Business

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is thanking a longtime local business for supporting the community during this current healthcare crisis. Chapin Manufacturing, a staple business since 1884, is donating one gallon and three gallon spraying containers for the purposes of disinfecting buildings during the coronavirus outbreak.

“When the CEO reached out to me last week, I was absolutely thrilled to hear and couldn’t say yes fast enough,” Hawley said. “It’s good to see that despite all of the confusion and concern throughout the state and the country, people are still stepping up to help their neighbors. It gives me the hope and reassurance that after all this is over, our community will come back together stronger than ever.”

The sprayers will be distributed to the Genesee County, Orleans County, and Monroe County Emergency Management offices. The EMOs will coordinate with local hospitals, fire departments, EMTs and schools to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate in using these generous gifts.

Press release:

New York Farm Bureau is requesting immediate help for farmers who are facing serious economic challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. The recently passed CARES Act provides $9.5 billion in funding for USDA, and NYFB is encouraging that funding to be used for direct payments to farms.

NYFB President David Fisher has sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to make the case for federal assistance which spells out a number of ways USDA can help a diverse range of farms in New York weather the storm that is affecting millions of small businesses. This would help offset the fact that most farms may not meet the traditional eligibility requirements for Small Business Administration programs. At a time when food security is of utmost importance, we must do everything we can to keep farmers in business during this most challenging time.

The letter from President Fisher reads in part, “While no one could have predicted the extent of this virus on the country or its food supply, the impacts have been real and unprecedented for America’s farmers, including those in New York. Not only have farmers experienced the loss of markets, dumping of products, and labor disruptions, also there remains uncertainty of when they may see any type of recovery.”

In addition to direct payments, some additional requests include:

• USDA should immediately make purchases of dairy products including but not limited to fluid milk, butter, cheeses and dry milk powders. Additional support could be provided through export assistance programs and direct commodity support.
• The creation of a voucher program for people in need through the Milk Donation Program, as authorized under the 2018 Farm Bill, to facilitate the distribution of donated milk through grocery stores and other venues since some food banks and food pantries often do not have enough cold storage to accept large quantities of highly perishable products.
• With the steep decline in purchases in the food service sector, USDA should consider developing a purchase program that would quickly provide stability to all impacted fresh produce growers through the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. 
• Provisions should be made for livestock, equine, horticulture, craft distilleries, maple producers and more who are facing closures and a significant loss of business.

Read the requests made by NYFB to assist farmers across the state and the full letter here.

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today (April 6) called on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Purdue to immediately release funding and send aid directly to New York’s struggling farmers.

Schumer negotiated $9.5 billion in emergency funding for the agricultural sector already suffering massive financial losses due to reduced demand and supply chain disruptions. The funding was part of the bipartisan $2 trillion CARES Act.

With more than 33,000 farms in New York State, Schumer explained that with restaurants, schools, and other industries closing nationwide due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, New York farmers are losing major revenue streams.

Given the disruptions in supply chains, rampant food insecurity, and the importance of New York agricultural products in the U.S. food supply, the USDA must expedite the allocation of the $9.5 billion emergency agriculture aid set aside in the CARES Act and prioritize New York farmers, Schumer said.

Farmers Forced to Discard Food, Dump Milk

“New York’s farmers and the New York agricultural industry is the lifeblood of the nation,” Schumer said. “In good times, New York farmers work long hours on tight margins but in the midst of a global pandemic, they are losing revenue streams, suffering huge financial losses and being forced to discard their products during a time when we need a reliable food supply.

"I fought to make $9.5 billion accessible to help them out during this crisis, and it is imperative that we immediately put those dollars to use. I will not rest until New York farmers have the resources they need to help Americans get food on the table.”

In addition to demanding immediate help for struggling New York farmers, Schumer called for the USDA to take New York dairy producers, specialty crop farmers, and local and organic farms into consideration as among the hardest hit in the nation.

The Senator revealed that some dairy co-ops are directing farmers to dump their milk, indicating a huge loss in revenue for New York agriculture as milk is New York’s #1 agricultural product. Some farmers dumped more than 100,000 pounds of milk last week, and it is estimated that dairy farmers statewide were forced to dump between 25 million and 35 million pounds.

With prices plummeting and processing plants closing, dairy farmers could lose anywhere between $1 million and $1.2 million in the aftermath of COVID-19. Additionally, several cabbage growers have been unable to sell their produce for two weeks and are watching their entire harvest go to waste as their crops in cold storage reach the end of their freshness.

