Penn Yan, NY – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, hosted a roundtable discussion at Abandon Brewing Company with local farmers and producers today as part of a statewide agriculture listening tour. Senator Gillibrand listened to concerns raised by farmers and producers to get their input on how to make the next Farm Bill as helpful as possible to the agriculture industry in the Finger Lakes Region.
“I’m grateful to all of the farmers, growers and producers who participated in this important and productive conversation today about agriculture in the Finger Lakes region,” said Senator Gillibrand, the first Senator from New York to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in nearly 40 years. “The next Farm Bill is still two years away, but we must address our farmers’ current problems while looking forward to make the Farm Bill as strong as possible. It is crucial that the agriculture community continues to speak out and share their concerns, and that we listen to them so that we can come up with good solutions to ensure our farms prosper. I look forward to having more conversations just like this in the months ahead.”
“The Farm Bill is vital to all of New York agriculture, and Senator Gillibrand has done a great job reminding officials in Washington that New York is a major farm state whose priorities need to be considered as the bill takes shape. Her listening sessions with our industry, active presence on the Senate Agriculture Committee, and hosting of the popular New York Farm Day reception have accomplished that. We are very grateful for her support and passion for agriculture,” said Jim Trezise, President, New York Wine & Grape Foundation.
“Senator Gillibrand’s roundtable discussions are a great opportunity to get our growers, producers and stakeholders in the room together to discuss ways we can further support the agricultural community in the next Farm Bill. Agriculture is a major driver of New York’s economy today and, as the marketplace continues to evolve and grow, there is great potential for the industry to grow. We look forward to participating in the discussions and thank the Senator for bringing agriculture to the forefront,” said NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball.
“The next Farm Bill is important to New York farmers, affecting our diverse agricultural community in many ways. It is valuable to begin these discussions now with Senator Gillibrand so we can work together to address real needs that support the future of farming in our state,” said Skip Jensen New York Farm Bureau Field Advisor.