Organization weighs in on many local, state and federal issues

Provided photo: Pictured from left include President Kevin Bittner, Vice President Mark Russell and Treasurer Max Russell.

Press Release, Niagara County Farm Bureau

LOCKPORT – Niagara County Farm Bureau held its annual meeting on Thursday evening.  The agenda including adopting resolutions concerning local, state and national issues.

Locally, this included supporting funding for Niagara County’s Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Niagara County Soil and Water Conservation District. Also, the group supported establishing a county wide drainage district.

On the state level, the resolutions covered a wide range of topics. They supported including backyard chickens in the definition of urban agriculture, expanding the deer damage (aka nuisance) permits, improving cellular service and improvements to the electrical grid.

Other state issues included NYS finalizing grant contracts and their reimbursement on a timely basis. The NYS Strategic Interagency Task Force Lessening Obstacles to Agriculture Working Group (SILO committee) was also supported.

Federal issues also covered a variety of issues. There are a myriad of GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certifications. Niagara County Farm Bureau supported retailers who accept SNAP benefits us the USDA Harmonized Plus GAP only.

Mancozeb is a product used in apples, grapes and onions. There is a proposal to restrict how it is used that does not align with current scientific research. Farmers who use these products want the current regulations to stay in place. The third issue dealt with the electrification of farm vehicles and the need to support those with incentive programs available to other motor vehicles.

Updates from Kevin Bittner, John Wagner, Brad Macaulay, and Matthew Sweeney completed the evening. Bittner reviewed the year, including updates on State Annual Convention, PX Days, County Fair Corn Booth and The Ag Literacy Week.

The Corn Booth was the most successful ever and during Ag Literacy weeks many farmers participated by going to schools and reading the selected book.  He thanked outgoing board members Cassie Voelpel and Jeannette Miller for their service.

Wagner talked about the upcoming State Annual Convention and Young Farmers and Ranchers Program. A new feature of the State Annual Convention is bring a non-member.  Nationalwide Insurance will sponsor a county resident who is not currently a member of Farm Bureau but would like to learn more at that gathering.

Macauley talked about the changes at New York Farm Bureau with the new Executive Direction Deanna Fox. He reviewed some of the legislative policy successes and encouraged everyone to attend the convention and the PX (Policy Execution) lobbying days.

The expansion of the Royalton Hartland Ag Program was Matthew Sweeney’s topic. There is now a youth FFA, called the Green Team, in the elementary school. He described many community interactions with the students and announced they have two teams going to compete at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. One of the most exciting new features of the program is the college credit course now offered. Working with Cobleskill, students earn 9 college credits when successfully completing the course.

The evening ended with the Board Elections. In addition to Bittner’s re-election, Mark Russell will continue as Vice President. New directors are Josh Bieber and Nick Sparks.  Trevor Ganshaw, Kelly Raby and Max Russell were all re-elected to their positions.

Farm Bureau membership is open to those who farm, those who are involved in agribusiness and anyone who eats. For more information about membership or how you can volunteer, call (716) 735-7791 or email niagcofb@yahoo.com.

Photos courtesy of Soil & Water Conservation District: Two Orleans County fruit farms will get frost fans to help prevent damage to their orchards during a spring frost.

ALBION – The Orleans County Soil & Warer Conservation District has been awarded a $361,311 state “Climate Resilient Farming Grant” to assist three farms.

Two of the grants will go towards frost fans, while the other grant will help a farm in Kendall remove numerous ash trees along a waterway at the farm and establish a riparian buffer. The farm will replant the area with healthy, native trees, said Katie Sommerfeldt, the Soil & Water district manager.

The grant to replace a series of smudge pots with frost fans will help two farms, one in Gaines and one in Carlton, prevent frost damage to their orchards which can devastate crops, Sommerfeldt said.

The frost fans have automatic weather stations. They will blow warmer air from above through an orchard to fight a freeze in the spring when fruit buds are vulnerable to frost.

Farms now set up numerous smudge pots and power them with diesel fuel. It’s very labor-intensive, often needed manpower throughout a chilly night.

