the workforce, Education, Strengthening small businesses, and Transportation and infrastructure. The agricultural portion of the bill would expand farmer’s access to Farm Service Agency loans and supports the Agricultural Credit Expansion Act.
While Hanna’s bill represents a national attempt to grow jobs in New York State, local leaders are also banking on agricultural production to help the state out of its recent economic problems. The last few months have proven unexpectedly positive for New York agriculture. Favorable weather has boosted maple syrup production, up 81 percent from last year. Currently, only Vermont produces more maple syrup nationwide than New York.
In addition, New York’s struggling dairy industry is experiencing a statewide boom, with growth in the sector at a fifty year high. Part of the cause of this boom has been recent efforts at local agricultural production and consumption, particularly milk consumption, which has benefited New York dairy farmers. Also, the recent popularity of Greek yogurt, with two major brands headquartered in New York, has helped propel the dairy market forward.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: farm service agency, New York, Richard Hanna
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Friday, May 20th, 2011
Members of the New York Senate have recently proposed a series of bills that seek to protect and expand agriculture in New York State. This legislation is coming on the heels of several farm closures in New York (particularly hard hit is the state’s dairy industry, which has experienced constant decline over the last several months). Federal legislators, like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, have made it their mission to protect the agricultural sector in New York, and this recent bill represents a bold and innovate attempt at reviving the state’s farm industry.
One of the more important bills proposed would offer tax credits to local restaurateurs who use local produce. Agricultural leaders, from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack down, have promoted local farming and community connections as a crucial way to promote and protect the agricultural industry. The proposed New York bill would offer tax credits equal to 10% of costs for produce purchased from New York farmers, branded with the “Pride of New York” label which was suggested by the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Another bill aimed at helping local farmers would relax state restrictions on alcohol production. The proposed legislation would allow farmers to brew their own beer, after acquiring a farm brewery license from the state, provided that they use an as yet undetermined percentage of hops from their own farms.
A vote has not yet been scheduled for any of the proposed farm legislation, but state Democrats seem hopeful that it will quickly pass both houses.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Kirsten Gillibrand, local farming, New York
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Friday, April 22nd, 2011
A New York farmer is facing several counts of animal abuse stemming from a police investigation recently completed at his New York farm. Gregory Casalaina, the owner of a Schoharie County, New York farm, is facing charges of animal neglect and animal cruelty after several sick, malnourished, and dead animals were found on his property earlier this week.
According to police reports, Casalaina first attracted the attention of authorities due to the presence of malnourished animal on his property. A few days before his arrest, Casalaina apparently shot a horse in an altercation with a neighbor. After being arraigned on charges of animal abuse, a misdemeanor, Casalaina was returned to his farm. Police gave him instructions to feed and water his animals, but at the present time they remain in his custody.
The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has blasted the police response. SPCA officials claim that they had places the animals could have been rescued to, but were ignored by the police who refused to seize the animals. The SPCA has recently received a court order empowering them to investigate Casalaina’s farm and investigate the treatment of his animals.
With several states working to limit the ability of undercover activists to monitor farms, this case could possibly influence such bans in New York. Groups in New York have considered advocating such laws, and the shocking nature of this latest case could possible undermine the argument that undercover videos are only done to hurt the agricultural industry.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: animal abuse, New York, SPCA
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