Farmers converge on Albany during Farm Bureau Lobby Day
ALBANY – More than 300 farmers from across the state converged on Albany Monday for the New York Farm Bureau’s annual Lobby Day, including a contingent from Chenango.
Chenango County Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers headed the local delegation. He was joined by the organization’s vice president Harvey Fletcher, District 5 Promotions and Education Chair Rainy Collins-Vickers, Directors Marge Secrest and Drew Piaschyk and Member Annette Connick.
According to Vickers, the event is an opportunity to meet face-to-face with legislators to advocate on behalf of New York farm families and raise awareness on issues related to the state’s agriculture industry.
One of the topics of concerns this year is funding for aid to localities through the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget proposal, funding for these line items would be slashed by more than 50 percent in 2011-12.
In a briefing Monday, NYFB President Dean Norton applauded some aspects of the governor’s budget - such as his support of redeveloping the Hunts Point Terminal Marketplace, the creation of regional economic development councils and the “reworking” of the Power for Jobs program as Recharge NY.
But Norton also asked those in attendance to remember the number 92 - the percentage by which ag funding in the state has been cut over the last 4 years. New York State’s 2008-09 budget allocated $15 million, he reported. “This year we have a paltry $1.2 million.”
According to Norton, the trend sends a clear message to the ag industry: “92 percent is pretty much telling us that we don’t matter.”
The severity of the cuts place a number of ag-related research, marketing and assistance programs in jeopardy, as they will be forced to compete for a limited pot of funds.
“We can’t let these programs – excuse the agricultural pun – wither on the vine,” said Jeff Williams, NYFB’s deputy director of public policy.
In addition to the budget, Williams provided talking points related to key issues in the industry, such as strengthening the state’s business environment by supporting a property tax cap, The Farm Regulatory Relief Act, diesel fuel sales tax exemptions for farmers, the Manufacturing Assistance Program and more. Other priority issues include the Environmental Protection Fund, livestock welfare, the wine industry and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
NYFB Director of Public Policy Julie Suarez also touched upon the issue of farm labor. While the Omnibus Farmworker Labor Bill was defeated last year, she explained, “We think it’s really important to keep advocating and educating people.” She encouraged those in attendance to both thank legislators who voted against the bill last year, and discuss the issue with those who voted for it. She also recommended it be a discussion topic for anyone meeting with new legislators, of which there are close to 30.
Vickers and the CCFB crew carried these messages and more to their appointments yesterday, as they met with Senators James Seward and Tom Libous as well as Assemblymen Cliff Crouch and Pete Lopez. They also met with two downstate legislators: Democrat Joan Millman, who represents the Brooklyn neighborhoods of the 52nd Assembly District which encompasses, and Assemblyman Brian Curran from New York’s 14th District in Nassau County.
Chenango County Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers headed the local delegation. He was joined by the organization’s vice president Harvey Fletcher, District 5 Promotions and Education Chair Rainy Collins-Vickers, Directors Marge Secrest and Drew Piaschyk and Member Annette Connick.
According to Vickers, the event is an opportunity to meet face-to-face with legislators to advocate on behalf of New York farm families and raise awareness on issues related to the state’s agriculture industry.
One of the topics of concerns this year is funding for aid to localities through the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget proposal, funding for these line items would be slashed by more than 50 percent in 2011-12.
In a briefing Monday, NYFB President Dean Norton applauded some aspects of the governor’s budget - such as his support of redeveloping the Hunts Point Terminal Marketplace, the creation of regional economic development councils and the “reworking” of the Power for Jobs program as Recharge NY.
But Norton also asked those in attendance to remember the number 92 - the percentage by which ag funding in the state has been cut over the last 4 years. New York State’s 2008-09 budget allocated $15 million, he reported. “This year we have a paltry $1.2 million.”
According to Norton, the trend sends a clear message to the ag industry: “92 percent is pretty much telling us that we don’t matter.”
The severity of the cuts place a number of ag-related research, marketing and assistance programs in jeopardy, as they will be forced to compete for a limited pot of funds.
“We can’t let these programs – excuse the agricultural pun – wither on the vine,” said Jeff Williams, NYFB’s deputy director of public policy.
In addition to the budget, Williams provided talking points related to key issues in the industry, such as strengthening the state’s business environment by supporting a property tax cap, The Farm Regulatory Relief Act, diesel fuel sales tax exemptions for farmers, the Manufacturing Assistance Program and more. Other priority issues include the Environmental Protection Fund, livestock welfare, the wine industry and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
NYFB Director of Public Policy Julie Suarez also touched upon the issue of farm labor. While the Omnibus Farmworker Labor Bill was defeated last year, she explained, “We think it’s really important to keep advocating and educating people.” She encouraged those in attendance to both thank legislators who voted against the bill last year, and discuss the issue with those who voted for it. She also recommended it be a discussion topic for anyone meeting with new legislators, of which there are close to 30.
Vickers and the CCFB crew carried these messages and more to their appointments yesterday, as they met with Senators James Seward and Tom Libous as well as Assemblymen Cliff Crouch and Pete Lopez. They also met with two downstate legislators: Democrat Joan Millman, who represents the Brooklyn neighborhoods of the 52nd Assembly District which encompasses, and Assemblyman Brian Curran from New York’s 14th District in Nassau County.
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