agriculture

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) is promoting a pair of grant programs aimed at boosting dairy farming in New York State. Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced the initiatives, which will double financial incentives for renewable bio-energy projects to reduce electricity costs and help dairy farmers develop plans for expansion and growth.

“Here in Western New York, farming is an integral part of our economy and our way of life,” Hawley said. “These grant programs will help our dairy farmers continue to provide top-notch products and create the jobs that our region relies on. I commend Governor Cuomo for stepping up to the plate for our dairy farmers and I encourage our local farmers to explore the benefits these grants can provide.”

The initiatives include:

• The Anaerobic Digester Biogas-to-Electricity Program (ADG), which will double the maximum incentive amount from $1 million to up to $2 million per installation for farmers who install equipment on their farms that turns organic waste produced by cows into electricity;
• and the Dairy Acceleration Program (DAP), which will provide grants and coordinate funding and technical programs to help farmers interested in expanding their operations or increasing their efficiency.

Press release:

On his first full week on the job, Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) met with approximately 40 local farmers this afternoon to talk about what they want to see as part of a new farm bill. Congress is set to debate a new five-year farm bill over the coming months. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, Collins has made it a top priority to work with his colleagues to pass a new farm bill as soon as possible. The current legislation expired and Congress passed a short-term extension at the end of 2012.

“America’s farmers need their federal government to act and pass a comprehensive, long-term farm bill,” Collins said. “Congress must come together to give our agricultural community the support and long-term stability it needs.”

Held in Batavia, today’s meeting participants included dairy and crop farmers from the various counties that make-up New York’s 27th Congressional District. Dean Norton, president of the New York Farm Bureau, also participated. Today’s informal meeting gave Collins an opportunity to hear directly from local farmers in advance of his first Agriculture Committee meeting in Washington. In the near future, Collins’ office will establish a formal Agriculture Advisory Committee.

A new farm bill would establish farm commodity, conservation, trade and nutritional programs for the next five-year period.

“Hardworking farmers cannot be left in limbo while Washington partisans remain deadlocked on the major issues of the day,” Collins said. “A new farm bill is too important to agricultural interests not only in our own community, but all across this country. We all rely on the hard work of America’s farmers and now the federal government needs to do its job.”

Press release:

Congressman-elect Chris Collins (NY-27) will serve on both the Agriculture and Small Business committees in the 113th Congress beginning in January. Collins was appointed to the posts by House leadership. The committee assignments are a natural fit for both Collins’ background as a small business owner and the incredibly important role agriculture plays in New York’s 27th Congressional District.

“These two committee assignments make perfect sense as I look to bring my real-world experience to Washington and represent the needs and concerns of New York’s 27th Congressional District,” Collins said. “Agriculture plays an extremely critical role in this district in terms of both the economy and the way of life for many families.

"Throughout the campaign, I visited with dozens of crop and dairy farmers who shared with me their daily struggles of trying to run efficient, profitable farms despite the regulations and burdensome bureaucracy coming out of Washington. One of my very top goals as a member of Congress will be to help farmers have a legal and reliable labor force by pushing for much needed improvements to our nation’s guest worker program.”

Collins is also eager to put his business and job creation background to use as a member of the House Small Business committee.

“Being a member of Congress may be new to me, but I’ve spent my entire adult life in the small business world,” Collins said. “After a 35-year career in the private sector, I am all too familiar with the hurdles the federal government places in the way of small business owners. Small business is the backbone of our economy and as this country continues to climb out of the devastating recession, the federal government needs to focus on making it easier for small businesses to grow and thrive, instead of harder.”

“In addition to fighting every day for what is best for the hardworking families of NY-27, I look forward to being an advocate and a voice for small business owners and farmers not only in our own community, but all across this country,” Collins said.

Collins has traveled to Washington since being elected last month to participate in new member orientation and other important forums for incoming members of Congress. Collins will take the official oath of office on Jan. 3.

Press release:

Genesee County farmers and private landowners were matched $1.5 million dollars in federal assistance this past fiscal year to install conservation practices on their farms, fields and forests.

