Farm Bill Update: Senate Confirms Conferees

Go to http://www.agweb.com/article/farm_bill_update_senate_appoints_conferees/ to see what's going on.

It's Pumpkin Time in Central New York

Logan Hilbert, 1, of North Syracuse during his first pumpkin patch visit to Behling's Orchard in Mexico.

It's pumpkin time and farms across Oswego County have plenty of the orange fruits to buy.

But how the crops fared varies on where in the county a farm is located.

For instance, Will Ruby of Mexico said his half acre or so "look good" and the weather was great for raising pumpkins.

But Josephine Godfrey, of Godfrey's Last Stand on Route 264 near Phoenix, said the pumpkins her family planted early in June didn't do well.

"It was the wet weather," she said. "We planted, they started blossoming and then we were getting a lot of rain."

She said the pumpkins the family planted later, in early July, did much better. She said the farm will have enough pumpkins for its customers, but won't be able to ship any to any other locations.

"We have about half a crop," she said of the 4 1/2 acres planted with pumpkins.

Ruby said he planted his pumpkins late (beginning of June) so they are just turning orange in the field now.

Pumpkins are huge sellers this time of year the closer Halloween gets on the calendar. Most people throughout the region use them for either autumn decorations or carve them to make spooky adornments for their windows at Halloween time.

As pumpkin are grown lying flat in a field, they can be harmed by too much rain or not enough rain. Too much rain and either they won't develop when first planted or they will be subject to mildew or rot nearer harvest time.

Cornell Cooperative Extension says on its website that another concern for growers are several different viruses which can cause plants to not produce fruit at all or results in poor fruit quality (size or color). Striped cucumber beetles and squash bugs remain the main insect pests.

New York state ranks amongst the top three states (Illinois and Pennsylvania are the other two) in pumpkin production in the country with more than 6,800 acres of pumpkins produced with an estimated value of $24 million each year.

Nearly all of these are for fresh market use for either decorating or eating. The pumpkin industry is highly variable with fruit ranging from quarter pound to several hundred pounds each.

Pumpkins are grown throughout New York state and are marketed through roadside stands, nursery centers and farmers markets and are also important in areas that have lots of agritourism. Included in this group are also other fall ornamentals such as gourds and ornamental squash.

Keeping Youth Safe on the Farm

Here is this week's column by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack:

It’s no secret that agricultural work is tough work – and as America’s farm families know, it can be dangerous.

Last year, agriculture recorded the highest fatal injury rate of any industry, with the rate of on-the-job fatality in agriculture nearly seven times the rate for all U.S. workers.Adding complexity to this challenge is the unique role that youth play on the farm and ranch.  Many farms and ranches are a family business. This important tradition strengthens American agriculture and instills important life skills for our young people.Unfortunately, this means that young people also share in the hazards of farm work.  On average, more than 100 youth die each year in farm-related accidents.  Thousands more are injured on the farm or ranch.   
 

Every injury or death on the farm is tragic, and the involvement of a young person makes such accidents particularly difficult to bear.

That’s why the federal government has sought to help families, farm groups and businesses ensure youth safety on the farm, while still enabling young people to have the important chance to work in agriculture. Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture promised to address youth farm safety in innovative, comprehensive ways, working in partnership with folks from around the country. 

On Sept. 25, we announced new plans to strengthen that commitment by developing a national training curriculum to reduce agricultural hazards to young workers.

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded $600,000 over two years to Pennsylvania State University, which will work with partner universities and a broad range of agriculture and education organizations to develop this training curriculum.

The result will provide a unified approach to national youth farm safety education, as well as a formalized effort to educate rural youth who are working on the farm or ranch. Overall, NIFA has provided nearly $2 million in funding under the Obama Administration to complement the good efforts of America’s farmer, rancher and producer organizations to improve youth farm safety. 

In addition to the benefits that these awards will bring for youth on the farm, this is another important reminder of the wide range of efforts NIFA carries out in partnership with Land Grant Universities.

Folks across the country are counting on Congress to pass a comprehensive new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill that gives USDA and university partners across the nation continued tools to strengthen American agriculture.

In the years to come we’re committed to a common-sense approach to youth safety on the farm. The Departments of Agriculture and Labor will continue to coordinate closely with America’s producers and agriculture organizations on this and other farm safety efforts.

This challenge is critically important for our rural young people, and we must work together.  This week’s new effort will further expand USDA’s broad partnerships to improve farm safety. It will ensure that our young people can get the experience they need to keep American agriculture strong and abundant in the years to come, while staying safe and sound in the process.

Ritchie Wants Wine Trail for St. Lawrence County

News from state Sen. Patricia Ritchie:

State Senator Patricia Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, who also is chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is planning to introduce legislation in January to establish a St. Lawrence County Wine Trail to help put local winemakers and vineyards on the map, boost local businesses and create jobs in the North Country.

“St. Lawrence County can now proudly say that it has three outstanding local wine producers in Lisbon, Black Lake and Winthrop,” said Ritchie. “Unfortunately, a lot of people have yet to discover River Myst, Bella Brooke and High Peaks wineries. My legislation will literally put these three local businesses on the map. Just as importantly, it will create a new county-wide tourist destination that will provide new business and employment opportunities for neighboring restaurants, stores and attractions.”

