Washington, DC, Apr 27, 2012 — The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee approved the Farm Bill Thursday, by a vote of 16 to 5. The bill is expected to cut agricultural spending by almost $25 billion over the next decade.

It ends direct payments to farmers, and replaces them with federal crop insurance. The farm bill also authorizes federal nutrition programs, such as food stamps. Those programs will see a $4 billion cut over the next decade in the Senate bill.

That's a major reason why New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand voted against the bill yesterday.  Go to full article

Washington, DC, Apr 27, 2012 — The US Labor Department has scrapped safety regulations designed to protect teenagers working on farms.

North Country Congressman Bill Owens worked hard to pressure the Obama administration to withdraw the rules.  Go to full article

Ottawa, ON, Apr 20, 2012 — The Ottawa Valley Farm Show recently marked its 85th year with a three-day run at the new CE Centre next to Ottawa's main airport. This event started as a seed fair in Pembroke and grew into the largest farm show in Eastern Ontario.

As you'd expect, a lot of the space is devoted to pitching shiny new machinery. Lucy Martin stopped at the Hakmet display to ask vendor Jeff Lancaster how these big shows work from his side of the booth.  Go to full article

Burlington, VT, Apr 09, 2012 — The dairy industry in Northern New York and Vermont relies heavily on migrant labor. A lot of the farm workers are undocumented. That causes problems when the workers have to do simple tasks that involve driving, like going to the grocery store or visiting the doctor. But Vermont legislators are discussing a bill that may change that. Sarah Harris reports.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Mar 14, 2012 — Amy Cotler is an author, chef and local food advocate, who says it's an exciting time for the locavore movement, but more needs to be done. Cotler is author of the book, The Locavore Way, which focuses on the pleasures of locally grown food. On Monday, she'll give the keynote address at Dig In!, a food and gardening conference at Clarkson University in Potsdam. The event will bring together school staff, educators, parents, business owners, community leaders and health professionals.

Amy Cotler told Todd Moe that most schools, businesses and places of worship are doing a good job of developing and sustaining effective local food-based policies and practices, but, she says, they're just "scratching the surface".  Go to full article

Saranac Lake, NY, Mar 09, 2012 — About 300 people showed up for Friday's farm bill forum at North Country Community College in Saranac Lake. The US House Agriculture Committee hearing was one of only 4 to be held outside Washington, DC.

The Farm bill is rewritten every four years--the last time the massive set of regulations was authorized was in 2008. The current farm bill expires in September.  Go to full article

Saranac Lake, NY, Mar 09, 2012 — The House Agriculture Committee convenes a hearing this morning on the federal Farm Bill at North Country Community College in Saranac Lake.

The hearing is one of only four scheduled for outside Washington DC so far on the bill. It comes at the invitation of Rep. Bill Owens of Plattsburgh. The public is welcome.

See the live webcast via the link below, and hear more this afternoon on All Before Five.  Go to full article

Saranac Lake, NY, Mar 02, 2012 — Saranac Lake will host one of only four Congressional hearings on the 2012 Farm Bill in the country. The Saranac Lake session will be the only one held in the northeast U.S. this year.

Representative Bill Owens of Plattsburgh calls it a "tremendous opportunity for New York to make its voice heard as Congress crafts the next Farm Bill."

A press release from Owens office says North Country Community College will host the hearing on Friday, March 9. The other three are scheduled in Illinois, Arkansas, and Kansas in the coming weeks. The hearings are meant to gather on-the-ground input from farmers and others about re-authorization of federal agriculture policy, which last happened in 2008.  Go to full article

Lake Placid, NY, Mar 01, 2012 — The Lake Placid Center for the Arts will host a locally-produced film about local farms tonight (5 pm). Small Farm Rising features three vibrant Adirondack farms that provide food through farmer's markets, retail stores, restaurants and CSAs. Adirondack Harvest coordinator Laurie Davis told Todd Moe more about tonight's event and the film.  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