Heath Eisele, district conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service said, “We are currently accepting applications for fiscal year 2013. To be considered for funding, interested applicants should submit their applications to the Batavia Field Office no later than Nov. 16.

Although the fate of the 2012 Farm Bill is undecided at this time, several programs remain intact to help landowners address a variety of resource concerns on their working lands. The NRCS programs for which applications are being accepted, include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Agricultural Management Assistance Program and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program.

According to the most recent Agricultural Census, Genesee County is comprised of approximately 184,000 acres of cropland. According to Eisele, this is where farmers in particular can have the biggest impact on improving soil, water and air quality.

“Many farmers have traded in their moldboard plow for equipment that reduces tillage and improves overall soil health. However, many farmers are not aware that financial assistance is available to help them transition to a less intensive cropping system or take their conservation efforts to the next level,” Eisele said.

One grain farmer who has championed the use of innovative farming techniques and who has utilized NRCS conservation programs is Donn Branton, of Stafford. Precision nutrient application, tissue testing, reduced tillage and cover crop cocktails are just a few of the ways that Branton is able to “build” soils and sustainably increase crop production.

NRCS currently offers incentive payments to farmers willing to plant a cover crop on fields where cover crops were not previously planted. In 2012 the incentive rate was $73 per acre for grass cover crops planted conventionally and $75 per acre for organic. Planting a cover crop mixture earned farmers $90 per acre. Incentive rates may change slightly for 2013.

“Cover crop is really the first step toward improving soil quality. In order to maximize the benefits, it is important that fields are not exposed to tillage after planting or for termination. Tillage can destroy soil structure, provide a seed bed for weeds and reduce residue on top of the ground,” Eisele said.

Farmers who adopt no-till or reduced tillage methods, such as strip-till or ridge-till, can receive up to an additional $43 per acre to limit the amount of disturbance to the soil. 

“I have found that leaving residue on the surface so it can degrade naturally promotes better soil as opposed to tilling it in,” Branton said.

Farmers not able to plant cover crop or utilize residue management can receive an annual payment of $10 per acre for three years by incorporating a small grain into their cropping rotation. The small grain will provide cover throughout the winter months and can be harvested for silage or grain. Hay may also be considered if not previously grown in rotation on the farm.

Other cropland practices that are eligible for financial assistance through EQIP include: grassed waterways, nutrient management, diversions, and riparian herbaceous buffers.

EQIP also offers technical and financial assistance to farmers that have resource concerns around the farmstead. Roof runoff management, silage leachate control, milkhouse waste containment, and waste storage are some of the practices that can be implemented through the program.  Other practices such as solid-liquid separation facilities, waste storage covers, composting facilities and anaerobic digesters have also been popular in the county.

To learn more about NRCS New York Conservation Programs, visit their Web site at www.ny.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/. To apply, interested landowners can call 585-343-2362 and request an application or visit the Batavia Field Office at 29 Liberty St., Suite 3, Batavia.

This afternoon I stopped by the Duyssen Family Farm in Le Roy and found John refurbishing a 1950s-era honey extractor. He mentioned some calves had been born recently, including the little guy above just this morning.

Whenever I'm in Pavilion, I like to stop by Randy and Cindy Starr's farm on Starr Road in Pavilion, especially on a beautiful day.

This morning, Randy was busy grinding barley for feed when I arrived.

As I've written about before, Randy likes old-time farming, using mainly older tractors (he does have a new, modern-technology tractor now) and growing a variety of crops on his 100-acre spread. Today, he showed me his single-row corn harvester, which leaves the corn kernels on the cob, which he said yield more feed per acre.

Press release:

Today, Representative Kathy Hochul (NY-26) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated the seven counties of New York State’s 26^th Congressional District as natural disaster areas due to the significant production loss caused by damage from armyworms.

"The infestation of armyworms combined with the spring's wild temperature swings, the summer's drought, and high feed prices have resulted in a particularly difficult year for Western New York farmers. The USDA's disaster designation will provide much needed relief to our farmers dealing with the devastating effects of the armyworms. Farms seeking assistance will now be eligible for emergency loans to help them recover and keep their businesses viable," Rep. Hochul said.