Small, Local & Organic Farms Are Hit Hard

Schumer also emphasized that local farms would be severely impacted by the crisis. Many small, local, and organic farms depend on farmers markets as an avenue to sell their produce, but as states issue stay-at-home orders and some local governments suspend farmers markets altogether, those small farmers are losing a major revenue streams.

They also are unable to generate revenue through visitor business and experiencing losses both financially and marketing-wise with the cancellation of food-related festivals that often happen in the spring.

Nurseries are also struggling to survive in the midst of the crisis because they are designated as nonessential businesses, while their large-corporation hardware store competitors are allowed to remain open. Schumer urged the USDA to support small business nurseries as they struggle to get through the crisis.

Senator Schumer’s letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Purdue.

Dear Secretary Perdue

"As you know, the agricultural sector has been hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak and will continue to face grave challenges in the coming months. Unfortunately, farmers in my home state of New York are not immune to the ramifications of this global pandemic. New York farmers are experiencing massive economic losses due to reduced demand from restaurants, disruptions in global trade, school closures, and emergency orders that have idled other industries. Farmers are essential businesses who need our support to continue growing food during this crisis; otherwise, we risk our food security long after the pandemic has passed.

"I urge you to act immediately to allocate the $9.5 billion emergency funding provided in the CARES Act I fought hard to obtain to support the agricultural sector and the over 33,000 farms in New York State. Time is short, as the planting season is underway in much of the country. As you decide how this assistance will flow, please give careful consideration to the circumstances of New York State, which has been hit the hardest by COVID-19. My state has a very diverse agricultural industry, populated mostly by small and medium-sized family operations who depend on robust consumer demand in the New York City metropolitan area and thriving international trade for their markets. I have heard many concerns from struggling New York farmers over the past several weeks, and urge you to pay special attention to the following issues:

Dairy Industry

"New York’s dairy industry has been heavily impacted by drastic reductions in school meals, decreased demand from restaurants, and the slowdown in global trade. Prices for milk have sharply declined, making it difficult if not impossible for dairy farms to break even. Both large and small co-ops have been directing farmers to dump milk to balance supply/demand volatility and workforce shortages at processors due to COVID-19 illnesses among employees. At a time when millions of Americans are food insecure we must do everything we can to help our nations dairy farmers get through these turbulent times.

"I urge the federal government to use all available resources to assist the dairy industry during this unprecedented crisis. At a minimum, USDA should immediately use the $9.5 billion emergency fund included in the CARES Act to assist dairy farmers and co-ops through this health crisis and economic downturn by developing a compensatory mechanism to farmers directed to dump milk. In addition, I urge USDA to use funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation to make dairy purchases, perhaps through a voucher system for food banks or COVID-19 displaced workers, to help ensure that people who are experiencing food insecurity and hunger have access to healthful dairy products at their time of greatest need.

"I have also heard concerns from my sheep and goat dairy farmers, who are also experiencing the devastating impacts of the outbreak. I ask USDA to include sheep and dairy goat farmers in any assistance programs you develop.

Specialty Crops

"Farmers who grow specialty crops are also facing devastating hardships. The many New York farmers who sell directly to restaurants have experienced significant decreases in sales over the past month. As demand from restaurants dries up and crops in cold storage reach the end of their freshness, farmers will likely have to have to dispose of their crops, leading to an increase in food waste.

"As an example, cabbage farmers in New York are some of the specialty crop growers who are dealing with the crippling impacts of the outbreak. Several growers in my state have not been able to sell any cabbage at all for the past two weeks. These farms are anticipating millions of dollars in losses for their cabbage harvests and I expect to see similar losses for other specialty crops.

Local Farms and Organic Crops

"Many small, local, and organic farms generate a portion of their income by operating “you-pick” operations, welcoming members of the public onto their farms and allowing them to pick fruits and vegetables for a fee. Under the stay-at-home guidelines, farms are anticipating losing the revenue generated by farm visitors. Similarly, maple producers are experiencing immense losses from the cancellation of events like the NYS Maple Weekend and stay-at-home guidelines that have essentially closed down tourism in the Adirondacks and other maple-producing regions of the state. Aid must take into account the diversity of farm businesses and ensure that farms experiencing losses from direct marketing operations are also eligible for USDA disaster assistance, similar to relief provided to row crop farmers in the past.

Farmers Markets

"Many New York growers depend on farmers markets for a large portion of their income. As states issue stay-at-home orders and implement social distancing guidance, farmers markets have experienced a decrease in visitors and sales. Some local governments have even suspended farmers markets entirely, depriving farmers of a critical revenue stream. This decrease in income is having a devastating impact on small farms and local farmers markets. Again, USDA assistance should ensure that all farms, including diversified, direct marketing operations, have an ability to benefit from COVID-19 relief measures to ensure their financial viability after this current crisis.

