Facebook brings a flood of relief to frazzled farmers - New York Farm ...

November 2011 Grassroots Page 1 

R 

Grassroots 

www.nyfb.org the voice of new york agriculture ® november 2011 

NYFB helps 

untangle 

red tape 

for farm 

distillery 

By Julie Suarez 

jsuarez@nyfb.org 

Photo credit 

As the cleanup continues, NYFB continues to work with state and federal governments on the recovery effort. Here, 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks with Chris Kelder, Ulster County Farm Bureau president, and his daughter, Kaitlyn, at 

Glebocki Farms, where he announced the second round of environmental conservation clean-up funding. NYFB 

President Norton thanks Governor for his commitment to helping farms recover. For more information on the flood 

recovery efforts, see page 2.. 

Facebook brings a flood 

of relief to frazzled farmers 

By Alan Knight 

aknight@nyfb.org 

Revolutionaries in Tunisia and 

helpful neighbors in upstate New 

York have something in common: 

They used Facebook to share a call 

for action and then to organize it. 

Facebook was at the heart of 

neighbor-to-neighbor assistance in 

the wake of Hurricane Lee, according 

to Judi Whittaker, a proactive 

member of Broome County Farm 

Bureau. 

“People were posting pictures of 

the flood on Facebook practically as 

it was happening,” said Whittaker, 

who operates a dairy farm in Whitney 

Point with her husband, Scott, 

who is president of Broome County 

Farm Bureau. “Pete and Chip Shafer, 

Farm Bureau members who 

New York Farm Bureau is pleased 

to showcase the new look of the state’s 

premier agricultural newspaper, Grassroots. 

We hope that the sleek new design 

and attention to detail will help you, the 

reader, better enjoy our newspaper. Every 

month, we will feature a different farm 

on the Grassroots nameplate. We invite 

Governor tours 

flooded farmland 2 

Farmers take on 

force of nature 11 

State, Feds 

offer relief 18,19 

Farm Bureau leader 

coordinates aid 20 

our member farms to submit photos by 

e-mailing us at info@nyfb.org. Grassroots 

will also feature an increased emphasis 

on guest editorial content, with monthly 

columns from political, agricultural and 

business leaders. Though our paper’s 

design has changed, our focus on quality 

content remains. We will continue to 

operate Nanticoke Gardens, posted 

pictures of the flood in their greenhouses 

on their Facebook page and 

later used it to call for volunteers.” 

Two important advantages of 

Facebook, said Whittaker, are speed 

and ease. If someone posts an announcement, 

everyone who has 

“friended” them sees it, plus others 

who are looking for it can find it. “If 

you click on “share,” then everyone 

in your network of friends immediately 

sees it, too. One click and 

you’re done.” 

Here is an early posting from the 

Shafers: 

“Flood cleanup—If anyone is 

available to help this weekend, we 

need some volunteers to help cleanup 

and rebuild our greenhouses!!! 

Please confirm if you can come so we 

can make sure we have enough food 

and drink for all volunteers. Saturday, 

September 17 at 10:00am, Nanticoke 

Gardens. Thank you. Posted 

October 6 at 11:56 p.m.” 

As a demonstration of the power 

Please see FB and the flood, Page 20 

Grassroots enters a new era with a new look 

showcase our county Farm Bureaus, promotion 

and education efforts, regulatory 

compliance information and the latest political 

news from Albany and Washington. 

NYFB would like to extend our gratitude 

to our new partner in this endeavor, the 

New York Press Service, who is responsible 

for our redesign. 

In 2007, the McKenzies had a vision. 

Two unrelated individuals met 

at a craft distilling conference. Brian 

McKenzie, a former upstate banker and 

finance professional, met Thomas Earl 

McKenzie, a wine maker and distiller, 

and both realized that they shared a 

common goal and vision – to establish 

a craft distillery in the heart of Finger 

Lakes Wine Country. 

Recognizing that there was an increasing 

marketplace for locally produced 

distilled spirits made from local 

farm grown ingredients, 

the McKenzies 

accurately 

predicted the current 

strong growth 

in that particular 

category of products. 

E s t a b l i s h i n g 

a new business 

takes courage, entrepreneurship, 

and, of course, 

Why is this 

man smiling? 

With NYFB 

assistance 

he got the 

state to ease 

restrictions on 

farm distilling. 

capital. But in the 

McKenzies’ case, 

an additional barrier 

to doing business 

in New York 

State existed in 

the form of a restrictive 

alcoholic 

beverage control 

law that essentially 

only allowed for 

large distilleries and no “out the door” 

direct sales to customers from the facilities. 