For more information, affected farmers are encouraged to contact their local Farm Service Agency office or Cornell Cooperative Extension Office.

Since the initial reports of the armyworm outbreak, Rep. Hochul has worked with local farmers to mitigate the damage, including seeing the effects firsthand at a Wyoming County farm.

Rep. Hochul has continually advocated for agriculture, a mainstay of Western New York’s economy with nearly 3,500 farms and an annual output of over $739 million in the 26th District alone. Support for agriculture is a key component of Hochul’s REBUILD Plan.

My intention was to stop for sweet corn. What I found when I pulled into Pully's Farm Market on Route 19 in Le Roy was a fall festival.

Owner Dave Pullyblank opened the market in the spring of 2008 on the farm that has been in his family since 1804. His goal then as now is to turn the farm into a family-friendly, agri-tourism attraction.

For fall, Pully has transformed his farm into a wonderland of play areas colored by the vibrant oranges, yellows and greens of the harvest season.

There is a corn maze, pumpkin cannon, corn (instead of sand) box and duck race, but Pully said the number-one attraction is the pumpkins.

The variety, he believes is the largest available in any single location in New York State.

"What I say is all these weird colored pumpkins, that’s fall," Pullyblank said. "You won’t find more variety of a decorative product in any other place. Anybody can grow an orange pumpkin. You won’t find anybody else growing that product in there (the green house)."

Pully's goal is to be a year-round destination. In the spring he sells bedding flowers, hanging baskets and vegetable seedlings. During the summer, he sells produce, including sweet corn, which he believes is the sweetest you'll find, plus tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash.

"The biggest thing I tell the folks, at the end of the day, the stuff that hasn’t sold goes to my cows, so when you come the next day, the stuff was picked that morning," Pullyblank said.

He wants kids to learn where their food comes from, Pully said. Eventually, he plans to include farm animals as part of his attractions for families.

For winter, Pully would like to sell u-cut and pre-cut Christmas trees, but two dry summers have slowed the growth of the trees.

What Pully doesn't sell, he brings in from other area farms.

"I can’t do it all, but I want to get it from the other farmers as close as I can," Pullyblank said.

All of the attractions and products at Pully's now will be available through the end of October.

The property has been in Pully's family for at least six generations and Pully got his start driving a tractor for his grandfather when he was 7. Pully said his farm is the last of the original four Le Roy farms still being run as a family operation by the original family.

The spring of 2008 turned out not to be a great time to start a new business, Pully admitted. It hasn't always been easy to grow a business during down economic times, but each year he keeps adding new products and new attractions.

"You have to keep going forward," Pullyblank said. "No matter what, you’ve got to keep going forward. If you don’t, you’re going to go stagnate and then there’s no reason for people to come out and see what you’re doing."

Pully's Farm Market is located 8160 Lake Road, Le Roy.

Laura DiPasquala, center of the photo, got her wish today -- she visited an Alpaca farm.

The DiPasquala's said they've driven past the Northwoods Alpaca Farm in Bergen many times, but today was the perfect day to stop. Owners Belinda and Bob Grant were hosting an open house.

Northwoods is part of a tour of Alpaca farm tour in Western New York (the open house continues on Sunday) aimed at promoting alpaca fiber (it's not called fur) for clothing and promoting alpaca farming to increase the number of growers in the nation.

Alpaca fiber is known for its soft texture, moisture resistance, warmth and comfort.

The Grants have operated Northwoods for about eight years.

Laura and Rich DiPasquala are from Greece.

Press release:

Today, Representative Kathy Hochul (NY-26) announced that the United States Department of Labor (DOL), at her urging, will begin accepting online applications for the H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa program on Dec. 10.

“I am pleased to announce today that farmers in Western New York and across the country will be able to utilize the new electronic filing system for H-2A visas by the end of this year. This reform will save time and money for taxpayers and farmers and will go a long way toward ensuring our fruit and vegetable growers have the help they need to plant and harvest their crops, expand production, and grow their businesses here in Western New York,” Rep. Hochul said.

