File photo Tom Rivers – Corn is pictured in Barker in this file photo from August 2013. That was a period when corn prices took a sharp fall.

ALBION – New York corn growers are being recruited to join a lawsuit against agricultural giant Syngenta, a suit that seeks damages for farmers who saw the corn market tumble in 2013 and last year.

Watts Guerra LLP, a law firm from Austin, Texas, stopped at the Village Inn this afternoon as part of several stops in Western New York to explain the lawsuit and urge farmers to sign up for compensation from Syngenta.

Linda Leibfarth, an attorney with Watts Guerra, met with about a half dozen farmers today at the Village Inn before heading to another meeting in Lockport. Leibfarth said Syngenta caused a glut of corn in the U.S. market, which depressed the price.

Swiss-based Syngenta is one of the world’s largest developers of seeds. It produced an insect-resistant variety of Viptera corn. That genetically modified corn was rejected by China in 2013 and was banned from the country up until December 2014.

Not only was that corn rejected, but China wouldn’t take other corn shipments from American growers, fearing cross-pollination of corn in fields and commingling of corn in shipments.

Syngenta has already been sued by Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland, claiming the company pushed the product to the market without a stewardship program to prevent the grain from export markets that didn’t accept the product.

ADM says it suffered “tens of millions of dollars in damages.”

The corn price fell from about $7 per bushel to $3.25 in the spring 2014. Leibfarth said Syngenta isn’t entirely to blame for the price drop because there was a bumper crop. But she said Syngenta’s disruption of the export market, where 40 percent of U.S. corn is shipped, played a big role in the price drop.

The lawsuit will need economists to debate the overall damage to corn growers. Leibfarth said she believes that could be at least $1 per bushel. That could be significant for individual farms.

Her firm has signed up 16,000 farms in the lawsuit, and Watts Guerra wants more to join the case.

That’s why she is traveling throughout New York and other states. She was joined today by Lawlor Quinlan III, a partner with Connors & Vilardo in Buffalo.

“There’s real money involved and we want to get as much money in recovery as possible for the farmers,” she said.

She has been on the road since December, explaining the case to farmers. She said they deserve to be compensated for their lost income.

“In New York, they got hurt just like every farmer in the country,” she said. “Farmers are still feeling a depressed price.”

For more information on the lawsuit, click here.

File photo by Tom Rivers – This photo shows apples in an orchard last September at the corner of East State Street and Butts Road in Albion. A computer glitch has created a backlog stalled applications for temporary foreign workers to work at fruit and vegetable farms.

Press Release
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer

HULBERTON – Today, at Anthony Piedimonte Farms, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, in light of the June 9 crash of the federal system that processes temporary farm-working visas, joined local farmers and urged the U.S. Department of State to fix the computer glitch.

That glitch has created a backlog of stalled applications and prevented farms across the state from accessing legal temporary workers to harvest their crops.

Schumer pressed the State Department to quickly fix this problem, which has resulted in a huge backlog of visa requests and left New York State farms, including 18 growers in Orleans County who are counting on these workers this year.

Those farms haven’t been able to hire the legal temporary farm workers needed to harvest their zucchini, yellow squash, and cucumbers. What’s more, Schumer said, is apple farms could be hit next if the glitch backlog isn’t fixed and cleared in time for this summer and fall harvest season.

Schumer said this could leave farms stranded while crops are sitting, rotting in the fields because they did not have enough legal temporary workers to pick the crops in time. Schumer said the already-struggling and understaffed farms across Upstate New York could have a difficult time meeting the demands of supermarkets if less crops are picked this season due to the backlog, which could also result in a potential price jump for consumers purchasing vegetables and other crops and potentially less profit for farms.

“Farmers across Upstate New York consider the H-2A visa program a lifeline for getting the temporary, legal workers they need to help pick crops during the harvest months,” Schumer said. “Without this program, they will be stranded and unable to meet the high demand for their crops, and potential profits could wither on the vine.”

Schumer explained that on June 9, the State Department hardware system that performs national security checks began failing and, three weeks later, the problem was only just resolved. This computer glitch led to a failure in the central State Department database that processes background checks for visa applications, including the H-2A visa.