With Brian’s expertise in finance and 

marketing, and Thomas Earl’s expertise 

in distilling, they had two of the necessary 

components. Luckily, the McKenzies 

found some assistance through connecting 

with regional NYFB field staff, 

who also shared a passion for connecting 

local farmers with local opportunities 

and knew that NYFB was making 

a push to create a new farm distilling 

licensing category. 

“NYFB had just finished an annual 

meeting, where—thanks to several apple 

farmers and Ralph Erenzo, a Hudson 

Valley NYFB member who had just 

established a craft distillery—our farmer 

members supported the creation of 

a farm distillery license category,” said 

Julie Suarez, director of public policy. 

“Many of NYFB’s policy efforts involve 

breaking down barriers for our farmer 

members to grow their businesses. This 

was a natural fit for our fruit and grain 

farmer members, although admittedly 

Please see FLD Page 20 

Presidents Message 

In spite of challenges, a time for 

thanksgiving. Page 3 

Next Month 

Chenango, Columbia counties receive 

national awards.

Page 2 Grassroots November 2011 

Cuomo announces state flood relief measures 



Gov. Cuomo and a variety of elected 

officials spent time on two farms in Ulster 

and Orange counties: Wallkill Valley 

Nursery and Glebocki Farms. Both 

these farms, along with many others 

in the Hudson Valley, watched floodwaters 

from the Wallkill wash away crops, 

equipment and damage structures. The 

governor’s visit coincided with a local 

press announcement, with numerous 

elected officials including Sen. John 

J. Bonacic, Assemblymembers’ Annie 

Rabbitt, Nancy Calhoun and Aileen 

Gunther, and facilitated by Commissioner 

Darrel Aubertine. 

Gov. Cuomo spoke eloquently about 

the need to end the partisan bickering 

in Washington, D.C. to ensure that communities, 

small businesses and farmers 

have access to the disaster programs that 

are needed to help New Yorkers rebuild. 

He also detailed the actions his administration 

had taken to help farmers cut red 

tape – including faster permit issuance 

from the Department of Environmental 

Conservation to make emergency conservation 

repairs and easing the reporting 

deadline for environmental impairment 

issues to accommodate farmers stranded 

and without phones, and electricity. 

NYFB had also communicated the 

need to push back several tax reporting 

deadlines, and applauds the actions taken 

by the Department of Tax and Finance 

to take some steps, albeit a little more 

limited than NYFB would like, to provide 

a delay in reporting to give farmers who 

lost their records in the flood the time to 

recreate the necessary documents. 

NYFB Vice President Eric Ooms was 

able to speak from the podium, addressing 

the numerous farmer members who 

were present in the audience. “The need 

to do immediate clean up of debris in our 

farmer members flooded fields, to stabilize 

stream banks to prevent additional 

flooding, and address critical conservation 

needs is tremendous,” said Ooms. 

“We’re pleased that the Governor, in the 

middle of a time of extreme fiscal difficulty, 

did the right thing and is allocating 

some funding to help our farmers and 

communities While the funding won’t 

make anybody whole, every little bit 

helps.” 

NYFB Vice President Eric Ooms talks with Assembly member Aileen Gunther about 

far the reaching impact of storms from the Northern Capital District area, Southern 

Tier, to Long Island 

Commissioner announces $1M specialty crop grants 

New York State Agriculture Commissioner 

Darrel J. Aubertine has announced 

$1 million has been awarded 

for nine projects that will enhance the 

competitiveness of specialty crops in 

New York. Specialty crops include fruit, 

vegetables, maple, honey, horticulture 

and nursery/landscape. The Specialty 

Crop Block Grants are funded and approved 

by the United States Department 

of Agriculture (USDA). 

“Agriculture is one of our most important 

economic sectors. These grants 

help us improve and grow our agricultural 

economy,” said Aubertine. “We appreciate 

the support we have received 

from our members of Congress in obtaining 

these funds. These grants will 

better the industry as a whole and make 

New York crops more competitive.” 

The competitively awarded projects 

reflect input the Department received 

from industry stakeholders about priorities 

and needs related to research 

and grower education as well as consumer 

outreach and market development. 

A total of $506,652 was awarded 

for 7 research and grower education 

projects. In addition to those projects, 

the Department will be using 

$447,423.69 to implement two statewide 

consumer outreach and market development 

projects that will positively influence 

all specialty crop commodities 

throughout the state. 

