ALBION – The father of a worker from Mexico who died in an Aug. 29 farm accident will be in Albion on Friday for a vigil and rally in memory of his son.

Luis Daniel Larios Hernandez was 25 when he died late last summer. He was part of a work crew employed by Root Brothers that was “on loan” to Kirby Farm and was irrigating a field of tomato plants.

Larios Hernandez was standing next to a parked farm truck when a second truck (also parked and un-occupied) rolled down a slight incline and struck the victim, pinning him between the two vehicles, according to the report from Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.

Larios Hernandez is survived by his wife Teresa and 4-year-old daughter Citlalli of Jalisco, Mexico, according to the Worker Justice Center of NY.

The organization has planned an 11:30 a.m. vigil on Friday for Larios Hernandez at the First Presbyterian Church of Albion. Larios Hernandez’s father, Daniel Larios Hernandez, is attending the vigil.

He will also be part of a press conference outside Root Brothers Farms at 12:30 p.m. at 12595 West Lee Rd. Larios Hernandez and the Worker Justice Center of NY will also visit the site of the fatal accident at 3400 Densmore Rd. at 1 p.m.

The Worker Justice Center of NY wants to highlight the danger for many workers on the farms, said Carly Fox, a worker organizer with the Justice Center.

She said Root Brothers was fined $7,000 by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration following the death of Larios Hernandez.

“That is not enough for a farm to change its policies and procedures,” she said.

The Justice Center would like to see more safety training for workers, and overtime pay for the employees who often work 12 hours or more in the hot weather.

“There are a lot of precautions in other industries, but they do not exist in the agricultural industry,” Fox said.

She said 61 farmworkers have been killed on farms between 2006-2014, with 23 dying in 2014, with tractor rollovers and entanglement in other farm machinery the leading causes of death.

“This is a region of the state that is extremely rich in agricultural products and we celebrate that,” Fox said. “But the underbelly of that is a lot of workers are afraid to speak out on the conditions.”

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – These horses are out getting a drink from a waterlogged pasture at the corner of Route 31 and Long Bridge Road in Albion late this afternoon. The horses are owned by the Bokman family.

They were out at about 5 p.m. when it was 32 degrees out. The temperature will fall to 16 degrees tonight, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

Thursday is forecast for a high of 35 and a low of 22, followed by 39 and 31 on Friday, and 42 and 18 on Saturday, according to the Weather Service.

Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – FFA students hold raffle items that were auctioned off to raise money for the Albion FFA program. The money will be used to send students for leadership training. Andrea Muoio is at left and Mackenzie Luft, third from left, wait to see which bidder won the items.

About 160 people attended the 17th annual Farmer to Neighbor Night at the White Birch Golf Course.

Abigail Maines, a junior at Medina, delivers a prepared speech that was nearly 10 minutes. Abigail recently finished in 4th place at the district competition for the speech.

Abigail advocates for the benefit of therapy animals. She and the Medina FFA would like to train llamas and alpacas as therapy animals that could visit elementary students, and residents at nursing homes and Hospice.

FFA advisor Todd Eick said the stduents plan to work with Pet Partners to train the animals.

Todd Eick, advisor of the Medina FFA, thanked the community and school districts for supporting the FFA and agriculture programs at Medina and Albion.

Both Albion and Medina have hosted the FFA State Convention (Medina in 2014 and Albion in 2013), a testament of the districts’ ag programs and the draw of the area around the state for students to see local progressive farms.

Adam Krenning, the Albion FFA advisor, is pictured with Medina and Albion FFA members. He praised the students for their hard work in FFA and their many community service projects. The Albion chapter coordinated a food drive last December that resulted in 27,000 pounds of food donated by farms to Community Action.

Sate Sen. Robert Ortt said agriculture is a big business in New York, a fact he said he will share with his colleagues in the State Legislature from New York City.

“We all know you can’t grow food on Wall Street,” Ortt said.

A recent report from Comptroller Tom DiNapoli counted agriuculture as a $40 billion business annually in the state.

Barry Flansburg, a member of the Albion FFA Alumni, served as emcee for the event. He is pictured behind Ortt.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley is a past president of the Genesee County Farm Bureau. He also serves on the Assembly’s Agriculture Committee.

He praised the farmers and FFA for their work ethic and commitment to the community.

“This is the lifeblood of the community and our No. 1 industry,” Hawley said.

Hawley said he expects legislation for overtime for farmworkers and the right to collective bargaining to again be pushed in Albany. Hawley dubbed that legislation “The Farm Death Bill.” He said he and Ortt will work to prevent its passage.

Jayne Bannister is the Orleans-NIagara dairy princess. She also is a member of the Albion FFA and the district president. She touted the nutritional benefits of milk.

Albion FFA members Allyson Graham, left, and Alexis Bentley recite the creed.

Allyson Graham recites part of the creed, alternating with Alexis Bentley.

The FFA students are pictured with Rob Ortt and Steve Hawley.

The Albion FFA Alumni, Medina FFA, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Soil & Water Conservation District and Chamber of Commerce all work together planning and promoting the dinner.

Photo by Tom Rivers – A bale of hay is pictured last summer off Wood Road near the 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that as a result of the Agricultural Land Assessment Cap, last year farmers across the state paid $11 million less in agricultural property taxes.