Green Industry

"As states close all but essential businesses, nurseries are struggling to survive. Though horticulture and ornamental crops are an important agricultural sector, they are not considered essential because they do not produce food. Classified as nonessential businesses, many nurseries have been forced to close during public health emergency. Meanwhile, their Big Box competitors, often classified as hardware stores – an essential business – remain open. Nursery operations are also experiencing substantial hardship from widespread cancellation of events, weddings, and religious ceremonies. They grew their inventory in anticipation of seasonal demand and now have no market for their products. Please consider ways that USDA can ensure nurseries get the support they need during this crisis.

"Thank you for considering the impacts to New York’s agricultural sector and for doing everything you can to make sure the farmers, dairy producers, and processors we depend on are protected to the greatest extent possible."

Submitted photo and information:

LE ROY -- Some good news to report -- working ventilator parts destined for New York City are being manufactured right here in Le Roy. Aluminum Injection Mold Co. LLC was contacted regarding building a mold one week ago with a challenge to mold plastic over an aluminum extrusion being produced in Ohio.

Typically it would have taken five to seven weeks to construct a mold like this to produce a ventilator part. But Aluminum Injection Mold knew of the urgency that was required and decided they were all in, whatever it took.

The ventilator part was one of several from an MIT design. An engineering firm from Long Island was the driving force, coordinating and building the ventilators to go into hospitals treating coronavirus patients.

By Tuesday evening, Aluminum Injection Mold made their first attempt to mold the ventilator part and continued long exasperating hours straight through the night until they succeeded.

By the yesterday morning, they had achieved making the ventilator parts that were then driven to the engineering firm in Long Island for trial.

Today (April 2), Aluminum Injection Mold received word that the ventilator parts are working well and has been given the go ahead to start producing more.

The company is owned by Gerald Ayers, president, and Tom Bergman, vice president.

From Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer:

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has severely damaged many small businesses and left thousands of hardworking Western New Yorkers unemployed. As your State Senator, I am working to provide critical support to employees who are out of work and struggling small businesses. 

Recent changes have been made to the New York State Unemployment Assistance Program as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, more residents -- including some small business owners -- are eligible for benefits.

Below is information that may be helpful in answering any questions you may have.

• Unemployment Flowchart
• Unemployment Need-to-Know
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Checklist

​In addition, the state is waiving the seven day waiting period for Unemployment Insurance benefits for people who are out of work due to COVID-19 closures or quarantines.  

Those who need to apply for unemployment can do so here.

Please continue to check my website, ranzenhofer.nysenate.gov, or connect with me on facebook for the latest updates regarding the resources available to employees and employers.

Press release:

The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $349 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses.

Small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations, veterans organizations, and Tribal businesses described in the Small Business Act, as well as individuals who are self-employed or are independent contractors, are eligible if they also meet program size standards.

·       For a top-line overview of the program CLICK HERE

·       If you’re a lender, more information can be found HERE

·       If you’re a borrower, more information can be found HERE

·       The application for borrowers can be found HERE

Preserving Jobs for American Industry

The CARES Act assists eligible businesses looking for payroll support to keep Americans working. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Press release:

As part of our efforts to do everything we can to safely serve your needs, BJ's Wholesale Club has made the decision to temporarily suspend the use of paper coupons in our clubs in order to reduce touchpoints and help mitigate the spread of coronavirus.

For the safety of you and our team members, until further notice, our clubs will not be accepting any paper coupons starting today -- March 30.

Your coupon savings are not going away. All of the BJ's coupons in the BJ's Savings Book will now have a clipless coupon. This means the savings will be automatically deducted from the price when you check out. You'll also see the savings on the price signs in our clubs and in your online cart on BJs.com.

A large assortment of manufacturer-published coupons are available to you for use through the BJ's mobile app and on BJs.com. By clipping these coupons online or on your app, you'll be able to use them in clubs or on BJs.com, without the need for paper.

Given the high demand for food and household essentials, we are working hard to replenish items as quickly as we can. We appreciate your patience and understanding that we may be out of stock of some items, including items that may be shown in our BJ's Savings Book.

In Genesee County, BJ's is located in the shopping plaza at 8330 Lewiston Road.

Empire Hemp Co. is invested heavily in the hemp cannabidiol market for consumers and in January opened a walk-up retail-sale window at its manufacturing site in Batavia's Liberty Square office complex.

