New York Ag News Headlines New York Farmers Tell Albany: 'Don't Plow Us Under' New York Ag Connection - 03/02/2010 Hundreds of farmers from across New York converged on the State Capitol Monday urging legislators to back off on a series of measures that aim to drive more family farms out of business, killing local agriculture. The theme of today's Capitol rally is: "Don't plow us under!" "Albany has spent the past year increasing our taxes, increasing our fees, and debating bills that will turn our family farms into factories, and we are simply tired of it," said Dean Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau. "We need to remind Albany that agriculture is the number one economic engine in upstate New York and eastern Long Island," Norton said. "Our farm fields and barns are some of the only remaining businesses connecting New York's cities, and we should be looking for ways to help local farms. Not ways to destroy them." Farmers will be rallying on the following issues: -- An ill-conceived, outdated labor bill that would force family farm operations into a labor system more appropriate for factories. -- A roll-back of excessive regulations, paperwork, and taxes and fees on family farm operations. -- A failing infrastructure, preventing efficient day-to-day transport of produce and milk to New York consumers. -- A DOT proposal to ban farm trucks from rural farm roads across the state. -- Broadband expansion that has bypassed rural New York. "Farms produce local food, but we compete and take the prices in the global marketplace," said Norton. "Local agriculture is struggling to compete with farms in South America, in one of the most expensive business climates in the nation." "It's time for the state to stand up for family farms, and simply say no to the corporate unions who want to shut down agriculture like they've shut down manufacturing," said Norton. New York is already the costliest state in the nation to farm, with the highest taxes, fees, utility costs, insurance rates and regulatory restrictions. This puts New York farmers at a major competitive disadvantage with other states and nations. Albany's recent efforts to add to the state's hostile business climate must be thwarted if any semblance of agriculture in the state is to remain in the future, Farm Bureau said. Cathy Martin, a vegetable farmer in Monroe County, said, "I complete inches of paperwork every year for each seasonal worker I employ, and I pay fair wages and provide housing and transportation. I don't understand how people from the city can say I'm a bad actor, when my farm workers use the jobs on my farm to provide food and a better standard of living for their families in their home countries". "As the cornerstone of our state's economy, our farms should be at the forefront of discussions to create and retain jobs in New York," said Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the only active farmer in the state Legislature. "We must work to protect our agriculture industries and the jobs they support both on and off the farm. Not only must we oppose new and onerous mandates that will make our farms less competitive, but we must continue working to promote ideas that will enable farmers to grow and expand their business, so they can continue feeding our families and supporting jobs in our communities. I want to thank the Farm Bureau for the work they do to promote this very agenda." Senator Catharine Young said, "If Albany continues to force through policies that harm agriculture, it will wreck Upstate and Long Island's economy and hurt the entire state. Agriculture pumps billions of dollars into our state coffers and local communities every year. We need to turn our economy around and get people back to work. Farms, food processors, wineries, small agri-businesses and green jobs can lead the way to recovery and prosperity, if state government makes the right decisions. It's a clear choice between economic devastation and lost jobs versus hope and opportunity." "Farmers are experiencing difficult times and unfortunately the Governor's budget proposed major cuts to agriculture," Assemblyman Bill Magee stated. "We must remember that agriculture is very essential to the upstate economy as it helps to ensure dollars spent are returned to the local communities," Magee added. "As Chairman of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that agriculture in NYS remains viable." Assemblymember Cliff Crouch, said, ""Agriculture is the largest industry in the state yet it gets treated like a stepchild. Farmers have to comply with onerous regulations, weather, and uncontrollable cost. They are being threatened with new labor laws that would be so costly that many would not survive. Farms typically pay the majority of the school taxes plus bring thousands of dollars into local communities. It is time that Albany recognizes the value of agriculture and gives farmers the respect and support they need." "Grape growers sold thousands of tons of premium wine grapes at prices well below the cost of growing them etc," said Jim Bedient, New York Wine Grape Growers Association president. "There really were not very many unsold, but we all sold an awful lot of grapes way too cheap." Kenneth Adams, president and CEO of the Business Council of New York State, Inc said, "New York's high taxes and intense regulatory environment have driven jobs and people from our state. The success of family farms is vital to New York's economy. Last year's budget made a bad situation worse by adding billions of dollars in new taxes and fees in the middle of the recession. This year, the legislature must change course and take action to lower the cost of doing business in our state to ensure economic recovery." More from this state at: New York Ag Connection Copyright © 2010 - USAgNet.com. All Rights Reserved.