Clayton, NY, May 13, 2013 — The New York wine industry is booming. According to the New York Wind and Grape Foundation, five million people visit New York wineries every year. The industry generates almost $4 billion.

The New York Farm Bureau is pushing for an official designation for a new Adirondack Wine Coast Trail to bring enthusiasts to seven vineyards in Clinton County.

A lot of the credit for New York wines can go to a team of researchers that's doing what you might call "extreme winemaking": Breeding grapes that survive the North Country's frigid winters and still make delicious wine.

They hope names like Frontenac and Marquette will one day be as popular as Cabernet and Merlot.  Go to full article

May 08, 2013 — Congress is back to work on a new five year Farm Bill. The Senate passed one last year, but the House of Representatives couldn't agree on the size of cuts to the food stamp program and other issues.

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand says preserving food stamps is "a moral issue." And she says there's a way to pay for them.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, May 06, 2013 — Last month, Governor Cuomo carried through on a promise he made to dairy farmers, loosening environmental regulations for small farms.

Right now, a farm with 200 cows or more has to prepare detailed and costly manure management plans. Starting this week, that threshold will be bumped up to 300 cows.

Speaking at last summer's Yogurt Summit, Agriculture Commissioner Darrel Aubertine said the change would help boost milk production to meet demand fueled by Greek yogurt's popularity. "Simply put," said Aubertine, "this will make it much easier for small farms to grow."

North Country lawmakers and the state Farm Bureau praised the rule change. But environmental groups say more unregulated manure means more farm runoff in rivers and streams. It remains a big question whether the change will do much of anything at all - to the environment or for the economy.  Go to full article

Burlington, VT, Apr 10, 2013 — Lawmakers on both sides of Lake Champlain say Congress is making progress on immigration reform. And they want to make sure the dairy industry is a part of it.

North Country Congressman Bill Owens and Vermont Congressman Peter Welch held a joint press conference in Burlington yesterday.  Go to full article

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

Mar 26, 2013 — The region's representatives are getting a close look at the details of the budget to be finalized in Albany this week.

Word is out on money for local roads and bridges, and parts of the agriculture and markets budget.  Go to full article

Washington, DC, Mar 25, 2013 — Washington failed to pass a Farm Bill last year. Congressman Bill Owens says he's "cautiously optimistic" one will pass this year. But he's not sure exactly what will be in the massive $100 billion a year legislation that funds everything from farm programs to food stamps.

So the North Country Democrat is introducing three bills early that would help New York farmers.  Go to full article

Rochester, NY, Feb 18, 2013 — When you hear New York wines, you probably think about the Finger Lakes. Wineries in that region have become world famous for their Rieslings and other white and red wines.

There are four other official wine regions in New York - the Hudson Valley, the shore of Lake Erie, the Niagara Escarpment, and Long Island.

There are also almost 30 wineries in the North Country, and wine aficionados are starting to take notice.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Feb 14, 2013 — According to the USDA, there are more than 200 regional "Food Hubs" in the US. The USDA says it believes the hubs "offer strong and sound infrastructure support to producers across the country which will also help build a stronger regional food system."

New York recently announced funding for four more across the state, including one in Canton, through its Regional Economic Development Councils. Canton's grant is for $350,000. The details are still in flux, but David Sommerstein spoke with one of the project's organizers, United Helpers CEO Steve Knight, to get a sense of the food hub's vision.

United Helpers is a non-for-profit organization known more for health care than for work on food issues, but it's bought the old Community Bank building, on Main Street in Canton, to house its new for-profit business incubator, Sparx Corp. Sparx, says Knight, is a partner in the food hub project.  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