A total of 31 applications requesting 

over $2.2 million were received by the 

Department for funding. The awarded 

grants, which were competitively chosen, 

average $72,000 each and do not require 

matching funds. 

The Specialty Crop Block Grants 

were available to not-for-profit organizations, 

government entities and 

educational institutions. Projects were 

required to benefit a commodity or the 

industry as a whole and could not benefit 

a particular commercial product or 

profit to a single individual or entity. A 

committee made up of 17 industry representatives 

with expertise in a wide 

range of subject areas was assembled 

to provide technical review and comments 

for proposals received. The committee 

and the Department strongly 

considered the project’s impact on the 

industry and ability to achieve measurable 

results in the review and ranking 

process. USDA gave the final approval 

to fund the chosen projects. 

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Congress passes free trade agreements 

By M. Kelly Young 

kyoung@nyfb.org 

Both houses of Congress voted on 

and passed the three pending trade 

agreements with South Korea, Columbia 

and Panama on Oct. 12. Combined, 

these long-stalled agreements will 

mean more than $30 million in additional 

agricultural exports from New 

York each year. The impact on U.S. agriculture 

as a whole will be $2.5 billion 

annually and support up to 22,500 new 

jobs, based on American Farm Bureau 

Federation (AFBF) and USDA data. 

“Finally passing these trade agreements 

means that New York farmers 

will begin to see a more level playing 

field for agricultural exports to these 

three countries,” said NYFB President 

Dean Norton. “During the past four 

years we’ve seen Korea, Columbia and 

Panama negotiate trade agreements 

with other countries and U.S. market 

share has slipped. 

“With the President and Congress 

focused on job creation and Governor 

Cuomo hosting economic development 

councils across the state, passing these 

agreements just makes sense. The 

agreements are estimated to generate 

$3 million in additional exports annually 

for fruit and vegetables from New 

York, $3 million for beef, $2.6 million 

for dairy and $1 million for grain. Processed 

products, such as applesauce 

and canned vegetables, will expand 

by approximately $12.5 million a year. 

This growth is exactly the kind of shot 

in the arm our rural communities and 

food manufacturers need right now.” 

NYFB and AFBF supported all three 

trade deals, which were voted on as separate 

bills. Voting records for the New 

York Senators and Representatives are 

listed in the accompanying chart. 

The president was expected to sign 

the three trade agreements quickly. 

Once signed, the United States can begin 

the implementation process with 

Colombia and Panama. The South Korea 

agreement still needs to be passed 

by the Korean government, but action 

in Korea is expected soon. 

A related Trade Adjustment Assistance 

package, commonly called TAA, 

was also passed by the House in October 

and the Senate in September. Disagreements 

over this package slowed 

down the trade deal approvals earlier 

this year and once it was negotiated, 

opened the door for the President to 

send the implementing legislation for 

the three trade agreements to Congress. 

TAA will provide the opportunity 

for producers and workers who 

have been harmed by imports to receive 

some support for their losses and 

give them time to make adjustments if 

necessary. The funding level is significantly 

lower than TAA programs in the 

past; the new program is roughly $900 

million over 3 years versus the previous 

program that was $6 billion over 6 

years. 

Assembly hears direct wine 

shipping success stories 



How they voted on trade agreements 

SENATE SENATE 

S. Korea Columbia Panama 

Schumer Y N Y 

HouSE 


Ackerman Y Y Y 

Bishop N N N 

Buerkle Y Y Y 

Clarke N N N 

Crowley Y Y Y 

Engel N Y Y 

Gibson Y Y Y 

Grimm Y Y Y 

Hanna Y Y Y 

Hayworth Y Y Y 

Higgins N N N 

Hinchey N N N 

Hochul N N N 

Israel N N N 

King Y Y Y 


Gillibrand Y N N 

S. Korea 

Columbia Panama 

Lowey Y N Y 

Maloney Y N Y 

McCarthy Y N N 

Meeks Y Y Y 

Nadler N N N 

Owens Y N Y 

Rangel Y N Y 

Reed Y Y Y 

Serrano N N N 

Slaughter — — — 

Tonko N N N 

Towns N N N 

Turner Y Y Y 

Velazquez N N N 

In 2005, NYFB fought a difficult battle 

against entrenched liquor interests 

for our grape and wine members. That 

year, we were able to successfully conclude 

a 10 year fight to allow our wineries 

the ability to ship wine directly to a 

consumer – both in New York State and 

in states that passed reciprocal agreements 

to open up their marketplaces 

to our products. This topic came up recently 

in Albany, during a hearing held 

by Assemblymember Schimminger, 

Chairman of the Assembly Commerce 

& Economic Development Committee, 

and Assemblymember Hevesi, Chairman 

of the Government Oversight & Investigations 

Committee. Testifying at 

the hearing were State Liquor Authority 

Chairman Dennis Rosen, Julie Suarez 

from NYFB, Sally Jennings from 

the Wine Institute, and Peter Saltonstall, 

NYFB member and owner of King 

Ferry Winery. 