The frost fans will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and require far less manpower, Sommerfeldt said.

Many of the local fruit farms have been using smudge pots to try to warm up chilly orchards, a labor intensive effort.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

SYRACUSE – Governor Kathy Hochul, last week at the Great New York State Fair, signed three pieces of legislation expanding resources and protections for the State’s agricultural industry.

Legislation S.6320/A.6821 allows the leasing of State land to be used for sap production and tree tapping for ten years to increase the return on investment for producers, including maple producers. The legislation authorizes the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation to enter into contracts for the lease or use of State lands for the purpose of tree tapping and sap production for a term of up to, but not more than, ten years.

Legislation S.9232/A.10199 would allow licensed farm wineries to use apples grown outside of New York State to manufacture or sell State labeled cider, in certain circumstances. This legislation provides crop loss determination for farm wineries to authorize the use of apples grown outside of New York State to be used for state-labeled cider when needed due to a loss of crops.

Legislation S.9248/A.7020A establishes the Beginning Farmer Advisory Board on Agriculture. The legislation establishes the Beginning Farmer Advisory Board on Agriculture with the goal of implementing a plan that moves forward the State’s efforts to bring new entrants to the farm.

“As we celebrate the State Fair, we recognize that New York’s agriculture is a central component to our State’s economy,” Governor Hochul said. “With the signing of this legislation, we continue our mission to uplift this community and prove we are here to support them every step of the way.”

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

 Governor Kathy Hochul signed landmark legislation S.2852A/A.3132A that allows New York’s small craft manufacturers of spirits, cider, and mead to ship directly to consumers.

The newly signed law opens significant opportunities for the state’s growing craft beverage industry by providing a vital market expansion tool—allowing these producers to ship their unique products directly to consumers within New York and across state lines.

“New York’s craft manufacturers create distinctive, world-class products that deserve a broader audience,” Governor Hochul said. “This legislation levels the playing field, allowing these small producers to reach new markets and foster economic growth across the state. With this new law, we are ensuring that New York remains a national leader in craft beverages, continuing to support our local businesses, tourism, and agriculture.”

Expanding Market Access for Craft Producers

New York’s craft cider and spirit producers often struggle to gain access to traditional wholesale distribution channels, placing these smaller manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage, as their products are less likely to reach licensed retailers and consumers. Direct-to-consumer shipping offers an essential new outlet for these smaller producers, enabling them to build brand loyalty by connecting directly with consumers who want to enjoy the unique products that define New York’s craft beverage industry. For consumers, the new law means greater access to high-quality New York-made products, driving demand for the state’s craft beverages both locally and nationally.

This expansion of market access is particularly significant as New York is home to the largest number of craft cideries in the nation and ranks second in the U.S. for the number of distilleries. By allowing these manufacturers to ship directly to consumers, New York strengthens its position as a leader in the craft beverage industry while supporting the state’s broader agricultural economy.

This legislation also represents a milestone for parity for New York’s spirits and cider producers, who have long advocated for the same privileges that wine manufacturers have enjoyed for nearly two decades, while providing safeguards against underage access to alcohol and ensuring proper tax collection by mirroring the responsible sales and delivery practices established under the DTC wine shipping laws.

Temporary Covid-19 Relief Now Permanent

During the Covid-19 pandemic, New York craft manufacturers of spirits and cider were granted temporary DTC shipping privileges to help them survive the economic downturn. This temporary measure proved highly successful, with no recorded violations, demonstrating that direct shipping can be done safely and responsibly. The new law permanently codifies this privilege, allowing small craft manufacturers to continue growing their businesses by reaching customers both within and outside of New York.

New York State Liquor Authority Chair Lily Fan said, “This legislation will hopefully support the long-term survival and create another growth spurt of New York’s vibrant craft and farm alcohol producers. I am immensely proud that our agency is able to support our manufacturing licensees in obtaining this long-sought change, which would allow them to directly touch their consumers and build brand loyalty in a meaningful manner.”

