ONEONTA – Local representatives in the state legislature are calling on New York’s governor to use federal stimulus funds to start bailing out struggling dairy farmers across the state.

In a letter to Governor David Paterson dated Friday, New York State Senator James Seward and Assemblyman Pete Lopez requested that the governor allocate at least $60 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money to begin providing immediate relief directly to dairy producers.

“Milk prices are dropping and many of our dairy farmers are at the brink,” said Seward, in a joint press release issued earlier this week. “We need to take immediate steps to protect our number one industry, or many small family run farmers will be forced out of business.”

The appeal to the governor was penned following a meeting Seward and Lopez attended in Schoharie County, where the pair listened to farmers and other industry leaders talk about the challenges they are facing.