Under Ritchie’s plan, the St. Lawrence County Wine Trail would start near Black Lake’s Bella Brooke Winery in Morristown, extending to Lisbon’s River Myst Winery and then to High Peaks Winery in Winthrop. The trail is being designed to also bring visitors to St. Lawrence Brewing’s microbrewery in Canton, allowing the four companies additional opportunities to work together to market themselves.

“The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce has long dreamed of using our local wineries as tourist destinations," said Chamber Executive Director Pat McKeown. "We know that visitors come for our great outdoor offerings, like fishing, hunting and snowmobiling. Senator Ritchie's new plan adds a really great dimension to St. Lawrence County's arsenal of tourist attractions and we are delighted to do whatever we can to help her project gain traction.”

USDA Loan Program Makes Reductions Due to Federal Sequester

News from the USDA:

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced Monday several adjustments to commodity loan programs to accommodate the automatic funding reductions known as sequester that are mandated by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011.


The programs, which provide interim financing for agricultural commodities to be stored after harvest and sold throughout the year when unaffected by harvest-season pressure on prices, are subject to sequester reductions of 5.1 percent. With commodity loan programs operating on a crop year basis and Sept. 30 marking the end of the federal fiscal year, adjustments will occur for the 2013 crop year as follows:

Loan-making for all commodities will be suspended on Oct. 1 and are targeted to resume mid-October. Loan repayment and loan servicing for all disbursed commodity loans will continue. Beginning in mid-October, the 2013 crop loans, and if applicable, loan deficiency payments (LDPs) will receive 5.1 percent reductions. Re-pledged 2012 crop sugar loans are not subject to sequester. 2013 crop loan rates are not affected.

Commodity loans issued by FSA, marketing associations and loan servicing agents are all subject to these reductions.

New York Farm Bureau President Comments on Farm Bill

News from New York Farm Bureau:

Dean Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau, made this comment on the expiration of the Farm Bill.

“It is déjà vu all over again for New York’s farmers. Without Congressional action today, agriculture policy in this country is left in limbo much like what happened one year ago. Only this time, the likelihood of a one-year extension seems remote.

"This only raises the uncertainty level on our farms that are looking to plan ahead for next year as the current harvest season enters its final stages. How does any business set a budget, purchase supplies, or make hiring decisions without having some idea of what governmental policies are in place that have a direct impact on what they do day-in and day-out?

"This is the dilemma facing all of our farms that contribute so much to the physical and economic health of their communities.

"New York Farm Bureau has worked well with our representation in Washington, DC. We urge lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to act soon in Conference Committee to hammer out a compromise on the legislation passed in the Senate and the House.  Without it, our dairies are put in an especially vulnerable position if volatile milk prices swing too low.
 

"This will continue to leave many of New York’s important fruit and vegetable growers without a reasonable safety net as well. In addition, a number of other cost saving reforms and vital programs will be cast aside if there is no movement to secure a responsible farm policy in the next few months.

"It won’t just be the state’s farmers who will pay the price of not having a Farm Bill in place, but consumers as well, who increasingly want access to local food. We are in the business of feeding people, and it is also important that the neediness of New Yorkers have the ability to put healthy food on their families’ dinner tables,” he said. 

Cuomo Signs Bills Enhancing New York State Wine Industry

This news comes from the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo:


Bills were signed today that will allow wine to be sold at roadside farm markets and will designate portions of state highways near wineries and vineyards as "Wine Trails."

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said his signing of these bills continue the state's efforts to better market and promote New York wine.

“These new laws will build on our continuing efforts to promote New York’s wine industry across the state and beyond, boosting tourism, local economies and job growth,” Cuomo said. 

“We are increasing market opportunities for local producers and farmers and expanding our wine trails to attract tourists to communities across Upstate New York," he said. "Our state is home to hundreds of wineries that produce some of the best wine in the world, and we want both New Yorkers and visitors to come and enjoy them.” 

The farm markets legislation (S.267/A.1512) will create a new site for New York wineries to sell their products by allowing roadside farm markets to sell wine manufactured and produced by up to two licensed farm wineries, special wineries or micro-wineries located within 20 miles of the roadside farm market. 

The governor also signed four wine trail laws: one establishes a new wine trail; one expands an existing wine trail; one both expands two existing wine trails and changes their names; and one simply changes the name of an existing wine trail.

Wine trails help guide tourists to local attractions, vineyards, and wine tasting rooms, and to experience all that New York’s wine regions have to offer.

There are currently 16 wine trails designated by state law. 

“By allowing New York’s wide variety of quality wines to be sold at roadside farm markets, we are opening another door for this important industry," said Assemblyman William Magee, of Nelson, Madison County, chair of the state Assembly agriculture committee. "This is a measure that will support the growth of local businesses in our communities, and provide an important boost to wine producers across the state.”

New York is home to nearly 500 wineries, breweries, distilleries, and cideries. Producers account for more than $22 billion in annual total economic impact in the state and support tens of thousands of jobs statewide.

The state ranks third in the nation in wine and grape production, has the second-most distilleries, and three of the top-producing 20 brewers in the United States are located in New York.