 New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “This legislation provides our distilleries and cideries with tremendous opportunity for growth that will have a ripple effect on our economy. With the most cideries and the second-most distilleries in the nation, New York State is committed to continuing to support these small businesses, who ultimately also help provide a boost to our farmers as well. By opening up the direct-to-consumer shipping option, producers can reach even more customers and consumers have an opportunity to discover a new, favorite New York beverage.”

The new law takes effect in 90 days, just in time for the upcoming holiday season, allowing consumers to explore and enjoy New York’s world-class craft spirits, cider and mead from the comfort of their own homes.

New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher said, “We are excited for our farm distillers and farm cideries who will now be able to expand their market by shipping their products directly to consumers. This is a lifeline for many struggling distilleries and cideries throughout the state. This will help strengthen the fruit, grain and potato industry in New York and is a huge win for agriculture.”

‘In some spots this is the worst damage I’ve ever seen’

Photos by Tom Rivers: These Honeycrisp apples grown by Jim and Adam Kirby were badly by hail last Sunday. The Kirbys lost about 100 of their 170 acres of apples from the hail. The apples have numerous bruises and cuts from the hail.

GAINES – It’s a word fruit farmers fear: hail.

Those fast-moving pellets from the sky can turn a crop, that has been months in making, into a largely worthless field of ruin.

Last Sunday hail hit in the afternoon and it left a swath of destruction for farmers, especially those near Route 104.

Jim Kirby and his son Adam grow 170 acres of apples, as well as other vegetable and grain crops. About 100 acres of their apples were pummeled by the hail, including their most valuable apples, the Honeycrisp. They were going to start picking some of those apples this week.

Instead they were reaching out to their insurance agent, and trying to calculate the losses.

“This is a heart-breaker for me,” Jim Kirby said looking at a block of apples along Lattin Road. “This is a bumper crop of Honeycrisp. But it five minutes it’s all over.”

Jim Kirby has been growing apples for 50 years and said the hail storm is one of the most devastating in his career. He is shown with Honeycrisp apples, the top variety, in an orchard on Lattin Road.

Kirby and a crew of 12 workers spent the previous three weeks hand-thinning Honeycrisp apples, removing some so the others would max out on size and color.

But the storm left apples with many bruises and cuts. Sometimes hail will leave one or two bruises on an apple. This time the apples have 20 or more bruises, showing they were hammered by the hail. They can’t be sold on the fresh market for top dollar. They could go for juice, but that market will now be saturated and it may not pay to have workers pick those apples and then haul them for processing, Kirby said.

The storm was especially brutal for many apple farms in Orleans County, but also damaged corn, soybeans and vegetables, said Larry Meyer, the Farm Service Agency director in Orleans County.

He has been working for the FSA for 41 years. The Sunday hail storm cut a wide path of damage, but also missed some fields and orchards as it moved from Niagara, through Orleans and further east.

“In some spots this is the worst damage I’ve ever seen,” he said. “There is a lot of loss in the county. The people who got hit got hit real bad.”

These apples were almost ready to be picked but now likely will be left on the tree and later left on the ground unless the low-price juice market makes it worthwhile to pick them.

Meyer expects a federal disaster declaration will be issued which will allow for emergency low-interest loans for farmers without crop insurance.

Many of the farms now have private insurance, which can cover up to 65 percent of the crop’s value. Meyer said the apple market has very tight profit margins this year. The crop insurance will help the farmers, but still leaves them in a difficult position, especially when they were so close to harvest.

Meyer said farmers are in a better position to recover from the losses, compared to previous years. He recalled the Labor Day wind storm of 1998 that decimated the local apple crop. At the time the federal government to assist apple farms with disaster aid and there wasn’t private insurance to help cover the loss of an apple crop.

About a quarter of the apple farms went out of business in Orleans County after that storm.

But this time most of the farms have their own crop insurance, and the federal government can provide some disaster aid for the others.

The FSA is working to try to determine the extent of the damage.

“This was a long storm,” he said. “It had a lot of energy and it kept going.”

Apples and other fruit totaled $59.0 million in revenue for Orleans County farmers in 2022, according to the U.S. Agricultural Census. Orleans County’s total ag revenue is $233.6 million.