Chairman Rosen opened the meeting 

by re-iterating the commitment of 

the State Liquor Authority and Governor 

Cuomo to New York’s family grape 

and wine farmers. In fact, the Chairman 

actually spoke favorably of the 

nexus between locally grown products, 

local farms, and the ability of wineries 

to navigate on all levels of the three 

tier structure. Mr. Rosen was strongly 

supportive of the ability of the state’s 

wineries to ship wine intra and out of 

state, and indicated that the wine industry 

was a significant contributor to 

our state’s economy. He also pointed 

out that enforcement issues have been 

few and far between for wineries shipping 

directly to consumers, and also 

mentioned the frustration that he’s 

heard from member wineries about 

the complexity and the difficulty of the 

conflicting and confusing alcoholic beverage 

control regulations and required 

reports. 

Speaking for NYFB, Julie Suarez 

indicated that a quick look into wine 

industry statistics proves the point that 

direct shipping has been good for New 

York’s economy and for our wine and 

grape farmer members. “In fact, many 

of the arguments NYFB used during the 

direct shipment fight have been shown 

MIllbrook Vineyards, in the Hudson 

Valley has built a brisk business on 

directly shipping internet orders. 

to be the case – wine writers are regularly 

reviewing our members products, 

and the percentage of wine in New York 

sold through a distributor from 2000 to 

2009 has actually doubled,” said Suarez. 

“This is important because during the 

direct shipment battle, our wineries kept 

hearing that we would be flooded with 

California wine and unable to compete. 

Not only have we shown we can compete, 

we’ve shown that the attention paid to 

our wines now by the national press has 

enabled our wineries to expand, doubling 

not only the amount of products 

sold through distributors but also doubling 

the amount of wine shipped into 

out of state markets,” continued Suarez. 

NYFB’s testimony can be found on our 

website at www.nyfb.org. 

Pete Saltonstall, a leading advocate 

for direct shipment, indicated that for 

his business capturing the tourism dollar 

has been extremely important. “All 

I wanted was to be able to say to my customers, 

yes, I can continue to ship wine 

to you after you’ve gone to your home 

in Florida for the winter.” “Direct 

shipment has meant that I am able, as 

a smaller winery that can’t access the 

standard distribution chain, to directly 

sell to the customers who come to my 

winery every summer,” said Saltonstall.


The President’s message 

Grassroots 

Grassroots is published monthly by New York Farm 

Bureau as a member service. Production services 

by New York Press Service, Inc. Subscriptions 

are available through New York Farm Bureau 

membership. Non-member subscription rate is 

$12. 

