Press Release, Congressman Chris Collins

LE ROY – Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) toured Stein Farms in Le Roy on Saturday to discuss dairy issues he has been leading in Congress that deal with the decline in milk consumption and economic challenges facing dairy farmers.

Collins announced a letter he sent with 11 of his colleagues to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue encouraging the agency to continue advertising campaigns such as “Got Milk?”.

“Years ago, messages that resonated with all Americans included ‘Got Milk?’ and ‘drink milk, love life,’ and we saw some of our favorite celebrities with milk mustaches,” said Collins. “The fact is, this type of marketing works. In recent years, we’ve seen an overall decline in milk consumption, which has created tough economic times for our dairy farmers and we are hoping Secretary Perdue can provide some additional help.”

Milk prices have dropped over 9 percent since 2014, and are expected to continue to decrease given the decline in milk consumption and Canada’s unfair trade practices, Collins said.

The bipartisan letter voices support of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which is responsible for programs dedicated to educating consumers and increasing the consumption of fluid milk. Past AMS campaigns successfully helped push the consumption of milk as it competes with other beverage products on the market.

Collins’ letter requests that the USDA not only continue these programs but also look for other ways to boost our nation’s dairy industry and has the support of members from across the country. To read a copy of the letter, click here.

Representing one of the nation’s leading dairy producing districts, Collins has been a strong advocate for issues related to nutrition, labeling, trade, and immigration as they impact our nation’s farmers.

“I want to thank Congressman Collins for helping raise the awareness of the situation dairy farmers are going through right now, and his help in showing New York consumers the benefit of having dairy as part of a healthy nutritious diet,” said Dale Stein, co-owner of Stein Farms. “So have that extra glass of milk, that serving of cheese and yogurt. Enjoy that ice cream on a hot summer afternoon and know in doing so you are also helping your local dairy farmer.”

The following members of Congress also weighed in on the issue:

“I care about the struggling dairy farmers across our district, and I am proud to stand with them through difficult times,” said Congressman Tom Reed (NY-23). “Low milk prices and unfair Canadian dairy tariffs are causing tremendous harm. I am happy to urge our Agriculture Secretary to pull out all the stops so that we can provide relief for dairy farmers.”

“After traveling across the district and meeting with numerous people in the dairy industry, I understand the problems they face each day,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22). “Farm milk prices are dropping at an alarming rate and in order to stop this trend, we are asking Secretary Perdue to look into ways to boost our nation’s dairy industry and promote dairy consumption. The dairy industry is the backbone of our rural communities and I encourage the USDA to work to support all of our vital dairy farmers.”

“Dairy farmers play a vital role in Ohio’s agriculture economy,” said Congressman Jim Renacci (OH-16). “It is important that we continue to look for ways to promote the dairy industry and protect the dairy farmers who are so important to our local economy.”

“Dairy products are nutrient-rich and have many positive health benefits for consumers. It’s essential that American families are informed about the positive health benefits of dairy products so they can make the most-informed consumer decisions,” said Congressman Sean Duffy (WI-07). “That’s why it’s imperative that the USDA continue to their efforts to raise awareness through the Dairy Research and Promotion Program. Secretary Perdue has been an incredible ally for dairy, and I am hopeful that he will continue to work with us to make sure families know of the dairy options available to them.”

“Dairy farmers across the country are struggling to stay afloat in the face of low milk prices and new trade threats. While there are no easy solutions to these challenges, USDA has played an important role in spurring demand for dairy through advertising and marketing campaigns made possible by dairy checkoffs,” said Congressman Peter Welch (VT-at large). “I encourage USDA to continue supporting these efforts, and will do all I can to keep supporting the industry.”

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Farmers, gardeners urged to keep watch for late blight

Press Release, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

Image from NC State University: This photo shows a potato late blight lesion

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball today urged New York’s home gardeners, greenhouse growers, and vegetable farmers to look for and report any suspicions of late blight in their tomato and potato plants and crops this summer.