More oxen statues could be added to landscape in 2025

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – An ox in the Trolley Building emerged as one of the stars of the Orleans County 4-H Fair last week. Stacey Kirby Steward, an Albion native, spent several days at the fair painting the all-white fiberglass ox into a realistic creature.

Steward gave one side of the ox an agricultural theme and is working on the other side with fair scenes.

The ox is expected to stay on the fairgrounds, perhaps by the sign along Route 31 or by the giant pie tin for the World’s Largest Apple Pie in 1977. The ox may also be featured in lighted parades later this year, including Medina’s Parade of Lights and other Christmas parades in Albion, Barre and Clarendon.

The agricultural side shows a farmer and a team of oxen plowing a field. Kirby also painted apples and corn.

She enjoyed the feedback from the public, with many people exclaiming when they walked into the Trolley Building and saw a giant ox statue being painted.

“People have had a very positive response,” Steward said on Friday.

Steward has been a featured artist before at the fair, including back in high school when she did face painting. She also painted two murals with a cow theme on the Farm Bureau’s both, where milkshake and ice cream is served during fair week.

Steward said painting a fiberglass statue presented a new challenge, and often was time-consuming. But she thinks the statue showed it provides a nice canvas to paint scenes celebrating parts of Orleans County.

The statue was transformed during the week. It started off all-white.

The painting of the ox also was intended to gauge public interest in whether several oxen statues could be painted as part of a bicentennial tribute in 2025 when Orleans County celebrates its 200^th anniversary.

Other communities have painted animal statues for civic pride, including horses in Rochester, buffalo in Buffalo, and squirrels in Olean. Saratoga Springs painted 5-foot-tall fiberglass statues of pointe shoes to celebrate dance. Saratoga is home to the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame.

The ox statue was made in Texas and shipped to the Fairgrounds last month by FedEx. The Orleans County Bicentennial Committee will see if there are enough sponsors to have more oxen painted around the county for the bicentennial next year.

Orleans County officially formed on April 15, 1825. The State Legislature recognized Orleans County that day, allowing it to splinter from Genesee County.

Oxen were critical in helping pioneers tame the wild land two centuries ago. The oxen pulled wagons across rough terrain and helped clear trees for the early Orleans residents. The animals also were put to work in building the Erie Canal.

The ox may be incorporated into the theme and logo for the county’s bicentennial.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that eligible farm employers may now apply to the Department of Agriculture and Markets for a certificate of advance payment so they can receive reimbursement from the Department of Taxation and Finance for eligible overtime paid to their employees since January 1, 2024.

(Editor’s Note: The threshold for overtime decreased for agricultural workers starting Jan. 1. The limit was 60 hours a week at straight pay before workers could earn overtime. That dropped to 56 hours this year. It is part of a phase-in reduction where the overtime threshold will be lowered by four hours every other year to 40 hours a week in 2032.)

This Farm Employer Overtime Credit is a part of Governor Hochul’s plan to support New York’s farmers through a series of new and increased tax credits and other initiatives and helps to ensure that farm employers can continue to support their workers while reducing their tax burden.

“Supporting New York’s farmers and farmworkers, who are essential to keeping New York State running, is a key priority for my administration – and our new Farm Employer Overtime Credit is one of many great initiatives that aim to help alleviate the challenge of rising costs,” Governor Hochul said. “I encourage all eligible farm businesses to learn more about this program and apply for reimbursement so that we can reduce their tax burden while helping them to continue supporting their hardworking staff.”

The Farm Employer Overtime Credit is a refundable tax credit available for eligible farm employers who paid overtime wages after January 1, 2024, based on the gradual phase-in of the overtime threshold in New York State.

As of now, farm employers who have registered in the new online portal at taxcredit.agriculture.ny.gov may enter eligible employee overtime information and submit their application to the Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) for a certificate of advance payment of eligible overtime paid between Jan. 1 to the date of their application.