EDITOR 

Julie Suarez 


ASSISTANT EDITOR 

Adam Specht 

aspecht@nyfb.org 

ADVERTISING MANAGER 

Doug Rea 

doug@nynewspapers.com 

NEW YORK FARM BUREAU 

MAILING ADDRESS 

P.O. Box 5330 

Albany, NY 12205 

PHONE/WEB SITE 

Phone: 1-800-342-4143 

Web site: www.nyfb.org 

facebook.com/NYFarmBureau 

MANAGEMENT 

Jeffery Kirby Executive Director 

Julie Suarez Public Policy 

Elizabeth Dribusch Legal Affairs 

Kevin Cook Member Services 

Fred Perrin Member Relations 

Paul McDowell Financial & Info Systems 

Sandra Prokop NYFB Foundation 

NYFB BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

President, Dean Norton 

Elba, (716) 474-3901 

Vice President, Eric Ooms 

Old Chatham, (518) 392-9594 

District 1, Hal Kreher 

Clarence Center, (716) 741-8781 

District 2, Paul Bencal 

Ransomville, (716) 216-4039 

District 3, Jonathan Taylor 

Newark, (315) 331-0760 

District 4, Ashur Terwilliger 

Lowman, (607) 733-3957 

District 5, Darrell Griff 

Hamilton, (315) 691-9635 

District 6, Eric Behling 

Mexico, (315) 963-8160 

District 7, Robert Gleason 

Malone, (518) 483-1308 

District 8, Jay Skellie 

Salem, (518) 854-7883 

District 9, Richard Ball 

Schoharie, (518) 295-7139 

District 10, Charles Larsen 

Germantown, (518) 537-6586 

District 11, Kenneth Schmitt 

Melville, (631) 249-2616 

Ann Peck Chair of Promotion 

and Education Committee 

Newark, (315) 331-7791 

Andrea Schultz,Chair,Young Farmers 

and Ranchers Committee 

Ransomville, (716) 622-0279 

REGIONAL OFFICES 

Western NY Resource Center 

877-383-7663 or 585-343-3489 

Central NY Office 

866-995-7300 or 315-252-1367 

Eastern NY Office 

866-995-7300 or 518-854-7368 

Long Island Office 

631-727-3777 

On Page One: 

Preston’s Alpacas in Otsego County is featured on 

our nameplate this month. The Prestons specialize 

in breeding and raising high-quality huacaya 

alpacas. Each month, we’ll highlight a different 

member farm on the Grassroots nameplate. Send 

a photo of yours to info@nyfb.org, and you might 

see it in a future issue! 

Give thanks for community spirit... 

Each fall I look forward to Thanksgiving — a 

time that recognizes the end of the harvest 

season for our farm families. It’s a time to 

reflect upon the year we’ve had, and a time to start 

catching up with our friends and neighbors in the 

Farm Bureau family we’ve had the chance to visit 

during our county annual meetings. 

While this year is no doubt 

the most challenging year 

for farmers that I’ve ever 

seen, there are still positives. 

The sight of a greenhouse 

turned into a community 

clothes donation spot, and 

the stories of farmers lending 

other farmers feed when 

they themselves have little to 

spare, are certainly reasons 

to be thankful for the community 

spirit that exists among 

Dean Norton 

NYFB President 

farmers in New York. 

I’d encourage you to keep 

working with your neighbors 

impacted by the flooding and 

the heavy rainfall that kept 

yields down for virtually all of our farmers. It’s 

only by helping each other that we will get back to 

the vibrant agricultural community that we once 

were, and I know we can succeed. 

Speaking of helping each other out, Gov. Cuomo 

keeps doing an excellent job at helping farmers 

and communities recover from the storm. 

While articulating the dire need for Congressional 

leadership to figure out the best way to shore 

up sorely needed disaster programs — for homeowners, 

municipalities and farmers — the governor 

has also been helping to release state funds, 

even in the middle of difficult budget times. 

The latest installment of the Agricultural Community 

and Recovery Fund is now out the door, 

View from Washington 

Thanksgiving has always been a special time for 

me and my family, whereby we take a day from 

our hectic lives to give thanks for not only the 

bounty of food on our table, but for the good fortune 

and security in which that food was provided. 

When I think of Thanksgiving, I can’t help but 

conjure up Norman Rockwell’s famous painting 

“Freedom from Want.” If a 

picture is worth a thousand 

words, Rockwell’s painting 

tells an inspiring story 

of a traditional American 

Thanksgiving celebration: 

family, security, joy and 

America’s great harvest. 

The painting was first 

published as part of a series 

in The Saturday Evening 

Post in 1943 at the height of 

World War II. Inspired to 

paint ‘The Four Freedoms’ 

series after hearing President 

Franklin Roosevelt’s speech 

of the same name, Rockwell 

invoked a sentiment in all 

Americans that has remained for nearly 70 years. 

We cherish our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, 

freedom from fear and freedom from want. 

American farmers take these rights very seriously, 

especially when it comes to providing food 

for our nation. America spends less disposable 

with an application deadline of Nov. 7. Farmers can 

apply for assistance with feed and inventory losses. 

More information is on our website at www. 

nyfb.org. I’d also like to thank Commissioner 

Aubertine and his staff for their hard work and 

dedication in establishing an emergency program 

to help farmers clean up storm damage and address 

environmental impacts caused by the storm. 

Certainly, farmers could have used three times 

the funds, but the assistance to farms facing immediate 

needs is still particularly helpful. The 

collaboration between the governor, the Department 

of Agriculture & Markets, Soil & Water 

Conservation Committees, Cornell Cooperative 

Extension, and NYFB state and regional staff has 

truly been effective. 

There is some good news coming out of the 

nation’s capital, too. The much anticipated trade 

agreements with South Korea, Columbia and 

Panama were ratified by the House and Senate, and 

I thank those New York representatives who voted 

to help our farmers compete. 