Signed into law by Cuomo in October 2013, the law ensures that any increase in the agricultural assessment will be no more than 2 percent per year for farmers. Coupled with the 2 percent property tax cap, New York farmers are now enjoying a more predictable property tax climate, Cuomo said.

This predictability allows for smart business decision-making that helps to increase productivity and profitability on farms across the state, he said.

“Protecting our farmers from drastic adjustments in agricultural assessment values is crucial to ensuring that New York’s booming agriculture industry continues to thrive,” Cuomo said. “This control on property tax growth is helping some of our hardest working individuals support themselves and their families. The agriculture industry is an important part of the State’s economy, and this program will continue to provide meaningful relief to help keep our farmers’ hard-earned income in their pockets.”

The base assessment value for agricultural lands nearly doubled over the seven years prior to Cuomo implementing the assessment relief, despite a 10 percent cap on annual assessment growth. The Department of Taxation and Finance projects the 2 percent cap will yield even greater benefit to New York farmers in 2015.

“Our state is home to thousands of world class agricultural producers and we have a lot to be proud of,” said State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball.

“In all my years as a farmer, I can honestly say that there has never been a better relationship between agriculture and state government than there is right now. This new law is living proof of this partnership.”

Between 2000 and 2011, property taxes nearly doubled in New York. As a result of the property tax cap introduced by the governor in 2011, New York’s property taxes have been held to an average growth rate of 2.2 percent during the past three years, nearly 60 percent less than the 5.3 percent rate of growth over the previous 10 years.

“The cap on agricultural land assessment was a top priority for our members who were seeing their tax bills skyrocket because of rising land values,” said Dean Norton, New York Farm Bureau president. “In turn, the money they have saved can be reinvested into our farms to help grow our rural economies upstate and on Long Island. We appreciate Governor Cuomo working with us to invest in New York agriculture and accomplish such significant savings.”

File photos by Tom Rivers – An operator at Root Brothers Farm works the ground at the corner of Long Bridge Road and Route 31 in the Town of Albion in this photo from last May.

Agricultural is a very big business in New York State – nearly a $40 billion impact in the state’s economy, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

The comptroller’s report counted agriculture’s impact at $37.6 billion to New York’s economy in 2012, an increase of more than 22 percent from 2007, according to DiNapoli.

The $37.6 billion is far more than the $5.5 billion in direct farm revenue counted in the 2012 Agriculture Census. (Orleans County ranks 13th out of 62 counties at $150.3 million in direct farm sales, according to the Ag Census in 2012. Click here to see “Ag revenues soar in latest census.”)

The state ranks in the top 10 nationwide for milk and other dairy production, as well as wine, apples, maple syrup and other products. New York is the second-leading apple producer behind only Washington State and Orleans County is NY’s second-leading apple producer behind Wayne County.

Orleans County is a big grain producer, with a lot of the crop going to the ethanol plant in Medina. This picture shows a grain facility in Shelby.

“New York’s economy is still fueled by agricultural activity and the production of food,” DiNapoli said in a news release. “Farms in New York are 98 percent family-owned, yet compete on a national level, diversifying our economy and keeping our local communities strong. It makes economic sense for the state to retain and promote our farms to feed our residents and preserve our land.”

Milk is the state’s largest commodity, with $2.4 billion in sales, followed by grains, peas and beans at $856 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2012 census.

New York also ranked first nationwide in the production of yogurt, cottage cheese and sour cream, and was the second-largest wine producer in 2013, with 34 million gallons. The state also ranked second nationally in maple syrup production.

“Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s report calls attention to the significant economic impact agriculture has in New York state,” said Dean Norton, president of the New York Farm Bureau. “This in-depth look highlights the dedication of farmers, the diversity of products and the unmistakable conclusion that agriculture is a cornerstone of our rural economy both upstate and on Long Island. New York Farm Bureau thanks the Comptroller for the report and his continued interest in our state’s agricultural strength.”

A cow bellows at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville in this photo from July 2013. Dairy is the biggest sector of agriculture in NY.

As of 2012, roughly 56,000 New Yorkers operated farms, with an additional 61,000 people hired as farm laborers. Both the total value of agricultural commodity sales and farm acreage increased from 2007 to 2012, while the number of New York farms and farmers declined modestly.

With an average farmer’s age of 55 years old – reflecting the national average – fewer younger adults are entering the farming profession. In 2012, more than half of New York farms had sales below $10,000.

New York state has established a number of policy initiatives to promote its agricultural sector, including:

The Farmland Protection Program, which can pay 75 percent of purchase costs for conservation easements to municipalities;

The New Farmers Grant Fund to encourage young people to take up farming with grants for equipment purchases, supplies or construction;

The Fresh Connect and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable programs, which bring farm food to communities and fund school purchases of fresh produce; and

The Food Metrics Law, which encourages state agencies to purchase food produced by New York farmers.

As farmers continue to address the challenges driven by factors at the local, national and even international levels, close attention to the most effective mix of state policies to support agriculture will remain essential, DiNapoli said.

In addition to providing a big economic benefit, the comptroller said agriculture has other quality of life contributions, including preservation of open spaces.

To see DiNapoli’s report, click here.