Late blight is a plant disease that has the potential to cause devastation to these crops, infecting and destroying the leaves, stems, fruits, and tubers of potato and tomato plants. Photos and additional information of late blight on potatoes and tomatoes can be found by clicking here.

“Late blight is a serious plant disease that can wreak havoc on the state’s tomato and potato industry, which ranks high nationally in production,” said Commissioner Ball. “We want home gardeners, greenhouse growers and vegetable farmers to be vigilant and, at the first sign of late blight, report the finding to the Department and a local Cornell Cooperative Extension office so action can be taken as quickly as possible to prevent the spread of this extremely harmful disease.”

Late blight was detected in several tomato plants in Onondaga County as a result of an inspection conducted by the Department’s Division of Plant Industry, and confirmed this week by Cornell University’s Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic. The plants were destroyed and inspectors will continue to monitor field plantings of tomatoes. The late blight strain detected was not one of the known or common strains.

Late blight was first discovered in the United States in the early 1840s, devastating crops across the northeast. It was also responsible for the Irish potato famine in the mid-nineteenth century.

Growers can identify late blight of potato and tomato by looking for black/brown lesions on leaves and stems. In humid conditions, visible white spores appear. As many lesions accumulate, the entire plant can be destroyed in only a few days after the first lesions are observed. The plant disease thrives in humid, wet conditions and can spread quickly from field to field, and over several miles.

Home gardeners should monitor for late blight as it can be transferred from the home garden to commercial operations. If home gardeners observe tomato plants with late blight symptoms, the Department urges them to contact their local Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) for assistance. It is important not to compost any diseased plant material.

Greenhouse growers should contact the Department’s Division of Plant Industry at 518-457-2087 if late blight is suspected. In addition, commercial vegetable growers should survey their tomato and potato fields for late blight and watch the blight forecast, which predicts disease incidence and directs growers to apply fungicides to protect plants.

If a commercial vegetable grower suspects late blight on their crops, they should work with a local CCE office or regional vegetable specialist, who can help commercial growers select the appropriate fungicide to treat the crops. Vegetable growers should employ standard late blight management procedures. Because we do not know if the strain detected is sensitive to fungicides containing mefenoxam, growers should use fungicides with other active ingredients and should be certain to rotate chemistries. Organic growers will want a product with copper.

Dr. Christine Smart, Professor of Vegetable Pathology and Director of the School of Integrative Plant Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, said, “Cornell is working as quickly as possible to learn more about the strain of the pathogen identified here in New York.  We are glad to partner with the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets to help potato and tomato growers manage late blight.”

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Press Release, Orleans County Department of Planning and Development

Photo by Tom Rivers: Fruit trees at Watt Farms in Gaines are shown in bloom on May 9.

ALBION – Orleans County is accepting enrollment of additional parcels in certified agricultural districts during the month of June, pursuant to New York State Agricultural and Markets Law.

This annual 30-day window is for inclusion of property which is predominantly viable agricultural land. During this time period, land may only be added and not removed from County Agricultural District No. 1, which in 2016 became the sole agricultural district in the county as a result of a consolidation process.

This opportunity supplements, but does not replace, enrollment in an existing agricultural district during the eight-year, formal review process. The next eight-year anniversary review — the only time during which parcels can be both added and removed — will not occur for several more years. Presently, there are over 116,200 acres in County Agricultural District No. 1.

Requests for inclusion in District No. 1 this month will be evaluated, in order by the Orleans County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board, the Orleans County Legislature, and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Enrollment forms are available from the Orleans County Department of Planning and Development both in-person and online by clicking here.

Completed forms should be sent by July 2nd to:

Sarah Gatti

Orleans County Department of Planning and Development

14016 Route 31 West

Albion NY 14411

Please note that requesting enrollment during this 30-day time period is not a guarantee that your property will be added to Agricultural District No. 1. Moreover, it will not automatically qualify your property for a reduced agricultural property tax assessment. For information on obtaining a reduced agricultural property tax assessment, please contact your local assessor.