It's located at 34 Swan St., Suite 4, in the city and is owned by Chris VanDusen and Shelly Wolanske.

On weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. walk-up customers can buy all-natural hemp cannabidiol (CBD) oil and topical products that many customers say have restorative effects.

Hemp CBD, or cannabidiol, is a nonpsychoactive and non-habit-forming compound that occurs naturally in the flowers of the hemp plant. Unlike marijuana, which contains high levels of THC, hemp flower does not have any intoxicating effects and does not produce a “high."

Empire Hemp Co. uses only the highest quality, locally grown, pesticide-free hemp flowers, grown in the sun by farming partners in Genesee, Orleans and Erie counties.

The owners say they treat these special flowers with the utmost of care, using a state-of-the-art supercritical CO2 extractor to preserve their beneficial compounds in as clean and pure a form as possible. They then blend the extracted hemp CBD oil in with the finest natural and botanical ingredients to create tinctures and salves of the highest quality.

All Empire Hemp Co. products are third-party tested to guarantee their strength and safety.

Their hemp CBD oils are available in three strengths: 600mg, 1200mg, and 1800mg, in both raw and mint flavor.

There are three different topical salves -- All Purpose, Muscle & Joint, Lemon Balm. There's also a muscle and joint relief product called "The Balm," which comes as a stick or roll-on, and contains a higher concentration of hemp CBD oil and more menthol -- for an "icy hot" effect on the skin. 

The products range from $25 to $100 in price.

"No matter who you are, we have a product to meet your specific needs," says Wolanske.

VanDusen said they moved into the Swan Street space in June but spent months preparing it for the manufacturing process, including the installation of the $250,000 extractor. By January, they had carved out their walk-up window and began to serve retail customers directly.

"We are one of the few companies in the state licensed to extract raw CBD oil from hemp plants and manufacture CBD oil products," VanDusen said.

He said Sen. Chuck Schumer has worked diligently to assist farmers, manufacturers and sellers in New York's rapidly emerging industrial hemp market, which was legalized in the 2018 Farm Bill but initially hampered by a lack of clarity on FDA regulations and safety requirements. 

Schumer helped expedite FDA guidance on the classification, labeling, quality, marketing, and sale of CBD products, a market the senator said is "brimming with potential to be a billion-dollar industry across New York State." Nationally, CBD product sales surpassed $200 million in 2018, according to data from Schumer's office.

Empire Hemp Company's walk-up window is open for business from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, or visit their website to find out more about their local hemp CBD line. Phone is (888) 895-9032.

Photo, courtesy of Empire Hemp Co.: Company president Chris VanDusen, left, helps an unidentified customer at the new walk-up window for retail sales.

Press release:

Trump endorsed Republican candidate for Congress Chris Jacobs (NY-27) held a virtual round table with Western New York farmers on Saturday to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on local agriculture and what can be done to help farmers keep operating.

“Big decisions need to be made as we move into our planting season," said Molly Anderson, of Torrey Farms. " The effects of COVID-19 will determine how we make those decisions and impact our capacity to perform. Luckily, President Trump is a businessman and understands the critical importance of our nation’s farms and will work with us so we can have the resources to get through this."

"The utmost concern, whether it was a dairy farmer or a crop farmer was the health and safety of their workforce," Jacobs said. "No different than any other essential business, farmers have been following the guidelines of health officials to ensure they can still perform their duties without jeopardizing the health of employees.

“Not only is agriculture the largest economic sector in our region, but our farmers are directly responsible for ensuring abundant healthy food remains on our tables. It has been my priority to stay directly in contact with those vital to this industry and learn what they need so that when I take office I can get right to work helping them through this crisis.

"I am deeply encouraged by everything Congress and President Trump has done to assist our farmers by passing the CARES Act, and I look forward to helping my future colleagues ensure the prosperity of our farmers for future generations.”

The CARES Act, which passed on Friday in the House of Representatives and was subsequently signed by President Trump, provides critical relief to farmers in America. Among that relief is $14 billion for USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation, $9.5 billion in funding for livestock operation programs, $100 million in additional rural broadband grants, and increased deductions for farmers who donate commodities.

We're talking with Sarah Hinze, owner of Note Your Worth Music Therapy. We've offered free live stream interviews to local business owners and this is part of that series.

In December, Andy and Laura Pedro purchased Blondies Sip-N-Dip on East Main Street Road in Batavia. Today, they officially opened for the spring, summer, and fall seasons.

