Dairy farmers and industry leaders from across the state gave testimony at the State Capitol this morning to offer solutions regarding the ongoing milk crisis which has been described as a "depression" for farmers.
Senator Catharine Young of Olean, ranking Republican member of the Senate's Agriculture Committee, said, "Our farmers came to Albany today to make a desperate plea to help stop this massive hemorrhaging. If we don't act now and provide some sort of support system, more farms will go out of business and this dairy crisis will continue to escalate - driving a stake into the heart of upstate's struggling economy."
State Sen. John Bonacic said, "Upstate New York is in an economic crisis. The loss of more farms costs jobs, increases property costs on local communities because those farms are often developed into residential subdivisions, and diminishes New York State's open space. Losing farms raises the price of food and puts New Yorkers out of work. State agricultural leaders need to become far more aggressive in trying to help the agricultural community. Adopting the legislation sponsored by Senator Young and I to help the dairy industry would be a good first step."
State Sen. George Winner (R-C-I, Elmira) said, "We're looking at a disaster-in-waiting throughout many rural, upstate communities already under enormous pressure. Dairy farming is a mainstay of upstate New York's culture and economy, and we can't risk devastating losses within this critical industry."