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Photo by Tom Rivers: Blossoms at an Albion fruit orchard are pictured on May 9.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced nearly $38 million is now available through the Farmland Protection Implementation Grant program to help farmers across New York protect valuable and at-risk farmland. Since Governor Cuomo took office, the state has reinvigorated the program and committed historic investments, including doubling the funding in this latest round from last year – marking the highest level of ever offered through the program.

“By investing in the sustainability and growth of New York’s farmland, we are protecting an important economic driver for communities across the state while providing opportunities for our agriculture industry to grow,” Governor Cuomo said. “This unprecedented $38 million commitment to land preservation will ensure New York’s vast farmland is used for agricultural purposes and remains protected for generations.””

Municipalities, counties, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and land trusts are eligible to apply for individual grants of up to $2 million to help offset the costs of conservation easement projects that protect viable agricultural land from being converted to non-agricultural use. The Farmland Protection Implementation Grant program is funded through New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund, which was included in the State Budget at $300 million for the third consecutive year. The application deadline is August 31, 2018 and the Request for Proposals is available by clicking here.

Since the governor took office in 2011, the state has invested more than $62 million in 82 farmland protection projects statewide. This funding opportunity continues the state’s commitment to provide financial and technical assistance for farmland protection on a predictable two-year cycle. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ previous streamlining measures have resulted in significant reductions in the overall time needed to complete projects.

This year, to explore additional tools in preserving land for agricultural production, the state has included preemptive purchase rights as an eligible cost that may be partially covered through the grant program. This is the first time state financial assistance may be used toward this eligible project cost.

The Department has established certain criteria to guide the use of this unique easement provision in awarded projects. Preemptive purchase rights encourage agricultural land to remain in active production and to be sold to other farmers at its agricultural value. Certain requirements must be met in order for eligible applicants to use grant funding for these purchase rights, which will also provide a potential avenue for new and beginning farmers in acquiring land.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The Department has made great strides in improving regional collaboration on its farmland preservation programs and ensuring we move the Farmland Protection program forward.  We are pleased to make available nearly double the funding this year than we have in previous years and are committed to preserving our land base, which not only retains the state’s farmland for our future New York farmers but also helps protects our environment.”

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Dairies, facing historically low milk prices, are critical to rural economy

Press Release, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, on Tuesday called on U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to authorize $300 million in emergency relief funding for dairy farmers immediately.

Dairy farmers across New York are suffering from historically low dairy prices and are forced to shoulder an increasing amount of debt in order to continue operating their farms. The USDA has the authority to provide direct financial assistance to struggling agricultural industries. This authority has been used most recently in 2016 and 2018 to support and protect cotton farmers. Gillibrand called on the USDA to utilize this authority once more for dairy farmers in New York and across the country.

“Dairy farms are at the heart of New York’s rural economy, but milk prices are so low that more than 1,200 dairy farms have shut down in just the last decade, and many more are on the brink of failing. This is a crisis right in our own backyard,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I’m calling on the USDA to immediately provide financial assistance to our dairy producers. I want this emergency funding to go directly to the farmers who need it, so they can keep producing milk without going bankrupt. The USDA should do the right thing and give our dairy farmers the help they need now.”

Dairy farmers could receive $8,000 on average if the USDA complies with Gillibrand’s request. This funding would be paid directly to farmers as part of their milk check. New York is the third-largest dairy producing state, with more than 4,400 dairies producing nearly 15 billion pounds of milk each year. These farms are the bedrock of the agricultural economy and rural communities throughout the state. Every dollar of on-farm milk sale generates $2.29 in the local economy, and for every full-time worker on a dairy farm, another 1.5 jobs are created in other parts of the food industry.

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Press Release, Orleans County Departments of Planning & Development and Tourism

File photo by Tom Rivers: Medina held its first Farm-to-Table dinner event on a closed off Main Street on Aug. 4, 2016. There were 137 people at that dinner, a fine dining experience featuring locally grown food and wine.

ALBION – The Orleans County Departments of Planning & Development and Tourism are in the process of developing the “Orleans County Culinary Guide” featuring a restaurant guide and an updated directory of local producers’ markets/retail outlets. Producers include fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, botanicals and craft beverages/wineries.