Remember, these countries are ones that currently 

have tariffs on our products, even though 

we dropped our tariffs against their products 

years ago. These agreements are common sense 

measures and we anticipate shipping more dairy 

products, apples, grapes and wine to these countries, 

especially South Korea. 

I was pleased to attend many county annual 

meetings this year, and encouraged to see farmers 

talking to neighbors and making consensus 

decisions about what’s best for New York agricultural 

policy. I’m looking forward to celebrating 

100 years of Farm Bureau next month in Binghamton. 

As always, I wish you and your family a 

Happy Thanksgiving—one in which we celebrate 

the bounty of the season’s harvest and thank our 

friends and neighbors that helped us in our time 

of need. 

...and for freedom from want 

Bob Stallman 

AFBF President 

income on food than in any other country. 

Compared to many other countries where 

nourishment has flat lined and food is hard to 

come by, where farmers are dictated what to grow 

and who to sell to — leaving much of their population 

with empty stomachs, our food security is 

a reason for all Americans to be thankful. One 

look at most grocery shelves in the U.S. shows 

just how blessed Americans are. 

In some ways, things have changed little since 

1943; we have another war, another recession. 

Yet, while American farmers still embody that 

same patriotic and entrepreneurial spirit that 

their fathers and grandfathers had before them, 

our industry has changed greatly to keep up with 

the times. 

In the 1940s, a U.S. farmer had the ability to 

feed only 19 people per year. Today, an American 

farmer grows enough food to feed 154 people every 

year. Because of modern technology, farmers 

are providing safer and more nutritious food for 

Americans. We are producing a greater variety 

of food so that no Thanksgiving table is incomplete, 

whether you favor traditional turkey or 

something more exotic. 

So, as you sit down with your family to 

Thanksgiving dinner this year, please join me in 

giving thanks for the many blessings bestowed 

upon us. Let us all celebrate our many freedoms, 

and in particular, our freedom from want. 

Pass the cranberry sauce…


Guest opinions 

We need a rational foreign worker policy 

By Robert A. Smith 

One of the few bright spots in 

our economy is agriculture. 

While some New York farms 

have had a very difficult growing 

season and were hurt terribly by 

Irene and Lee, net farm income 

nationally will be up 

over 20% and exports 

continue to be strong. 

American farmers 

continue to prove to be 

the best in the world, 

but it is never easy and 

without challenges. 

The effort in the 

House of Representatives 

to push immigration 

enforcement with 

mandatory E-Verify 

could hurt efforts to 

grow the US economy 

and American agriculture. 

Farm Credit East 

recently had the opportunity 

to testify before 

a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee 

on Immigration chaired by Senator 

Schumer (D-NY). Both Senators 

Schumer and Gillibrand have 

become good advocates for agriculture 

on this issue. 

Although our testimony focused 

on economic impact numbers, the 

key points were summarized in two 

paragraphs: 

“We believe this is a jobs and 

food security issue. If as a country 

we fail to find a workable solution 

to enable labor-intensive agriculture 

to maintain the necessary 

workforce, we will see another part 

of our economy (dairy, fruit, vegetable 

and other specialty crops) 

move off-shore where barriers to 

entry for new agricultural enterprises 

are minimal. 

To some degree we need to ask 

ourselves – do we prefer to have 

our food produced domestically 

with the use of some foreign labor 

or in other countries with foreign 

labor for all of the jobs.” and 

“An enhanced enforcement-only 

approach without an effective alien 

worker program to provide a legal 

workforce for agriculture is counterproductive 

to efforts 

to reduce unemployment 

–it will mean that 

American citizens involved 

in the food chain 

will be unemployed 

and more consumer 

dollars will flow out 

of the United States to 

purchase products that 

could have been grown 

in the United States.” 

What about the 

economic impact? Earlier 

this summer, Farm 

Credit East prepared a 

vulnerability analysis 

which shows: 

• Approximately 1,732 

Northeast farms (1,049 in New 

York) are highly vulnerable to 

going out of business or being 

forced to severely cut back their 

operations due to a labor shortage 

caused by an effective enforcementonly 

immigration policy. 

These highly vulnerable farms 

are some of the most productive in 

the region; their total sales of farm 

product are estimated to exceed 

$2.4 billion ($1.5 billion in New 

York alone!). This is approximately 

36% of the value of the region’s 

agricultural output. 

20,212 full-time, year-round positions 

and 29,894 seasonal positions 

on farms would be eliminated if 

these highly vulnerable farms go 

out of business. 

The reduction in the farm payrolls 

is estimated to be $528 million. 

