Recently, I joined my colleagues in the Assembly Minority Conference in recognizing New York’s dairy producers for the vital role they play in local economies and our personal health. Our community is home to many dairy producers, an industry that accounts for half the agricultural output of our local economy.
Just this week, my colleagues and I in the Legislature approved a bill that will provide self-employed farmers with greater access to Family Health Plus, the state’s health care program for low-income working families. I will continue to provide assistance to our farmers and fight for important legislation that will help grow and strengthen our community.
On the local level, there are things that residents can do to help the Agriculture industry thrive. I strongly encourage everyone to support their local dairy producers this month and all year long by drinking milk, eating cheese or yogurt in place of high calorie, fatty snack foods.
By enjoying a diet rich in dairy products, everyone can accomplish a number of goals at once. It provides consumers with a leg up at staying healthy and reducing body fat. At the same time, consumers would ensure local dairy producers – the backbone of New York’s agricultural economy – continue to do brisk business and remain part of our landscape for years to come.
This message is important. Agriculture is the state’s top industry -- with an estimated 6,400 dairy farms currently in operation. New York also ranks third in the nation when it comes to dairy production. Milk sales alone account for one-half of the total agricultural receipts in New York. In fact, this past year, milk sales brought in $1.4 billion to the state. But milk isn’t the only dairy product being churned out. New York also provides the nation with abundant and unique supplies of ice cream, yogurt and butter.
The viability of the agriculture industry is of the utmost importance in sustaining our communities in the Mohawk Valley. New York farms are faced with high overhead, increased taxes and regulations compounded by increased operational costs, jeopardizing the future of farming in the state. In fact, the number of farms in New York dropped from 35,600 in 2005 to 35,000 in 2006. Supporting the industry through increased use and sale of dairy products can only help prevent additional farms from closing their doors.