Each Thursday, we put one of our local newsmakers On The Spot. This week: U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri
This week's question: What kind of federal assistance can Cayuga County farmers expect under the farm bill currently under construction in Washington?
Agriculture remains the number one industry in New York, and with 881 local farms, a key component of the Cayuga County economy. Every five years, Congress reauthorizes all federal agriculture related programs #- the “Farm Bill.”
To represent local interests, I hosted an agricultural forum in Auburn last year and had several meetings with local farmers to learn first-hand what projects to fight for during the Farm Bill debate.
The House-passed Farm Bill includes a five-year extension of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program that would provide New York's 6,200 dairy farmers, including 173 in Cayuga County, with a safety net from volatile shifts in market prices. Rising energy and feed costs put local dairy farmers in an unstable economic situation because they have no control over the price of milk. As a member of the Rules Committee, I was able to offer two amendments urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider rising energy and feed prices when setting prices for milk. I am working with colleagues from the Northeast to ensure that the Senate's MILC provision, which is more generous to local dairy farmers, is included in the final Farm Bill.
Apples, grapes and vegetables are critical components of the Cayuga County and entire Finger Lakes economy. I support including $1.5 billion in the Farm Bill to strengthen the fruit and vegetable industry by expanding the specialty crop block grant program, which allows states to support projects from marketing to pest management.
I also strongly support including funding for agriculture conservation, including a $280 million boost for the Farm and Ranchland Protection program. While these are just three examples of our local priorities, I am working diligently on behalf of all of New York agriculture.
The House and Senate are now in the process of negotiating different versions of the Farm Bill. I am committed to ensuring that the final Farm Bill includes provisions from both Chambers, which best reflect local needs.
I remain committed to working in a bipartisan way to ensure that the priorities of Cayuga County farmers are included in the final Farm Bill.
Agriculture remains the number one industry in New York, and with 881 local farms, a key component of the Cayuga County economy. Every five years, Congress reauthorizes all federal agriculture related programs #- the “Farm Bill.”
To represent local interests, I hosted an agricultural forum in Auburn last year and had several meetings with local farmers to learn first-hand what projects to fight for during the Farm Bill debate.
The House-passed Farm Bill includes a five-year extension of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program that would provide New York's 6,200 dairy farmers, including 173 in Cayuga County, with a safety net from volatile shifts in market prices. Rising energy and feed costs put local dairy farmers in an unstable economic situation because they have no control over the price of milk. As a member of the Rules Committee, I was able to offer two amendments urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider rising energy and feed prices when setting prices for milk. I am working with colleagues from the Northeast to ensure that the Senate's MILC provision, which is more generous to local dairy farmers, is included in the final Farm Bill.
Apples, grapes and vegetables are critical components of the Cayuga County and entire Finger Lakes economy. I support including $1.5 billion in the Farm Bill to strengthen the fruit and vegetable industry by expanding the specialty crop block grant program, which allows states to support projects from marketing to pest management.
I also strongly support including funding for agriculture conservation, including a $280 million boost for the Farm and Ranchland Protection program. While these are just three examples of our local priorities, I am working diligently on behalf of all of New York agriculture.
The House and Senate are now in the process of negotiating different versions of the Farm Bill. I am committed to ensuring that the final Farm Bill includes provisions from both Chambers, which best reflect local needs.
I remain committed to working in a bipartisan way to ensure that the priorities of Cayuga County farmers are included in the final Farm Bill.