“This change is a welcomed one for New York farmers who depend on timely and accurate information when it comes to securing the workforce their farms require. It is imperative as each harvest approaches that family farms have the ability to hire the workers they need in order to have a successful season. We appreciate the work that has been done on our farmer members’ behalf to modernize the H-2A hiring process,” said Dean Norton, New York Farm Bureau president.

“The new online filing system for H-2A visas will streamline this process, cutting burdensome red tape,” said Maureen Torrey of Torrey Farms. “I thank Rep. Hochul for her efforts to modernize this program, and bring efficiencies to farmers across Western New York.”

Last summer, Hochul met with Deputy Labor Secretary Seth Harris and farmers from throughout Western New York to discuss concerns with the H-2A program, including the need to make the application system available online. Hochul also pushed Labor Secretary Hilda Solis to modernize the H-2A visa program and met with Deputy Assistant Secretary Gerri Fiala to stress the importance of this reform.

In addition, Rep. Hochul has actively worked to expand the H-2A program to include dairy farmers, who are currently prohibited from participating due to the industry’s year-round demands. Rep. Hochul has introduced bipartisan legislation to allow dairy farmers to participate in the H-2A program, to ensure Western New York dairy farms have adequate labor to increase production and meet the needs of the booming Greek Yogurt industry.

Nearly all of New York's 35,000 farms are family owned – making agricultural one of New York's top small-business industries – and making the need for a user-friendly, online H-2A application system even more critical.

Rep. Kathy Hochul is boarding a plane in Washington, D.C., right now, heading back to her district for an election-period recess, but she would rather stay in the Capitol, she said, and give local farmers what they need to run their businesses -- the certainty of a farm bill.

"I'm ready to turn around right now and stay in Congress as long as it takes day and night and do what's right for our farmers," Hochul said.

"This is just another sign that Washington is broken and we've let our farmers down," Hochul said.

Every five years, Congress must pass a new farm bill. Last passed in 2008 as the Food, Conservation and Energy Act, the $288 billion appropriations bill not only provides crop insurance and price support for farmers, it also provides subsidies for private land conversion back to a natural state, biofuel subsidies and is the funding source for food stamps.

A version of the bill was passed with bipartisan support by the Senate, but even after winning Agriculture Committee support in the House, the bill hasn't come to a floor vote.

The 2008 act expires in a week.

Hochcul said it's baffling and unconscionable that the House leadership has blocked a floor vote.

Agriculture, Hochul said, is a $739 million a year industry in her district, and $4.7 billion statewide. 

Regardless of the legislation's provisions -- the Senate and House versions would need to be negotiated into a compromise bill in conference committee -- farmers need the certainty of a farm bill in order to operate their businesses on a daily basis.

According to an NPR article, the near-term fallout of the failure of the House to pass a farm bill is pretty minimal. The provisions of the current farm bill that most effect farmers remain in place through the end of the current growing season, which for something like winter wheat means until spring.

However, it is very uncertain what will come next, according to NPR, because some deficit hawks have their eyes set on greatly reducing expenditures in the farm bill, including for food stamps, and there may be a lot of political pressure in Washington next year to reduce spending.

"We need to keep spending under control, yes, and we need to find ways to do it," Hochul said, "but the farmers need the certainty that comes with passage of this bill."

There is bipartisan support for passage of a farm bill in the House, Hochul said, and she won't speculate on why its leadership is blocking a floor vote on such a critical piece of legislation.

"The fact they won't let us get to a compromise means that they refuse to govern and that's just inexcusable," Hochul said.

Press release:

Today, Representative Kathy Hochul, joined by Bill and Terry Zittel of Zittel Farms, renewed her call for a comprehensive five-year Farm Bill. In a letter to House leadership, Hochul urged passage on a five-year Farm Bill to ensure farmers in Western New York and across the country have the certainty and support they require.

“I have heard firsthand from farmers across Western New York about the crucial need for a comprehensive, five-year Farm Bill,” Rep. Hochul said. “It is critical that Washington stops playing politics with the future of American agriculture.

