Gillibrand meets with region’s farmers
Agricultural concerns took center stage Friday as U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand met with area farmers at a roundtable discussion in southern Dutchess County.
It was part of the senator’s statewide listening tour, aimed at gathering information about farmers. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., says it’s a proactive approach to discerning the needs of that community so, when it comes time to vote on a new farm bill in two years, she will have enough relevant information on the needs and concerns of New York’s farmers.
Gillibrand said the last farm bill did not put enough focus on local, smaller agricultural producers. She said she is committed to making sure Hudson Valley farmers are represented properly this time around.
The farm bill is voted on every five years.
“We want to make the views, and vision, for Hudson Valley farmers are represented in that bill,” said Gillibrand, a former Columbia County resident. “We need to make sure there’s protections for our fruit and vegetable producers, for our specialty crops, and oftentimes, they’re left behind because the farm bill is, generally, focused on ‘Big Ag’ and not smaller farmers and specialty crops.
“So we’re going to do our best to make sure some of the needs of these farmers are represented, so they continue to have amazing produce and continue to feed our state.”
Gillibrand is the first New York senator to sits on Senate Agricultural Committee in 40 years.
Farmers at Friday’s event discussed crop insurance, policies for young farmers to start out, venture opportunities for smaller farms and labor issues, among other things. Besides Gillibrand, state Sen. Sue Serino, R-Hyde Park, participated in the event.
Alan Glustoff, owner of the 5 Spoke Creamery, a dairy farm in Goshen, said he has confidence in Gillibrand’s efforts on behalf of the Hudson Valley agricultural community and that the roundtable discussion was both exciting for him and necessary.
“I think it’s absolutely necessary, and I think it’s wonderful that Senator Gillibrand takes the time to meet with local farmers, and I think she has good understanding of the issues,” Glustoff said. “... These meetings help to underscore what’s really important and how quickly things change.”
Josh Morgenthau, owner and operator of Fishkill Farms, who hosted the event, agreed with Glustoff and said the roundtable discussion helped get issues out in the open.
“I think that there were a bunch of issues raised that are really important and have been either only addressed minimally or overlooked in previous farm bills,” Morgenthau said. “When we have an opportunity to have our voices heard as farmers, like we did today, it’s an amazing opportunity that I’m really excited to take.”
The farm bill is voted on every five years.