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Hochul applauds USDA for granting disaster to relief to WNY farmers

By Howard B. Owens

Statement from Rep. Kathy Hochul:

“I was pleased the United States Department of Agriculture has agreed with our request to declare all seven counties of the 26th District disaster areas following this spring’s devastating frost, freezes, and unseasonably warm temperatures that dealt a considerable blow to agriculture in the region. Farmers in these counties are now eligible for assistance from the Farm Service Agency to help them recover. Western New York is home to more than 3,000 locally owned farms and produces more than $700 million in goods every year, and I encourage farmers in my district to contact their local FSA offices for more information on the available assistance to keep their businesses viable.”

Kelly Hansen

This may not be popular, but here goes. If you choose farming as a way of life, you will experience devastating frost, freezes, and unseasonably warm temperatures. Weather happens and it is out of your control. It is a known risk in the agricultural business.

If you owned a television sales and repair business some years back, technology changed and televisions became for the most part disposable. If they didn't diversify, they were out of business.

If you open up a pizza shop, or other type of restaurant establishment, and think your food is amazing beyond belief - people may flood your doors - they may not. It is a risk you take.

I am a big supporter of our farmers and buy local produce whenever it is in season. My brother-in-law is a dairy farmer in central New York. For the life of me, I cannot understand how the government picks and chooses which businesses are worth bailing out and which are not. If a business is not viable, then sadly there should be no business at all. If you want to sell and repair televisions, you have to be willing to take on new technological advances and remain cutting edge to survive. If you want to grow apples and can't survive a poor harvest, maybe you should have a plan b - and have that back-up plan not be the federal government.

Jun 6, 2012, 4:37pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

If a lot of farmers goes out of business, we don't get to eat, and a farm isn't the kind of business you stop and start again very easily.

If a TV repair shop goes out of business, we can still eat and handle a lot of other necessities in life and if it's a viable business, somebody will eventually fill the void.

Jun 6, 2012, 4:46pm Permalink
Mark Brudz

Kelly, Crop farmers participate in a crop insurance program, they actually do pay into it. The catch is that the funds can not be released with out a declaration of emergency or a ruling from the USDA such as this one.

It isn't really the government picking and choosing in this case, (I do for the most part agree with you on the picking and choosing part)

Poor harvest IS NOT COVERED BY THIS, but whether disasters like hail freezes, flooding etc are. The funky weather this spring does not just mean a poor harvest this year, but in many cases NO HARVEST.

Not every fruit farmer is going to be eligible for this BTW, and some will inevidably go under. it is quite different than the dairy industry, but in certain circumstances the dairy farmers crops are also covered, the spring freeze thaw, did not affect the other types of farming in this case as it did the fruit industry.

Incidently, Apples are still a major NY State crop and have a substantial effect on our local economy.

Protecting the food supply is in my humble opinion is much more imporatnt than government health care, or any other single industry for that matter.... but this is not just a hand out. And yes, part of it is tav payer subsidized, but not to the extent that one might think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Crop_Insurance_Corporation

And aide comes by way of low interest loans more than by direct compensation

Jun 6, 2012, 5:55pm Permalink
Kelly Hansen

Thanks for the explanation regarding the insurance program, Mark. The whole entitlement craze has heightened my awareness to catch phrases such as "now eligible for assistance." If this is something the farmers pay into and/or simply involves access to loans, the story is completely different than than the press release implies. Re-reading it just now, sending out this release was merely a way for Mrs. Hochul to get her name in a story during campaign season. It sounds more like a free handout than the program for <b>loans</b> with strict requirements:

-The farmer must be a family farmer and a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.

- They must have experienced a crop loss of more than 30% or a physical loss of livestock, livestock products, real estate, or property

-The farmer must be unable to obtain credit from a commercial lender, but still show the capacity to repay the loan

This is in addition to the 'Family Farmers and Apple Growers Relief Act' which was expected to be before the State Assembly this week. It is a proposed tax credit program.

Jun 7, 2012, 9:57am Permalink

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