Apr 03, 2013 — The US Senate is preparing to take up the federal Farm Bill again in the coming weeks.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand wants it to include a plan to protect and encourage New York's dairy farms, especially smaller farms.  Go to full article

Apr 03, 2013 — According to a study by Hofstra University, more than 11,000 people in New York State have been victims of human trafficking since 2000. They may have been sex workers, or forcibly employed at restaurants or factories or on farms.

They're among the estimated 27 million people who are victims of human trafficking worldwide.

Several organizations this week are drawing attention to what's often called modern-day slavery. The state Department of Labor has announced a new partnership with businesses to expose illegal labor trafficking.

A handful of students from SUNY Canton held a march yesterday to raise awareness of the issue.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Feb 05, 2013 — Governor Cuomo announced two new programs to help dairy farmers grow alongside the booming Greek yogurt business in New York.  Go to full article

Jan 01, 2013 — Updated 3:25pm: The Senate passed a limited nine-month extension of the 2008-2012 farm bill. It avoids the "dairy cliff" (see below) and preserves the older MILC dairy price support program. But it cuts many popular programs, including disaster insurance, conservation, and organic certification support.

Read this blog post at our new farm and food blog, The Dirt, for the latest:

http://blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org/thedirt/2013/01/01/farm-bill-update-many-disappointed-farmers/

The US Congress failed to pass a new Farm Bill by the end of the year. But that doesn't mean milk prices are going to double immediately, as some had feared.

The House and Senate Agriculture Committees had a deal in place Monday to extend the 2008 farm bill for another nine months. But the agreement never came to the House floor for a vote. House leaders balked at a new safety net for dairy farmers that would restrict the milk supply if prices fell below a certain level.  Go to full article

Washington, DC, Dec 13, 2012 — New York's senators are ramping up pressure on House Republicans to pass a new farm bill before year's end.

Democrat Chuck Schumer held a phone conference with reporters Wednesday to urge House Speaker John Boehner to bring the farm bill to a vote.  Go to full article

Gouverneur, NY, Dec 04, 2012 — One big item caught up in gridlock created by the current budget debate, with its "fiscal cliff" threat, is the federal farm bill.

Most farmers are still covered by crop insurance and other programs until next planting season, but that's not true of dairy.

Dairy farmers now have no safety net if milk prices fall. And with feed prices soaring, many feel they're falling off a cliff of their own.  Go to full article

Nov 26, 2012 — It's a strange time for the North Country's dairy farmers.
On one hand, Congress' failure to pass a new farm bill has meant the loss of a safety net if milk prices drop or feed costs rise. On the other hand, the soaring popularity of Greek yogurt is offering what New York's dairy leaders call a "once in a generation" opportunity to shore up an industry that's been eroding for decades.

New York has lost about two-thirds of its dairy farms since the 1980s. The ones that remain have gotten bigger.  Go to full article

Washington, DC, Sep 20, 2012 — UPDATE: Thursday afternoon, the Wall Street Journal reports House Speaker John Boehner has officially confirmed that the farm bill won't be taken up until after the November elections.

North Country farmers are anxiously watching the status of the new farm bill in the House of Representatives. The current farm bill expires on September 30. The Senate passed a new five-year, $497 billion farm bill over the summer. But House leadership has yet to let its version come to the floor for a vote. "Tea Party" Republicans want to see much deeper cuts in the biggest item in the bill -- the federal food stamp program.

So what if the Farm Bill isn't passed by the end of the month? How would that affect North Country agriculture?  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Sep 13, 2012 — The largest cheesecake in the country will be the centerpiece of the 8th annual Lowville Cream Cheese Festival on Saturday. The event celebrates the region's dairy industry and the village's cream cheese plant. The day's events include music, activities for kids, contests, lots of food and the gigantic cheese cake. Todd Moe spoke with organizer Eric Virkler.  Go to full article

Edmeston, NY, Aug 21, 2012 — The buzz around last week's "Yogurt Summit" had a lot of people ask questions. Why was Greek yogurt such a big deal and why was Governor Cuomo spending political capital on it?

It turns out Greek-style yogurt now accounts for about a quarter of all yogurt sales in the U.S. And much of it is made right here in upstate New York because we're close to the yogurt-eating masses on the East coast. It's a low-tech industry that's having a big economic impact.  Go to full article