Schumer said these types of visas are typically given to temporary agricultural workers who are allowed to work and live in the United States for the duration of their employment. This program is what allows farms to access the legal temporary seasonal workers needed to harvest their seasonal crops.

This glitch prevented the State Department system from receiving the biometric information necessary, such as fingerprints, to complete background checks on these H-2A visa applicants. As a result, Schumer said, the backup has farmers across NY State worried the backlog will not be cleared in time for them to hire the workers they need to prevent crops, and therefore profits, from rotting on the vine.

“And while the State Department has fixed the glitch, the fact is, every day, these H-2A visas were building up in the pipeline and creating an even bigger backlog,” Schumer said. “So State can’t rest easy even now – we need all hands on deck to beat back the backlog so our farms can get the workers they need and consumers will not have to suffer from increased prices for eating healthy.”

While the problem is being addressed, Schumer asked Secretary Kerry to expedite H-2A visa applications, add additional shifts in consulate offices to handle more employees and increase the number of interview times for applicants until the backlog is cleared.

Schumer also asked the State Department to conduct a review to see what preventative measures can be implemented to avoid a future crash. Schumer said this technical problem has halted the processing of H-2A visas, putting tremendous strains on farms that rely on temporary workers to pick crops each season.

NY State Department of Labor data shows that 182 farms in New York are planning to apply for H-2A workers this year. Of these farms, 48 are in the Rochester- Finger Lakes region. Schumer explained there are 18 growers in Orleans County alone.

Schumer explained that these farmers have an extremely limited and specific window for when they need to harvest crops, meaning it is imperative that they have workers on site when that time comes. Any delays caused by this glitch, even just a few days, could have a ripple effect throughout the entire summer and fall farming seasons – such as zucchini, yellow squash, and cucumbers growers this summer, and apple growers this fall.

“When we can’t get workers on time to pick our vegetables and fruit, we risk significant financial losses to our family farms as well as less supply and risking prices for shoppers,” said Maureen Torrey, co-owner of Torrey Farms, which is based in Elba. “We appreciate Senator Schumer’s support to fix the computer glitch and overcome the delays that are now preventing farms like us from getting our legal temporary H-2A workers on the farm in time to pick our crops.”

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Orleans County Legislator John DeFilipps reads a proclamation last week declaring June as Dairy Month. He presented the proclamation to Sydney Seefeldt, the 2015-16 Niagara-Orleans dairy princess.

Seefeldt will serve as an ambassador for the dairy industry, touting the nutritional benefits of milk at community events throughout the coming year.

New York is the third-leading dairy state in the country. New York farmers sell $5.4 billion worth of farm products a year, and milk accounts for $2.4 billion of that total, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Carlton farmer, 80, was also active in Fire Department

Photos courtesy of Roberts family – Lynn Roberts is pictured about two years ago at Circle R Fruit Farm with his son Darren Roberts, center, Bernie Heberle, manager of Circle R. Lynn Roberts died on Saturday at age 80.

CARLTON – Lynn Roberts was working as a barber in his 20s when he decided to pursue his passion in life: farming.

He bought 130 acres from his grandparents, George and Beatrice Roberts, land near the intersection of Kent Road and Route 18.

In the next 50 years, Roberts would build one of the biggest farms in Orleans County and Western New York. Lynn-Ette and Sons farms more than 8,000 acres of grain and vegetables. Roberts in 1991 also started Circle R Fruit Farm, which includes another 550 acres of apples and fruit.

The two farm operations have 32 full-time year-round employees and about 100 other seasonal workers.

“He had a vision,” said his son Darren Roberts, manager of Lynn-Ette and Sons. “It was A-1, top notch or we didn’t do it.”

Mr. Roberts died on Saturday at age 80. Besides the farm, he enjoyed hunting and fishing, and was a long-time active member of the Carlton Volunteer Fire Company.

His family marveled at Roberts’ determination in building the farm, especially when corn prices were low for so long, making it difficult to acquire land and equipment.

Darren Roberts said his father had many sleepless nights during the lean years. Lynn would cut cabbage himself in the early years. His wife Annette often drove a truck with tomatoes to the market.

“That’s why the farm was so dear to him,” Darren said. “They had to fight so hard to keep it going.”

