GLENMONT, N.Y. New
York Farm Bureau, the state’s
largest general farm advocacy
organization in the state, re
cently announced its legislative
priorities for the upcoming year.
At their State Annual Meeting
held last month in Buffalo, New
York Farm Bureau Delegates
voted upon their federal and
state policies for the year 2001.
Policies are developed originally
at the County level, and then
make their way up to the State
Annual Meeting. Farm Bureau
leaders then select priority
issues from the over 1,000
member driven policies.
Legislative priorities are
based on several factors, such as
whether the issue has a broad
based agricultural impact; is of
significant interest to county
Farm Bureaus; impacts farmers’
ability to conduct business; at
tracts active member participa
tion and has a reasonable
chance of being resolved.
The 2001 legislative priorities
for New York Farm Bureau are
as follows:
Federal Priority Issues
Dairy
Continue to work toward ex
panding the Northeast Inter
state Dairy Compact to include
New York; establish a Southeast
Dairy Compact; and support
legislation that prohibits the use
of ultra-filtered milk in cheese
making. We will also engage in a
critical review of the impact of
imported milk solids into our
markets; and work to modify the
unified strategy on Concen
trated Animal Feeding Opera
tion’s by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA).
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Exhibits
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Farm Bureau Announces Legislative Priorities for 2001
FQPA Implementation
Actively monitor EPA’s risk
assessment of pesticides used to
protect New York crops, provid
ing comments consistent with
Farm Bureau policy, and pursue
active communication between
Farm Bureau and EPA. We will
continue participation in state
wide coalitions to monitor
FQPA’s impact on New York
agriculture.
Secure passage of a guest
worker program and H2A
reform. We will address agricul
tural worker supply issues; work
with coalitions to obtain a freeze
on the Adverse Effect Wage
Rate; and continue to monitor
ergonomic standards implemen
tation and other initiatives that
would have a negative impact
and place unnecessary restric
tions on agricultural employers.
Continue to work with New
York commodity organizations
on trade issues and support the
efforts of Northeast coalitions
for equal consideration of all
U.S. crops during trade negotia
tions; and work with USDA to
quantify the impact of imports
on New York agriculture.
Continue to work with New
York commodity organizations,
the Department of Agriculture
& Markets and our congres
sional delegation to identify and
rectify unfair trade practices
having a negative impact on our
producers.
Risk Management/Market
Loss Assistance
Develop a Northeast coalition
to identify and support neces-
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sary changes to current crop in
surance programs; secure direct
financial assistance for weather
related crop disasters; and
pursue a voluntary based con
servation program to enhance
the viability of agriculture while
preserving open space and clean
water.
We will also work to establish
proactive risk management tools
as “eligible projects” under the
Risk Management Act of 2000.
State Priority Issues
Agricultural Investment
The agricultural industry
needs to be a significant part of
the state’s plans to revitalize the
economy in upstate New York.
We support full funding of the
Agricultural Initiative and
Grow New York, a promotion,
marketing and research pro
gram administered by the De
partment of Agriculture and
Markets.
Environmental Protection Fund
Increased funding is needed
to address the tremendous pres
sure on agriculture in urbaniz
ing areas. Additional funding is
also needed to assist farmers in
meeting environmental regula
tions for non point source pollu
tion prevention. Farm Bureau
will work to increase the farm
land protection and the non
point source pollution preven
tion funding sources in the Envi
ronmental Protection Fund.
Civil Justice Reform
Support of legislation to rec
tify the current abuses of New
York’s Civil Justice system and
liability initiatives consistent
with Farm Bureau policy.
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 10,2001-Al9
Equine inherent risk legislation
and liability relief for U-Pick or
ganizations are vitally import
ant to reduce the high cost of
liability insurance for New York
farmers.
School Property Tax Credit
Support inclusion of Christ
mas tree growers and rented
land within the School Property
Tax Credit, expansion of STAR
to all farms, and the inclusion of
“C” corporation family farms in
the School Property Tax Credit.
Agricultural Biotechnology
We recommend full support
See
Lancaster
Farming
Cow Cam
Visit our Website
at www.
lancasterfarming.com
800-646-66
717-86
339 King Street, Myerstown P /
for the initiative,
designed to promote New York
as a leader in biotechnology re
search and innovation; and the
continued investment in life sci
ences, particularly the applied
research into agricultural
biotechnology. We also recom
mend full public disclosure of all
research results, so that the
public may be better educated
on the benefits and risks of
biotechnology.
Additional information is
available on all of the above
mentioned issues by calling New
York Farm Bureau at (518) 436-
8495.
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