The purpose of this brochure is to highlight Orleans County’s Farm to Table culture and act as a guide, for both visitors and residents, to local and fresh culinary options as well as food related special events. To be eligible for inclusion in the Producer’s Section, a roadside farm stand and/or farm market must be a part of your operation. The final product will display the location of the restaurant, farm stand/market as well as hours, contact information, and description of items being sold.

If your business is qualified for inclusion, please complete our registration form on our webpage at www.orleanscountytourism.com/enroll. Submit the form appropriate to your business: Producers/Markets or Restaurants/Prepared Foods. The deadline to register to be included in this year’s guide is June 15, 2018.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions; contact information can be found below. Please share with any other producers you think may be eligible and interested in our Farm Producer/Culinary Directory Initiative.

Contacts:

Sarah Gatti, Dept. of Planning & Development

Sarah.Gatti@orleanscountyny.gov or 585-589-3187

Lynne Menz, Tourism Dept.

Lynne.Menz@orleanscountyny.gov or 585-589-3103

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Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Orleans County’s fruit trees are in bloom, adding lots of color to the countryside. These photos were taken on Wednesday evening at Watt Farms, near the pond behind their country market on Route 98.

The apple trees have white blossoms.

Peaches and cherries have pink blossoms. I can’t say for sure whether these are cherries, peaches or some other fruit.

New York is the country’s second-leading apple producer behind only Washington state, and Orleans County is among the top counties in NY for producing apples, trailing only Wayne and Ulster counties.

While some fruit-growing areas have festivals during blossom season, the spring bloom doesn’t get much attention in Orleans County, despite the visual and olfactory sensation.

The blossom season can be an anxious time for fruit growers who need bees to be busy pollinating so the fruit can grow.

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Press Release, GCC

BATAVIA – Genesee Community College on Thursday will host more than 100 high school students from across the GLOW region.

About 120 students from Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties will be participating in high-tech, agricultural career experience at GCC, hosted by The BEST Center. The third annual Precision Agriculture Day at the Batavia campus features a wide array of presenters from the industry who will share information on the latest technological, science, engineering, and agricultural trends including drones, embryo transfer, precision farming and processing, GPS/GIS, auto steering and robotics.

This emerging technology is anticipated to create new employment opportunities in the future. High schoolers from 13 districts across the four counties have the opportunity to discover more about these potential and exciting career pathways and will be checking out how these technologies are used in their own backyard of Western New York.

The Precision Agriculture Committee, chaired by Nathan L. Rudgers, senior vice president of Business Development at Farm Credit East, was formed in 2015. The committee, comprised of local precision agriculture consultants, agricultural leaders, as well as high school representatives, has been providing guidance and input on the development of programs to address the educational and awareness needs of this growing field.

Advances in technology have resulted in agricultural systems collecting data and using it in multiple operations all controlled through a computer, tablet or smart phone. This technology has created education and training opportunities, but there is a lack of skilled workers. Enter The BEST Center, which is working to provide multiple educational opportunities in this growing arena.

The BEST Center provides businesses and organizations with customized training solutions ranging from supervisory skills to technical training. The Center also offers numerous professional and personal development courses for individuals, including classroom and on-line opportunities.

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Program gives students exposure to GLOW’s leading industry

Provided photo: Students in the Agri-Business Academy toured Intergrow Greenhouses in Albion last month.

Press Release, Genesee Community College

ALBION – Commonly referred to as the GLOW region, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties have celebrated agriculture as its number one industry driving the local economy for the past two centuries.

As the demands of that industry continue to change, today’s agricultural businesses need dependable, hard-working professionals with college degrees, technology and management experience, as well as business and communication skills.

The Agri-Business Academy offered through a partnership between Genesee Community College and the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership is a one-year program designed to expose high school seniors to the many career options available in today’s agri-business industry. The academic year is comprised of classroom learning, critical on-site internships, job-shadowing and as the photo of the tour of Intergrow Greenhouses indicates – many dynamic site visits to local agri-businesses that are often seeking for talented employees.