Because of social distancing restrictions, right now, they can't serve walk-in customers but they have opened a walk-up window and they can use that window to service drive-thru customers.

"Not ideal," said Andy, "but we'll make it work."

Press release:

More than 80,500 initial Unemployment Insurance claims were filed last week, and overall claims increased by more than 520 percent over the past year, according to statistics released Thursday (March 26) by the New York State Department of Labor.

The claims data for New York State for the week ending March 21 --  the first week in which claims were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic -- show an increase by a minimum of 284 percent in each of New York’s 10 labor market regions.

Additional information about New York State’s UI claims, including regional and industry, will be forthcoming.

From Monday, March 16 to Saturday, March 21, the New York State Department of Labor received more than 1,734,100 total calls and over 2,270,300 web hits.

DOL has taken a number of steps to address this unprecedented increase in call volume and web traffic, including implementing a new, more efficient filing system based on the first letter of the applicant's last name (alphabetical order):

A  - F : Monday
G – N : Tuesday
O – Z : Wednesday
Missed your day: Thursday through Saturday

The New York State Department of Labor is dedicated to ensuring that every New Yorker who is entitled to UI benefits will receive all benefits due. New Yorkers seeking to file UI claims can visit labor.ny.gov or call the Telephone Claim Center at 1-888-783-1370.

Press release:

The City of Batavia announced that applications for a $300,000 New York Main Street Grant Program that is available to all building owners within the Batavia Improvement District (BID) and Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) area will be extended until 4:30 p.m. April 10, 2020.

In light of recent events, mandates and changes to all of our routines, the City of Batavia will extend the due date of these grant fund applications to the close of business -- 4:30 p.m. -- on April 10^th, 2020.

The City of Batavia encourages all residents to stay safe in these unprecedented times and continue to support your local businesses in any way possible. Our local businesses need our community support now, more than ever.

Guidelines and the applications can be found on the BDC website.

If you have any questions please contact Andrew Maguire by email at:   amaguire@bataviadevelopmentcorp.org

Press release:

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement today (March 24) regarding National Agriculture Day and President Donald J. Trump’s Proclamation recognizing the importance of America’s farmers, ranchers, foresters and producers:

“Our farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers in America are feeding and clothing the world," Secretary Perdue said. "Now more than ever it’s important that the American people not forget that. Our farmers are resilient, and during these uncertain times they are still working, day in and day out, to produce what’s needed for our growing population.

"Today, on National Ag Day, I challenge the American public to keep our farmers, ranchers and producers on their minds – for all their work to provide us a safe, healthy and abundant food supply. We owe them a debt of gratitude.”

View U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue's brief speech about today:

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center is encouraging area residents to take the night off from cooking on Tuesday, March 24th and order takeout!

A national coalition of restaurants has organized “The Great American Takeout” on Tuesday, March 24, asking Americans to order at least one delivery or pickup meal on Tuesday to show support for the restaurant industry.

Many of our favorite restaurants are still working hard to keep us fed and the only way to support these struggling businesses is to order takeout or delivery.  

Staying home doesn't mean you have to miss out on "Taco Tuesday" or your favorite weekly specials; order takeout, delivery or curbside pickup and be part of something bigger: #TheGreatAmericanTakeout

There are great breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert options on this list, so be sure to show your support all day!

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Editor's Note: Click here for The Batavian's list of local restaurants that offer takeout and/or delivery.

Press release:

While the current situation hasn’t been easy on anyone, if you find yourself or someone you know looking for a job, Tops Friendly Markets is hiring for temporary and permanent positions and they welcome your application.

Stop by any one of Tops' 162 stores, their warehouse in Lancaster, NY, or visit here online to learn more.

Press release:

Customers of Genesee Lumber Company are asked to call ahead to place their orders for pickup, in response to the CDC recommendations for social distancing. Employees at Genesee Lumber will prepare customer orders and place them in the designated pickup areas outside of the building.

As of today (March 23), this policy will remain in effect until March 31st, but this could change as the pandemic continues to grow. Genesee Lumber can be reached at (585) 343-0777 from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 7 a.m. -1 p.m. on Saturdays. Closed Sundays.

Genesee Lumber will also continue job-site deliveries, but asks that you do not assist our drivers in unloading.

“We have taken all precautions to meet the government recommendations for social distancing and have our staff following all of the guidelines to reduce the spread of the virus,” said John Harrower, owner of Genesee Lumber.

Genesee Lumber is a building materials supplier on Franklin Street in Batavia that has been in business since 1928. For more up-to-date information you can visit www.geneseelumber.com.