This means significantly less 

spending and economic activity in 

local communities as funds generated 

do not churn through the 

economy as they currently do. 

The highly vulnerable farms operate 

over 1.1 million acres of cropland. 

If these farms were to cease 

or reduce operations, some of this 

acreage might switch into less 

intensive agriculture, but thousands 

of acres would potentially be 

converted to non-agricultural uses. 

The economic impact of the loss 

of over 1,700 farms, goes beyond 

the farm gate, and would undermine 

the region’s agri-business 

sector. 

We estimate that 55,311 off-farm 

jobs in agriculturally related businesses 

(processing, inputs and 

services) in the Northeast could 

be impacted. Many, if not most, of 

these positions are full-time jobs 

held by local citizens. 

The loss of labor intensive 

agriculture operations will mean 

increased imports from 

foreign countries. We will import 

more food and other farm products 

and the jobs and related income associated 

with food processing and 

farm services will be generated in 

other countries. 

The success of agriculture is 

based on many things, but at the 

heart of American agriculture 

progress is the fact that farm families 

make tough decision and risk 

their hard earned equity to invest 

in the future. 

The farm labor issue is creating 

uncertainty about the future and is 

hurting growth and development 

of our industry. It is time for Congress 

to move ahead and provide 

a reasonable approach that allows 

experienced farm workers to have 

a legal status and creates a system 

for new workers to enter and exit 

the country in an efficient manner. 

This will help address two important 

priorities – maintain and 

create jobs and expand local food 

production. 

Farm Bureau & DEC: a solid collaboration 

By Joe Martens 

The New York State Department 

of Environmental 

Conservation’s 

core job is to protect the 

state’s public health and 

environment. Since taking 

the reins as head of 

DEC eight months ago, 

I have reached out to 

the business and agricultural 

communities, 

environmental groups 

and municipalities to 

foster partnerships 

so we can achieve our 

mutual goals of making 

Robert A. Smith 

Farm Credit East 

Joe Martens 

Commissioner, 

New York State 

Department of 

Environmental 

Conservation 

sure New York is open 

for business while promoting 

environmental 

protection. 

Under the leadership 

of Governor Cuomo, 

DEC is committed to 

finding efficiencies in 

how we deliver our environmental 

programs, reducing redundancy in 

government operations and working 

cooperatively with our stakeholder 

groups. 

As part of this effort, DEC invites 

the New York Farm Bureau 

community to communicate with 

me and my staff as 

issues arise. The Farm 

Bureau is a valuable 

partner in providing 

outreach and education 

to the agricultural 

community on important 

environmental 

goals. In addition, 

DEC will work with 

the Farm Bureau to 

help establish a regulatory 

environment that 

supports a thriving 

agricultural economy. 

While we may not always 

agree on the solution, 

we will work collaboratively 

so we can 

help the agricultural 

community remain a 

strong economic force 

in New York. 

We have made significant progress 

on several issues raised by the 

Farm Bureau. These include: 

Farm employees working on a farm in upstate New York, taking turns picking 

and packing lettuce for next-day delivery to markets up and down the Eastern 

Seaboard. 

n Providing an exemption from 

State Pollutant Discharge Elimination 

System (SPDES) permitting 

for maple syrup producers that use 

the new reverse osmosis system; 

n Exploring opportunities for 

farm-raised Black Bass to be sold 

in the state; 

n Working with the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency to 

resolve the Chesapeake Total Maximum 

Daily Load issue; and 

n Working with stakeholder 

groups on a general SPDES permit 

for New York’s winery industry. 

DEC also is collaborating with 

the Farm Bureau to evaluate 

whether the state’s pesticide registration 

process can better reflect 

the priorities of the agricultural 

community. 

Registration of new pesticide 

products and uses has been required 

for many years. Legislation 

established specific time frames for 

review of these applications to help 

ensure the review is completed 

promptly without compromising 

scientific integrity. Through discussions 

with the Farm Bureau, we 

will identify potential areas where 

the process can be improved. 

Another important area where 

DEC works with the farm community 

is to mitigate crop damage 

caused by resident wildlife. Our 

primary method to control damage 

by deer is to harvest antlerless deer 

during the fall hunting season. But 

we recognize site-specific options 

for landowners are needed as well. 

During the hunting season, qualifying 

landowners can receive Deer 

Management Assistance Program 

(DMAP) permits for more intensive, 

localized site control. DMAP 

addresses crop damage and forest 

regeneration problems through 

custom or municipal deer management. 

Outside of hunting season, 

Deer Damage Permits (DDPs) can be 

issued to reduce ongoing crop losses. 