“The Agri-Business Academy is a significant jump start to numerous career options in our region and beyond,” said Deborah Dunlevy, ACE Programs Career Pathways project director. “Perhaps the most rewarding learning comes from the internships, job shadowing and site visits. Being immersed in the field gives them the experiences that will put them at the top of the job candidate list.”

Agri-Business Academy students earn 15 college credits applicable to a wide variety of college degrees and careers through its unique combination of business and community involvement, work-based experience, and a foundation in agri-business learning.

Agri-Business Academy students receive a substantial college tuition discount and pay only $55 per credit hour, which is roughly one-third of GCC’s regular tuition rate for the same courses. Also, as a GCC enrolled student, these individuals have GCC IDs with access to the college’s facilities including computer labs, athletic facilities, library resources and databases, as well as a GCC email account to communicate with professors and fellow students.

During the academic year, Agri-Business Academy students take five college courses for a total of 15 college credits; Western NY Agriculture (AGR101), Career and Educational Planning (CEP101), Public Speaking (SPE108), Principles of Biology (BIO101) and Principles of Business (BUS101). These courses provide a foundation for a number of two and four-year degree programs and many professional careers ranging from Agricultural Journalism and Bioengineering to Energy Technology and Farm Management, Food Science, Supply Chain Management and so many more. Additional information is available by clicking here.

Agri-Business Academy eligibility requires high school seniors to have maintained an 80 percent or higher overall grade average for the first three years of high school, demonstrated exemplary attendance and a proficiency in reading and writing. They must also possess the responsibility to work independently and with a team.

Interested students should contact ACE Programs Career Pathways Project Director Deborah Dunlevy at (585) 343- 0055 ext. 6316 or via email at dkdunlevy@gensee.edu before the end of the school year or Agri-Business Academy and GCC Adjunct Instructor Kerri Richardson at (585) 344-7783 or via email at krichardson3@gvboces.org. Applications are free and are being accepted now.

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Photos courtesy of Dean Bellack: Tom Rivers, the Orleans Hub editor, last week was the keynote speaker at the Medina Lions Club. He discussed his experiences working at local farms in 2008, news articles that are the basis of the book, Farm Hands: Hard Work and Hard Lessons from Western New York Fields.

MEDINA – Tom Rivers, the Orleans Hub editor, was the featured speaker last week at the Medina Lions Club’s meeting at the Junior Wilson Sportsmen’s Club. He discussed his experiences back in 2008 when he worked at about a dozen local farms as part of a series on farm labor for The Daily News in Batavia.

Rivers worked at The Daily News for 16 years before leaving in March 2013 to help start the Orleans Hub. He covered agriculture, Orleans County and other local issues for The Daily News.

Farmers have long struggled to have a stable workforce. The issue became more dire with immigration raids not long after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Many farmers have had workers removed by immigration authorities, often during the peak of harvest season.

Rivers wanted to find out why so few local people would do the field work and other farm jobs. He planted onions, milked cows, and harvested cucumbers, cabbage, pumpkins, apples and other crops to give a glimpse into what the work is like. He found it to physically exhausting, with pressure on the farmers and their workers to pick produce that is near perfection in order to be sold at Wegmans and other grocery stores.

Farmers have been pushing for about two decades for action at the federal level so more farm workers can be in the country legally.

The workers are vital to agriculture, rural New York’s leading industry, Rivers said. Orleans County and other rural counties also are facing steep population declines. If the federal government overhauled its immigration policies, allowing more long-term farmworkers to stay in the country legally, those workers could help reverse the population decline.

The workers also are skilled and have ambition. They might buy and rehab many of the vacant houses in the county, and could open businesses, Rivers told the Lions Club.

Rivers won several state and national awards for the series on farmworkers. The articles in The Daily News were compiled and expanded into a book, Farm Hands: Hard work and hard lessons from Western New York fields.

To see a review of the book, click here.

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