Lynn Roberts is pictured about 20 years ago with a Walker Foxhound and a coyote they hunted. Roberts often drove his truck in the community with a dog next to him.

The farm grew with the help from family and dedicated employees, Darren said. His brother Robin was a long-time manager and was critical to Lynn-Ette’s success, Darren said. Their brother-in-law Greg Jurs was instrumental in the farm’s bean operation, including the addition of its own packing line about three decades ago.

Lynn-Ette also added its own trucking fleet and diversified into fruit, led by manager Bernie Heberle.

Darren said his father surrounded himself with good employees, and inspired them to innovate in the industry, whether trying a new packing line, experimenting with fertilizer applications or using hail cannons to protect the crops during a storm.

“He said we have to find our niche,” Darren said about the farm. “He had a drive to get things done.”

The Lynn-Ette and Circle R trucks are distinguished with the large “R” letters that Lynn added about 30 years ago. The farm was making a sweet corn delivery to a processing plant in Bergen. Darren said the plant had trouble telling the trucks apart.

So Lynn started putting the big “R” on the Lynn-Ette trucks. He liked it so much, the letter “R” is now stands out with LED lights on about a dozen of the trucks.

Lynn remained a presence at the farm in recent years. He was pleased to see the farm grow. He was sentimental about his farming friends. He had pictures of many of his farming neighbors in his office.

Before farm equipment was so big and powerful, Darren said farmers would work together, sometimes just to move huge boulders from fields.

His father didn’t want debt to pile up on the farm and worked to pay off equipment within a year. He didn’t want to be weighed down with worry about those bills.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Lynn Roberts was proud of his farm and put large “R” letters on the front of farm trucks for Lynn-Ette and Sons and Circle R Fruit Farm.

Gary Kludt is co-owner of the Kludt Brothers Inc., a large neighboring vegetable and grain farm in Kendall. The two big farms have got along well for many years, Kludt said.

“We’ve been neighbors forever,” Kludt said. “We’ve always been on good terms and avoided butting heads.”

Kludt said farmers have needed to work smarter and not just harder to survive.

“You got to have some breaks in life and people you trust to get ahead,” Kludt said. “You need foresight in making the right decisions.”

Roberts surrounded himself with a dedicated group of employees, Kludt said, and Lynn proved himself a savvy businessman who could make the tough decisions, Kludt said.

Roberts took chances with the bean line and venturing into fruit production, Kludt said.

“They’ve never been afraid to get their feet wet,” Kludt said.

He knows Roberts was proud and thankful to see the farm grow and succeed.

“He took pride in Circle R and Lynn-Ette and Sons,” Kludt said. “That was his pride and joy – his farm.”

Photo by Tom Rivers – This field on Brown Road in the Town of Gaines was saturated with water after a lot of rain last July 28, 2014.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Farm Bureau Federation and Congressman Chris Collins are among the many to react strongly against an announcement today by President Barack Obama for clean water regulations.

The president, despite opposition from Farm Bureau, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and many Republicans in Congress, announced he would use executive authority to impose a rule known as “Waters of the United States.”

The federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers jointly proposed the rule. Farm groups say the rule could result in higher new costs and burdens, forcing farmers to pay for environmental assessments and to obtain permits to till the soil near gullies, ditches or dry streambeds where water flows only when it rains, The New York Times reported.

A federal government will require a permit for any activity, such as farming or construction, that creates a discharge into a body of water covered under the Clean Water Act or affects the health of it, like filling in a wetland or blocking a stream, according to The New York Times.

Congressman Chris Collins (R-Clarence) issued the following statement after the Obama Administration finalized its Clean Water Act Waters of the United States Rule.

“The Obama Administration’s ruling today is a continuation of their regulatory assault on our nation’s farmers. The EPA’s overreach is causing real harm for local farmers and stalling business development. When I visit with local farmers, the heavy burdens under the Clean Water Act come up each and every time. When the bureaucrats at the EPA decide to call a divot in the ground that fills with rain a ‘navigable waterway’ under the CWA, we know our federal government has run amuck. I will continue to do all I can to fight this burdensome and business crushing ruling.”

Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, issued this statement today:

“We are undertaking a thorough analysis of the final WOTUS rule to determine whether the Environmental Protection Agency listened to the substantive comments farmers and ranchers submitted during the comment period. Based on EPA’s aggressive advocacy campaign in support of its original proposed rule – and the agency’s numerous misstatements about the content and impact of that proposal – we find little comfort in the agency’s assurances that our concerns have been addressed in any meaningful way.

“The process used to produce this rule was flawed. The EPA’s proposal transgressed clear legal boundaries set for it by Congress and the Courts and dealt more with regulating land use than protecting our nation’s valuable water resources. EPA’s decision to mount an aggressive advocacy campaign during the comment period has tainted what should have been an open and thoughtful deliberative process. While we know that farmers and ranchers were dedicated to calling for substantial changes to the rule, we have serious concerns about whether their comments were given full consideration.

“We expect to complete our review in the next few days. We are looking in particular at how the rule treats so-called ephemeral streams, ditches, small ponds and isolated wetlands. We will decide on an appropriate course of action once that review is complete.”

Provided photo – Kristina Gabalski, an Orleans Hub correspondent, completed the master gardener course in Orleans County. She is pictured with her flowering shrubs.

You might call me a “plant-a-holic” or maybe a “compulsive planter”, whichever the case, I’ve loved growing things since I was a kindergartener.

Up until a few months ago, gardening had always been a hobby for me. I love the seasonal process of clearing, digging, planting, watching something grow and harvest. I even love weeding.

Last fall I decided to finally get some formal training in horticulture and since my kids are Orleans County 4-Hers and I’ve really enjoyed Master Gardener programs I’ve attended in the past, I signed up for the 16-week Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Training Program. I knew I would enjoy helping and being a part of the activities and programs organized by Master Gardeners.

A group of more than 25 people started the program last October and those of us who made it all the way through – a few less than the beginning number – received our Certificates of Completion during the May 20 regular monthly meeting of the Orleans County Master Gardeners.

We celebrated with a pot luck dinner and cake before the business meeting took place and now Orleans County can boast of a register of 32 Master Gardeners – both experienced and new.

The training was rigorous and the size of the training manual itself a bit daunting, but the course was broken up with eight classes last fall and eight classes this spring. We covered a long list of topics – garden botany, soils and fertilizers, insects, plant diseases, diagnosing plant problems, woody plant materials, pruning, ecological lawn care, organic gardening, vegetable gardening, herbaceous perennial gardening, annuals and bedding plants, growing herbs, and nuisance wildlife management.

The training included open book mid-term and final exams. The most important part of training, however, was to provide us with the skills necessary to find information provided by Cornell University to help answer questions from residents and gardeners.

This spring we were also excited to welcome our new Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulture educator, Katie Oakes. She taught several of the spring training classes and was particularly helpful in learning more about fruit production, a subject in which she has great expertise, as she is a member of the Oakes family, owners of Lynoaken Farms.

Master Gardener volunteers will now begin applying their knowledge and information gathering skills in a wide variety of ways. It is hoped that the Master Gardener hotline will be staffed soon, enabling residents with questions to call or come into the Extension office during mid-day hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Details will be determined in the near future.

Now that we are into the growing season, a number of special events are also planned by Master Gardeners. A Healthy Garden Walk is set for July 11 and features a walking garden tour of the Village of Medina.

Master Gardeners will have a strong presence at the 4-H Fair, July 27-Aug. 1, with a booth in the Lartz Building and the first ever Flower Show planned. The annual Plant Sale is set for Sept. 12 and the winner of the Master Gardener Makeover will be also be announced that day in the Lartz Building on the fairgrounds.

Tickets for the Makeover are available now for $10 each and can be purchased at the Extension office, 12690 Rt. 31, in Knowlesville. The winner will receive a beautiful new perennial garden installed by Orleans County Master Gardeners. The design will be created by Master Gardeners with the approval of the winner. The makeover sight can be a new planting or addition to an existing garden. The prize, including installation and plant material, is valued at $1,000.

Horticulture Educator Katie Oakes is also working with Master Gardener volunteers to develop summer children’s programming for local libraries and Master Gardeners will again be teaching local 6th graders about composting during Conservation Field Days May 26 and 27 at the fairgrounds.

