Local farm bureau affirms stance on pressing ag issues
COVENTRY – Natural gas exploration, milk pricing, alternative energy products and country of origin labeling are some of the hot-button issues for local agricultural producers, according to the latest policy resolutions ratified by the Chenango County Farm Bureau.
Members of the farm advocacy organization reaffirmed 15 existing local, state and national policies and approved 16 new resolutions regarding their stance on industry issues at the group’s annual dinner, held Tuesday at the Silo Restaurant in Coventry.
“Policy development starts at the grassroots level, by those that participate,” CCFB President Bradd Vickers, said as he addressed the 50 or more members who attended the event.
Several policy items pertained to the dairy industry, which is of paramount concern for many local farmers.
Bob Shaw of Lyon Brook Farms in the Town of Guilford was unhappy with the way in which one of the proposed state resolutions was worded.
“It’s not strong enough,” he said, referring to the language of resolution 13 which “encouraged” an investigation into allegations of milk price manipulation and anti-trust violations in the beef and dairy industry.
After a discussion during which several members gave their input, it was decided that the resolution be reworded to state, “We demand the Department of Justice and the NYS Attorney General investigate milk price manipulation and prosecute violators of anti-trust and anti-monopoly laws in the beef and dairy processing industry.”
Fellow CCFB member Ken Dibbell proposed an additional resolution be included in the policy book, stating the organization’s support for Senate Bill 1645 which would base milk pricing on the cost of production backed by a farmer-funded supply management system. Members present voted unanimously to adopt the South New Berlin dairyman’s resolution as proposed.
CCFB members also voted to affirm two resolutions pertaining to the growing of hemp as an industrial product. The first recommended that the state-level organization “rescind any policy that supports any illegally grown crop(s) such as hemp.” The other, aimed at the local level, stated the CCFB’s objection to the Chenango County Board of Supervisor’s support of hemp cultivation.
“There is a very small group pushing this across the state,” said Vickers, who explained that local hemp advocates have tried to “strong-arm” the CCFB into lending their support to their cause.
Vickers said that, while CCFB wouldn’t have an issue supporting the growth of hemp if it was decriminalized by the federal government, he felt more focus should be put on promoting the cultivation of energy crops at the present time.
“We don’t want this muddying the waters of our organization,” he explained.
In elections held during the meeting, Bradd Vickers was unopposed as president of the county organization and was re-elected for a two-year term.
Also voted in were Harvey Fletcher as vice-president and Marge Secrest, Pete Lathrop, Phil Weiss and Linda Denz for two-year terms on the CCFB board. They will join current directors Fred Baker, Sue Evans, Giff Foster and Marion Ireland on the group’s board.
The CCFB’s 2009 Advocate of Agriculture Award was presented during the meeting to Evening Sun Reporter Melissa Stagnaro. The award is given each year in recognition of an individual who has actively promoted the agriculture industry and the local farm bureau in the past year.
“Besides performing her job in a most professional manner, Melissa has accompanied and or attended most of the many CCFB functions we have held throughout the year; providing the community with unbiased write-ups covering the Agriculture Industry in our local newspaper,” said CCFB Promotions and Education Chair Rainy Collins-Vickers, who presented the award.
Jessica Kelsey of Farm Family Insurance was also recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation. According to Collins-Vickers, the award was given in honor of the level of service Kelsey provides to local farm families, as well as her help with building CCFB membership.
The two have been collaborating on a project to use county resources to identify and map farms throughout Chenango County.
For information on the programs and services offered by the Chenango County Farm Bureau, stop by their office at 6083 State Highway 12 North in Norwich, visit them online at www.ccfbny.org or call 334-6061.
Members of the farm advocacy organization reaffirmed 15 existing local, state and national policies and approved 16 new resolutions regarding their stance on industry issues at the group’s annual dinner, held Tuesday at the Silo Restaurant in Coventry.
“Policy development starts at the grassroots level, by those that participate,” CCFB President Bradd Vickers, said as he addressed the 50 or more members who attended the event.
Several policy items pertained to the dairy industry, which is of paramount concern for many local farmers.
Bob Shaw of Lyon Brook Farms in the Town of Guilford was unhappy with the way in which one of the proposed state resolutions was worded.
“It’s not strong enough,” he said, referring to the language of resolution 13 which “encouraged” an investigation into allegations of milk price manipulation and anti-trust violations in the beef and dairy industry.
After a discussion during which several members gave their input, it was decided that the resolution be reworded to state, “We demand the Department of Justice and the NYS Attorney General investigate milk price manipulation and prosecute violators of anti-trust and anti-monopoly laws in the beef and dairy processing industry.”
Fellow CCFB member Ken Dibbell proposed an additional resolution be included in the policy book, stating the organization’s support for Senate Bill 1645 which would base milk pricing on the cost of production backed by a farmer-funded supply management system. Members present voted unanimously to adopt the South New Berlin dairyman’s resolution as proposed.
CCFB members also voted to affirm two resolutions pertaining to the growing of hemp as an industrial product. The first recommended that the state-level organization “rescind any policy that supports any illegally grown crop(s) such as hemp.” The other, aimed at the local level, stated the CCFB’s objection to the Chenango County Board of Supervisor’s support of hemp cultivation.
“There is a very small group pushing this across the state,” said Vickers, who explained that local hemp advocates have tried to “strong-arm” the CCFB into lending their support to their cause.
Vickers said that, while CCFB wouldn’t have an issue supporting the growth of hemp if it was decriminalized by the federal government, he felt more focus should be put on promoting the cultivation of energy crops at the present time.
“We don’t want this muddying the waters of our organization,” he explained.
In elections held during the meeting, Bradd Vickers was unopposed as president of the county organization and was re-elected for a two-year term.
Also voted in were Harvey Fletcher as vice-president and Marge Secrest, Pete Lathrop, Phil Weiss and Linda Denz for two-year terms on the CCFB board. They will join current directors Fred Baker, Sue Evans, Giff Foster and Marion Ireland on the group’s board.
The CCFB’s 2009 Advocate of Agriculture Award was presented during the meeting to Evening Sun Reporter Melissa Stagnaro. The award is given each year in recognition of an individual who has actively promoted the agriculture industry and the local farm bureau in the past year.
“Besides performing her job in a most professional manner, Melissa has accompanied and or attended most of the many CCFB functions we have held throughout the year; providing the community with unbiased write-ups covering the Agriculture Industry in our local newspaper,” said CCFB Promotions and Education Chair Rainy Collins-Vickers, who presented the award.
Jessica Kelsey of Farm Family Insurance was also recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation. According to Collins-Vickers, the award was given in honor of the level of service Kelsey provides to local farm families, as well as her help with building CCFB membership.
The two have been collaborating on a project to use county resources to identify and map farms throughout Chenango County.
For information on the programs and services offered by the Chenango County Farm Bureau, stop by their office at 6083 State Highway 12 North in Norwich, visit them online at www.ccfbny.org or call 334-6061.
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