"Our region is the largest producer of agricultural goods in New York, and I will continue to fight to ensure farmers have the support and certainty they need.”

Rep. Hochul has sent two letters to House leadership urging a vote on a five-year Farm Bill – one letter in July, and another this week.

With nearly 3,500 farms and an annual output of more than $739 million in the region, agriculture is an essential part of Western New York’s economy and a key component of Hochul’s plan for economic development.

Press release:

Representative Kathy Hochul (NY-26) recently sent a letter to New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo urging him to provide New York dairy farms with regulatory relief to help milk producers expand their businesses.

Hochul asked that the state raise the threshold for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) regulations from 200 cows to 300 cows, a threshold consistent with national standards.

Increasing the threshold will allow dairy farmers to increase milk production, enabling them to fulfill the needs of New York’s growing yogurt industry. Hochul also requested that New York expand programs to assist dairy farmers with environmental conservation and protection.

Hochul wrote, “I request your assistance in delivering much-needed regulatory relief to our state’s dairy farmers, many of whom are still recovering from disastrous market conditions in 2009. Without assistance, too many New York milk producers will remain unable or unwilling to expand their businesses despite the game-changing opportunity for economic development made possible by the booming Greek yogurt industry. … Our dairy farmers need a level playing field and supportive regulatory regime to fully capitalize on the Greek yogurt boom, and I look forward to working with you to ensure they have both.”

The Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park will soon be home to Theo Muller Gmbh and PepsiCo’s $206 million yogurt manufacturing facility as well as a $20 million dollar Alpina Food yogurt plant.

Rep. Hochul has introduced bipartisan legislation that allows dairy farmers to apply for H-2A visas, which are available for seasonal agricultural producers but not the year-round dairy industry. She also is a member of the House Dairy Caucus.

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It's national Famers Market Week and to help commerate the event, Rep. Kathy Hochul stopped by the Genesee County Farmers Market in the Batavia Downs parking lot this morning.

Above, Hochul buys flowers from Kathryn Schneider, as mother Dana looks on. Dana Schneider is owner of Stonehouse Acres. Hochul told Kathryn that she worked in her mother's flower shop as a child as did her daughter. "See, you can learn a lot selling flowers," Hochul told Kathryn.

Below, Hochul is greeted by another constitutent and a couple of pictures of flowers and corn for sale today at the market.

More than 1,000 people -- when organizers considered 700 fans a good turn out -- showed up at the tractor pull at the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Saturday evening.

Competitors brought their machines -- small, medium and mighty -- to compete in various classes of competition, from stock, street-legal trucks and modified law tractors up to souped-up full-sized tractors.

If you're unable to view the slide show below, click here. To purchase prints of these photos (or previous fair photos) click here.

A possible farming accident has been reported in the area of Transit Road and North Byron Road.

A person may have fallen off a tractor, or a box may have fallen somebody in a cabbage field.

It's unknown yet whether the location is in the Elba Fire District or Byron Fire District. Personnel from both departments are responding.

State Police are responding.

The call came through Orleans County and the caller doesn't speak good English.

UPDATE 12:03 p.m.: A thousand pound object fell on the victim. The patient is conscious and alert; however, Mercy Flight is being put on in-air standby is responding (Mercy Flight 5 out of Batavia). The accident is in Elba's district.  Byron and South Byron are cancelled.

UPDATE 1:47 p.m.: The patient was taken to Strong via Mercy Flight. His name is Ferando Jereonro, age 29.  ccording to Sgt. Greg Walker, Jereonro was working on a platform with three crates of cabbage. The welds on a chain apparently gave out and the platform fell and a 1,000-pound crate of cabbage fell on Jereonro. Workers quickly removed the cabbage and the crate. Jereonro was conscious and alert when we was transported.

Also, just as I arrived on scene for this (too late to get any pictures), there was a call for a motor vehicle accident on Route 5 in Le Roy, in front of the Le Roy Country Club. By the time I arrived on scene there, the accident was clear and the roadway was reopened. Minor injuries.

Rep. Kathy Hochul heard a good suggestion from constituents today during an agriculture roundtable she hosted in council chambers at Batavia City Hall: Young people need to be taught more about farming.

