Farmers address Congress on rural priority issues
NEW YORK – Representatives from the New York State Farm Bureau traveled to the nation’s capital last week and discussed several challenges facing farming communities.
“Milk prices are in their fourth year of a low-price cycle, net farm income continues to fall, and it is a struggle for most farms in this farm economy,” said New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher during a press conference Tuesday.
Fisher said the bureau would like to see programs relating to Dairy Revenue Protection, Whole Farm Revenue Protection, and cost-sharing conservation make their way into new legislature––especially the upcoming Farm Bill renewal.
He explained that a Dairy Revenue Protection program would allow farmers to buy a commodity insurance, which would let individuals choose the value of milk that would be protected as well as the amount of production to cover.
Chenango County Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers said that milk prices are definitely something that needs to be further addressed, as it affects a large populace of Chenango County.
Fisher said the Whole Farm Revenue Protection program would provide risk management for all commodities on the farm under one insurance policy, including any farm that grows specialty or organic crops, as well as those that have livestock.
“It is also important to keep the Whole Farm Revenue Protection program a pilot program to allow flexibility within the program and to allow constructive feedback to USDA,” Fisher explained.
He expressed his belief that cost-sharing conservation programs would help farms meet regulatory requirements, saying, “The programs would help by improving environmental stewardship on farms.”
After Fisher, NYFB Associate Director of National Affairs Lauren Williams spoke about immigration, regulation, and trade reforms.
Williams said the bureau believes that strong borders are a good thing, but noted farms also need the flexibility to be able to hire guest workers for both seasonal and year-round needs.
“The farm bureau believes in having strong border security, but enforcement cannot be the only approach to fixing a broken immigration system,” Williams explained. “It also involves having a workable guest worker program.”
After discussing immigration, Williams switched her focus on NAFTA and the Clean Water Act.
“Despite the differences the countries may have, New York Farm Bureau believes that we cannot afford to throw the baby out with the bathwater. In other words, this country cannot walk away from NAFTA,” said Williams. “U.S. agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico have increased from $8.9 billion to $38 billion annually since NAFTA came into effect in 1993.”
She concluded, “We are supportive of the EPA’s efforts to rescind the current rule and rewrite it in a way that Congress intended to protect our nation’s valuable water supply. We need rational and effective environmental regulations in this country.”
Pictured: Farm located in the Town of Norwich on Route 23. (Zachary Meseck Photo)
“Milk prices are in their fourth year of a low-price cycle, net farm income continues to fall, and it is a struggle for most farms in this farm economy,” said New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher during a press conference Tuesday.
Fisher said the bureau would like to see programs relating to Dairy Revenue Protection, Whole Farm Revenue Protection, and cost-sharing conservation make their way into new legislature––especially the upcoming Farm Bill renewal.
He explained that a Dairy Revenue Protection program would allow farmers to buy a commodity insurance, which would let individuals choose the value of milk that would be protected as well as the amount of production to cover.
Chenango County Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers said that milk prices are definitely something that needs to be further addressed, as it affects a large populace of Chenango County.
Fisher said the Whole Farm Revenue Protection program would provide risk management for all commodities on the farm under one insurance policy, including any farm that grows specialty or organic crops, as well as those that have livestock.
“It is also important to keep the Whole Farm Revenue Protection program a pilot program to allow flexibility within the program and to allow constructive feedback to USDA,” Fisher explained.
He expressed his belief that cost-sharing conservation programs would help farms meet regulatory requirements, saying, “The programs would help by improving environmental stewardship on farms.”
After Fisher, NYFB Associate Director of National Affairs Lauren Williams spoke about immigration, regulation, and trade reforms.
Williams said the bureau believes that strong borders are a good thing, but noted farms also need the flexibility to be able to hire guest workers for both seasonal and year-round needs.
“The farm bureau believes in having strong border security, but enforcement cannot be the only approach to fixing a broken immigration system,” Williams explained. “It also involves having a workable guest worker program.”
After discussing immigration, Williams switched her focus on NAFTA and the Clean Water Act.
“Despite the differences the countries may have, New York Farm Bureau believes that we cannot afford to throw the baby out with the bathwater. In other words, this country cannot walk away from NAFTA,” said Williams. “U.S. agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico have increased from $8.9 billion to $38 billion annually since NAFTA came into effect in 1993.”
She concluded, “We are supportive of the EPA’s efforts to rescind the current rule and rewrite it in a way that Congress intended to protect our nation’s valuable water supply. We need rational and effective environmental regulations in this country.”
Pictured: Farm located in the Town of Norwich on Route 23. (Zachary Meseck Photo)
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