Saranac Lake, NY, Mar 05, 2012 — U.S. Representative Bill Owens says it's a big deal that Saranac Lake was chosen to host a Congressional hearing on the 2012 Farm Bill. Owens says it's a chance for farmers and others to influence re-authorization of federal agriculture policy, which hasn't been done since 2008.

"I feel really, very, very honored that the committee has selected the 23rd district for this type of event. There's only going to be four or so of them around the country. So this is very significant. This is an opportunity for us to talk about the issues that affect the north country."

The Saranac Lake hearing is Friday morning at North Country Community College. The others are scheduled in Illinois, Arkansas, and Kansas in the coming weeks.

Owens says there are good reasons for Congress to choose this location for the northeast meeting:

"That was picked because they were trying to get to a location that was part of a large agricultural district, the 23rd. But also because it is the northeast hearing, you're covering really New Jersey, New York, portions of Pennsylvania, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont. This is a very significant geographic area, and they tried to pick somewhere that was relatively speaking, centrally located."

The hearing will give Members of the House Agriculture Committee the opportunity to hear firsthand how U.S. farm policy is working for farmers and ranchers in advance of writing the Farm Bill.  Go to full article

Chase Mills, NY, Dec 30, 2011 — There's no doubt farming's a volatile industry. With grain and gas prices constantly fluctuating, and more and more consumers searching for low prices, it's no wonder the number of farms has dropped. Last summer, NCPR traveled the North Country looking for the next generation of farmers. This week, we're listening back to some of the stories we found.

The key to farming since the 1970s has been to go big with a few cash crops, search out efficiency, utilize technology and produce more from each acre.

Some young farmers want to do it their own way. They want to stay small, avoid mainstream distribution and maybe grow organic. These new farmers face different challenges from their traditional predecessors, but they can't avoid the economics. Steve Knight tackled the knotty subject of farm economics.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Dec 29, 2011 — Many North Country Maple producers can now tap into a new loan fund to help them increase the amount of syrup they produce. The Development authority of the North Country, or DANC, set up the program after several studies showed most maple trees in the area aren't being tapped. That means producers are missing out on a lot of potential revenue. Nora Flaherty has the details.  Go to full article

Port Leyden, NY, Dec 28, 2011 — Today we continue our look back at our series from last summer, Farmers Under 40, with a look at the young people getting into what many consider a dying industry.

Dairy remains one of the biggest overall drivers of the North Country economy. Yet half the dairy farms of twenty years ago are gone today. The average age of a dairy farmer is almost 60 years old. And some years it costs more to milk a cow than you can sell the milk for.

Still, young farmers are going into dairy. And as David Sommerstein reports, they're bringing a sharp business acumen and a passion to the barn.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Oct 27, 2011 — Teenagers might be known for eating a lot. But they don't always think about where that food is coming from, or whether it's healthy for them. That changed for some students who gathered in SUNY Potsdam's student union this week for the North Country Food Day Youth Summit. The summit was sponsored by GardenShare and the St. Lawrence County Health Initiative. Julie Grant attended, along with two hundred and forty high school students from 30 different schools.  Go to full article

Fowler, CA, Sep 06, 2011 — U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has been touring New York's agricultural areas to hear from farmers. The Senate is already starting debate on the 2012 Farm Bill. Gillibrand is the first New Yorker on the Senate Agriculture Committee in 40 years.

She told St. Lawrence County farmers she wants to make sure Northeast farmers have a voice when the new Farm Bill is written. She asked how federal policycan better serve the people in the fields and barns. Julie Grant attended the listening session at Bob Andrews' farm in Fowler.  Go to full article

Jul 18, 2011 — There's no doubt farming's a volatile industry. With grain and gas prices constantly fluctuating, and more and more consumers searching for low prices, it's no wonder the number of farms has dropped.

The key to farming since the 1970s has been to go big with a few cash crops, search out efficiency, utilize technology, and produce more from each acre.

Some young farmers want to do it their own way. They want to stay small, avoid mainstream distribution, and maybe grow organic. These new farmers face different challenges from their traditional predecessors, but they can't avoid the economics.  Go to full article

Middlebury, VT, May 20, 2011 — It's practically a given that you need a car if you want to live in a rural place. Not all towns have grocery stores or pharmacies. Work can be miles away.

The distances and empty landscapes are particularly isolating for the hundreds of undocumented workers on dairy farms in the region. Undocumented migrant workers, can't drive - they're not eligible for driver's licenses.

A group of Middlebury College students is providing local farm workers with a two-wheeled alternative.

Angela Evancie has the story.  Go to full article

May 10, 2011 — Late last month, a yogurt plant in North Lawrence became the latest dairy processor in northern New York to close. North Lawrence has had a dairy processing plant for more than 100 years, and the closure will leave 132 people out of a job. But the effects will be felt by a lot more people than that.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Apr 06, 2011 — Though his austerity budget has taken up the lion's share of the Cuomo Administration's time and energy in its first three months, leadership posts are slowly filling. Yesterday, as expected, the state Senate Agriculture Committee, under new Sen. Pattie Ritchie of St. Lawrence County, confirmed her Senate predecessor, Darrel Aubertine of Jefferson County, as farm commissioner. Dave Bullard reports.  Go to full article