Lorna Klotzbach first raised the issue.

In the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District, Klotzbach noted that "there is no FAA and there wasn't when I was in school that I can remember. There are very few teachers with an agricultural background. There is no training for farm careers. There is very little of that in Genesee County altogether."

Klotzbach noted that she's heard students suggest that farm work is really only for illegal immigrants.

"The smartest, most skilled people I've known are farmers and we hold them in such low esteem," Klotzbach said.

Hochul said she could envision supporting some sort of pilot project to help fund agriculture training in local schools and getting support for an informational campaign to elevate farming as a career choice.

Domestically produced food is a key component of national security, said Hochul, who sits on the House Homeland Security Committee.

"Congress has a roll to play in directing funds (to ag training)," Hochul said. "We need to help people embrace the patriotic sense you get from the American family farm. That's what we're all about, the entrepreneurial spirt that this country is built on."

Farm labor was a big part of the morning discussion, with much of it centered on the difficulty farmers have these days in finding qualified, legal labor.

Hochul noted that with the opening soon of the Alpina and Pepsi yogurt plants, the demand on local milk supplies will increase 15 percent, and that doesn't mean more cows and milking parlors. It means more farm workers will be needed.

"If we don’t get more people in this workforce, we’re not going to be able to capitalize on the opportunities that we have right here in Genesee County," Hochul said.

The congresswoman said she is looking at how to move some of the recent refugees -- who are mostly from agrarian countries -- in Rochester and Buffalo to work on Genesee County farms.

There is apparently a growing Burmese immigrant community in Buffalo, with many people from rural communities.

The problem Hochul said she wanted to tackle is transportation, but Matt Lamb said transportation isn't an issue.

"We can house these people," he said.

If the workers are qualified and willing to work, there's work and shelter available for them now.

Klotzbach said that if Burmese workers were going to be brought to Genesee County to work on farms, it needs to be approached in a comprehensive way, with assistance to school districts for appropriate classes and ensuring Burmese families have a chance to retain their culture while assimulating to a new one.

"It doesn’t do any good to bring one Burmese family to Pavilion," she said. That doesn’t work. They need a community."

Hochul said she will look into available options to help find qualified refugee labor and ensure any move of the labor force to the area is done the right way.

Some farmers complained about overzealous U.S. Border Patrol agents, even conducting raids when there was no apparent probable cause for illegal workers being on a property.

Hochul said she's spoken with the director the border patrol and suggested that the Western New York border with Canada has too many agents for the threat level and perhaps some agents should be transferred to Texas or Arizona.

"Our homeland is not in any danger or threat from our farmers," Hochul said. "We need a different attitude."

Will Greek yogurt mean a boom for local dairy farmers? Marwa Eltagouri takes a look at that question for the Buffalo News.

Local dairy farmers Gordon Offhaus and Dale Stein are featured.

In order to keep up with the Greek yogurt demand, it is estimated that milk produced by Western New York farmers must increase by 15 percent over the next four to five years, said Dave Dean Norton, president of the New York State Farm Bureau.

Since there isn't enough milk in the state right now to feed the Alpina Foods and PepsiCo plants, the plants will have to pay additional costs to freight the milk in from another state, likely Michigan, said Stein, the farmer from Le Roy.

The article is full of useful information to know if this segment of the local economy is important to you.

Elba's Maureen Torrey is featured in a story by McClatchy News Service on the shortage of farm labor:

With the peak harvest season at hand, Torrey’s concerns about a labor shortage are growing. A crackdown on illegal immigration, more job opportunities in Mexico and rising fees charged by smugglers are reducing the number of workers who cross the U.S. border illegally each year to help make up more than 60 percent of U.S. farmworkers.

The American Farm Bureau Federation projects $5 billion to $9 billion in annual produce-industry losses because of the labor shortages, which have become commonplace for farmers such as Torrey, who said there were 10 applicants for every job five years ago.

“In the last year that wasn’t the case,” she said. “We hired anybody that showed up for field work. It’ll be interesting to see how many people we have knocking on the door this year.”