New Master Gardeners are always welcome. If you would like to become involved, contact the Extension office at 585-798-4265 or click here.

Other graduates in the new class of Master Gardeners include: Catherine Adams, Erin Anheier, Denise Bedard, Paula Bensley, Jena Buckwell, Colin Butgereit, Cindy Confer, Janelle Flammger, Kristine Fredrick, Mari Hoffmeister, Deborah Hoy, Audry Liao, Barbara Linhart, Wayne Litchfield, Mary Mann, Amanda Mrzywka, Eileen Sorochty, Jennifer Tynan, and Mary Jane Woodworth.

Photo by Kristina Gabalski – Master Gardener volunteer Amanda Mrzywka is helping to organize the first-ever Flower Show at the 2015 Orleans County 4-H Fair.

KNOWLESVILLE – Something new and fun is planned for flower lovers at the annual Orleans County 4-H Fair in July.

For the first time, the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program and 4-H Youth Development are sponsoring a Flower Show, which will be held in the Lartz Building on the fairgrounds.

There are Open and Junior Divisions and everyone is welcome to enter.

The show will take place throughout the week of fair, from July 27 to Aug. 1. Judging of exhibits is set for Monday afternoon to kick off the fair. Following judging, the exhibits will be on display all week next to the Master Gardener booth.

“We are so excited to be having our first annual flower show here at Orleans County 4-H Fair,” said Master Gardener volunteer Amanda Mrzywka, who is helping to organize the event. “There is a class for everyone. We hope that this is a success and we are excited to see everyone’s creative flair. They can let their minds go wild. The more creative, the better.”

There are ten categories for entries: Cut flower bouquet (single or multiple stems); kissing ball design; miniature gardens or fairy gardens; dried flower or dried flower bouquets; edible container arrangement; foliage or flowering houseplants; made for the shade; bountiful baskets; pedestal or regular urns for sun; painting or drawing of a flower garden.

Plants must predominate – no artificial plant material is permitted in an exhibit. Exhibits must remain on the fairgrounds during the entire fair and exhibitors must keep entries in show condition.

“Plant material must be kept fresh and/or watered as needed. Unsightly or wilted plant material must be replaced,” general rules state.

Entries may be made individually, as groups/ organizations, or as businesses. Up to three entries may be submitted per individual per class. Groups or businesses may submit one entry per class. 4-H youth may elect to show as Open, but may not exceed three entries per class total.

Pre-registration is due 4:30 p.m. on July 20. Entries can be dropped off at the Lartz Building on Sunday, July 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. or on July 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In addition to the Flower Show, a variety of programs will be held each evening (except Wednesday) at 6 p.m. by Master Gardeners and local gardening clubs.

On Wednesday evening, July 29, a Fresh Bouquet Competition is planned and open to the public beginning at 6 p.m. The entry fee is $10. Register the week of fair at the fair office.

More information including rules, entry cards and registration forms is available online by clicking here (then click on fair tab) or at the Cooperative Extension at the fairgrounds, 12690 State Rt. 31.

Move made to protect against avian flu

File photo by Tom Rivers – These turkeys were part of last year’s meat auction at the 4-H Fair in Knowlesville. The state has banned turkeys, ducks and other fowl from fairs this year.

KNOWLESVILLE – The annual 4-H Fair in late July will be missing some mainstays – turkeys, chickens, ducks, peacocks and other fowl.

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has banned the birds from all county fairs and the state fair this year. Richard Ball, state agriculture commissioner, issued the order on Tuesday, saying the state needs to be proactive in fighting the potential spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

“Avian influenza has not yet been detected in New York State, but it is a very serious threat to poultry and all breeds of fowl and is continuing to spread,” Ball said on Tuesday. “Despite the efforts of the best poultry health experts in North America, we do not fully understand the cause of the rapid spread of this virus. This commonsense step will help limit the spread of the influenza to other farms and chickens.”

Orleans County had 126 entries in fowl events in last year’s fair from 27 kids in the 4-H program. The news from the state is disappointing to the 4-H’ers, but the kids will still work to educate the public about poultry, said Cara Wachob, the poultry superintendent along with her husband Jim.