Farmers may also wait until August to apply for reimbursement for the entire Jan. 1 through July 31 period, or they may choose to wait until they file their tax return to receive the credit. Between the advance payment and months claimed on their return, eligible farm employers will receive a full 12 months of the Farm Employer Overtime Credit.

A user guide to assist farmers in the application process is available at agriculture.ny.gov/user-guide-farm-employer-overtime-credit-advance.

Applications for a certificate of advance payment must be submitted to AGM by September 30. After eligibility review, AGM will issue a certificate to each approved farm employer. With a certificate of advance payment, the approved farm employer’s owner(s), partners or shareholders can then request their share of the advance payment from Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF).

Each of the farm’s owners, partners or shareholders who wants to receive their portion of the credit advance must apply individually. This request must be made no later than Nov. 1, using the online services account at DTF’s website.

Farmers may apply for this refundable credit if they (or their business): are an eligible farmer (click here); and employ eligible farm employees that were paid eligible overtime.

Earlier this year, the State encouraged farmers to prepare to apply by taking the following steps (click here):

• Ensuring that they are registered for a NY.gov ID through My.NY.gov.
• Taking the farm employer eligibility assessment to establish if they (the farm employer) expect to meet the eligible farmer income requirements for their tax filing type at the end of the tax year.
• Discussing the program with their tax and payroll advisors to ensure they kept necessary records during the January 1 – July 31 period this year.
• Registering their farm in the online portal at taxcredit.agriculture.ny.gov.
• Optionally, choosing to delegate authority to a representative (e.g., a tax preparer), who may complete and submit the application on the farm employer’s behalf later in the year.

Additional information and resources are available on the AGM’s website at agriculture.ny.gov/OTadvance and the DTF website at tax.ny.gov/pit/credits/farm-employer-overtime-credit.htm. Questions may be directed to farmOTadvance@agriculture.ny.gov or (518) 457-7076.

Provided photo: from left include Shelly Budziszewski, Ashley Childs and Susan McLaughlin.

Press Release, Roy-Hart Central School

MIDDLEPORT – Royalton-Hartland Central School District’s Agricultural Program has been racking up awards and recognitions over the last several years.

Recently elementary school teachers Shelly Budziszewski, Ashley Childs and middle school teacher Susan McLaughlin were invited to present at the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. There were over 500 attendees at this premier professional development conference about teaching through the lens of food and agriculture.

The teachers gave a workshop on the Green Team, an after-school club centered on agriculture that has 37 actively participating students at the elementary school. It was entitled “Extracurricular Agriculture – Bridging the Classroom, Community and Club.”

“It was a great opportunity to not only be presenters, but be able to attend other workshops and take it back and share at the district level,” McLaughlin said.

The three teachers were awarded scholarships through Cornell University’s New York Agriculture in the Classroom program. Budziszewski said the presentation was inspired by her attendance at last year’s conference in Florida.

“Many of the presenters from New York State briefly mentioned their afterschool programs and I mentioned our Green Team Club and many of the attendees were interested in hearing more about it,” she said.

The response of their presentation at this year’s conference was overwhelming, according to the trio. Budziszewski said the room was at capacity.

“We had a full house, so clearly people across the country are interested in it,” she said. “We talked about our legacy projects and one of them was what we call our ‘Green Team Creed.’ It is kind of a pledge that the kids say at the beginning of every meeting. We showed a video of the kids saying the pledge and we got a spontaneous round of applause. Our hope is that the presentation encourages fellow educators to implement similar programs at their districts.”

The teachers say the program has been instrumental in starting students on the path of agricultural appreciation and knowledge starting at a young age. McLaughlin said their long-term goal as educators is to prepare their students to become members of the Roy-Hart FFA chapter.

“What we hope for in the future is to streamline the kids that are interested in agriculture from the elementary perspective, join Junior FFA in the Middle School and then when they enter into the High School join our award winning FFA program there,” she said.

Jill Heck, Royalton-Hartland district superintendent, is proud of the way the teachers represented the district.

“This was a great opportunity for our teachers to take our Green Team program into the national spotlight,” Heck said. “We were excited for them to have the opportunity to present the work they are doing with the students at Royalton-Hartland!”