“It’s definitely a disappointment, but we want to do our part to stop the spread of avian flu in New York State,” she said.

Robert Batt, the 4-H educator in Orleans County, said kids in the poultry program may do photography displays of their chickens, turkeys and other fowl. They may also have other educational displays about the birds.

Batt said the ban is the first he’s experienced in a 4-H career going back about two decades. He understands the need to safeguard the poultry industry.

“It’s absolutely a safety thing,” he said.

Wachob said the local 4-H’ers will put some of the energy they would have used in preparing the birds for the fair into educational displays about the industry and poultry sicence.

The ban covers all breeds of fowl, including chickens, pigeons, turkeys, pheasants, guinea fowl, bantam poultry, geese, and ducks. Exhibitors who have already registered fowl for the 2015 New York State Fair will be contacted and will receive a refund of their entry fees.

“This is a disappointment to us as well as to fairgoers and our exhibitors, who look forward to this competition every year,” said Troy Waffner, acting fair director. “But we believe people understand that we are stewards of the animals in our care and I know they understand that we’re doing what’s best for everyone, and especially for the birds.”

The State Fair has already made plans to fill the space in the Poultry Barn normally used for displaying chickens with rabbits and cavies, and the daily rooster crowing contest will be replaced by a rabbit hopping demonstration on seven days.

While the current strains of avian influenza circulating in the Midwest are extraordinarily deadly to birds, experts stress that the H5N2 and H5N8 strains are not a threat to humans. Chicken and eggs are safe to eat, the Department of Ag and Markets advised.

Press Release, Governor Cuomo’s Office

ALBANY – Gov. Andrew Cuomo today announced new initiatives to streamline regulatory burdens currently placed on farmers in New York. The first-ever “Strategic Interagency Task Force on Lessening Obstacles to Agriculture” identified new opportunities for improving the regulations for pesticide registration and certification without compromising current environmental protections.

Additional regulatory changes for the benefit of New York agriculture as a result of the Task Force will be rolled out in the coming weeks.

“This administration remains committed to supporting farmers and cutting red tape to make it easier for agricultural businesses to grow and thrive in New York,” Cuomo said. “Through this task force, we are implementing commonsense solutions that will improve business for our farmers and maintain this state’s strong commitment to protecting the environment.”

The Task Force is comprised of leadership from state government and representatives from the agriculture industry. It met five times during 2014, working together to develop recommendations to streamline the regulatory process for the state’s robust agricultural economy to grow. During these meetings, farmers identified concerns on a variety of current regulations and posed them to the task force, which responded with the following solutions:

Easier Pesticide Registration Process

In response to feedback from farmers, the Department of Environmental Conservation improved its pesticide product registration processes by scheduling pre-application meetings with registrants, reducing potential delays. It has also improved notification of new pesticide registrations to applicators and distributors.

Faster Recertification Process for Pesticide Applicators

Farmers using pesticides are required to be certified as private pesticide applicators and take either continuing education courses or a recertification exam every five years to remain current. The DEC now tracks applicator certification status in a new database, which improves the renewal notice process. Later phases will allow farmers to view and update their own information online.

Simplify Categories for Pesticide Applicators

New York State has seven private pesticide certifications. To make it easier for farmers to diversify the commodities they grow, the DEC now allows an applicant to request to switch their category, in most cases, and will propose consolidating the categories to simplify certification requirements.

“Based on these recommendations, the Department of Environmental Conservation has identified actions that will reduce the regulatory burdens on farmers and help them use approved products without weakening environmental protections,” said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said. “Farmers are excellent stewards of the environment and we will continue to work with the agriculture community to promote New York’s agricultural economy and natural resources.”

Jeff Williams, New York Farm Bureau’s Public Policy Director, said the Task Force was able to “look for common sense solutions.”

“Changes to the pesticide approval and certifications processes will create greater efficiencies while maintaining a high level of standards in this state,” Williams said. “New York Farm Bureau appreciates the leadership of Gov. Cuomo’s administration, including the efforts of the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Agriculture and Markets, and the work of the entire committee. We look forward to even more regulatory changes to support New York’s farmers.”