Partnerships with organizations 

such as the Farm Bureau are 

important, too. I look forward to 

continued collaboration between 

DEC and the Farm Bureau.


Commodity report: Poultry 

Impact on local economies is not just chicken feed 



The story of poultry production in 

New York can be summed up by that 

trite old expression: location, location, 

location. 

There is, of course, more to it than 

that: globalization, vertical integration, 

transportation costs, access to low-cost 

grain (which depends on transportation 

costs—fuel costs—and thus location), 

regional competitive advantage 

(another way of saying location), environmental 

regulations (often a function 

of population density and thus location) 

and entrepreneurial personalities. 

New York’s poultry business isn’t 

what it used to be. Nor will it remain 

what it is. 

Egg production and broiler production 

were widely scattered in the early 

and mid 1900s. Entrepreneurs grew 

their birds within a three-hour drive 

of major cities. Two- and three-story 

chicken houses were common in Maine 

and around Fitchburg, Mass., to serve 

the Boston market, and in the Catskills 

to serve New York City. As many as 7.5 

million ducks per year were produced 

on Long Island around1950. 

Beginning in the late 1950s and early 

1960s, suburban expansion began to collide 

with animal agriculture, leading to 

environmental regulations and the cost 

of complying. 

Out-of-state competitors 

By the 1970s, completion of the interstate 

highway system meant Ohio 

eggs and Georgia broilers (and even 

processed ducks from Indiana and Wisconsin) 

could be hauled into northeastern 

cities in less than 24 hours. Those 

eggs and those broilers, produced with 

cheap nearby grains, often could—and 

did—out-compete locally produced 

poultry products. 

The shape-shifting of New York’s 

poultry business had begun. 

The shrinking of Long Island’s 

duck industry serves to illustrate these 

points. Begun in the 1880s by agricultural 

entrepreneurs, the duck-farming 

industry there had 90 producers in 

the 1930s and 70 in the 1950s. A collision 

of factors shrank the industry 

to 48 producers by 1963 and only three 

today: “normal” consolidation, suburban 

and summer-home encroachment, 

and manure management problems. All 

those millions of ducks made a mess 

of streams and estuaries and newlyarrived 

homeowners were not pleased. 

Plus, rapidly advancing suburbanization 

gobbled up lands that formerly 

produced grain for the ducks. The costs 

of cleaning up their act and hauling in 

grain from the Midwest were too much 

for most Long Island duck producers to 

bear. 

Numbers tell the story 

Look at some historical numbers. In 

1934, according to the National Agricultural 

Statistics Service, New York State 

farmers produced 1.2 million broilers. 

By 1957, the number had peaked at 

14.6 million. In 1979, it bottomed-out at 

520,000 birds and since then has been 

erratically inching back up to about 

three million. Compared to national 

and global production of broiler-birds, 

New York’s production is tiny. 

How tiny? World broiler production 

is expected to reach 76.2 million tons in 

2011 (an 18 percent increase over 2006). 

U.S. production for 2011 is expected to 

hit 16.6 million tons, about 22 percent of 

world production. 

New York production in 2004, the last 

year the National Agricultural Statistics 

Service thought it worth publishing 

the number for New York, production 

was 7,300 tons, or 0.0004 percent of U.S. 

Pasture-raised poultry: the doubling in the number of farmers’ markets in New York has encouraged the production of nichemarket 

poultry, although it still comprises a very small percentage of the state’s egg and meat-bird production. 

production. 

New York’s egg production patterns 

over the past century have been somewhat 

different. In 1934, New York farmers 

produced 1.5 billion eggs. New York 

egg production peaked in 1944, feeding a 

nation at war, with 2.4 billion eggs and 

again in 1968, after which statewide production 

began to slide steadily and hitting 

bottom in 1997 at 931 million. 

In 2006, New York farmers produced 

83.3 million dozen eggs. U.S. farmers 

produced 5.3 billion dozen. China produced 

25.3 billion dozen. Worldwide 

production was 61.1 billion dozen. In 

the period 1986-2006, China increased 

its output of eggs 450 percent. 

New York egg production has been 

holding steady since 2001. 

On a world scale, New York’s production 

may be small. But statistics can be 

misleading. Impact on local economies 

cannot be ignored. 

“Poultry is still the number one agricultural 

enterprise in Sullivan County 

today,” said Jerry Skoda, former Cornell 

Cooperative Extension agricultural 

agent in Sullivan County. “We currently 

have two large egg complexes; the two 

large duck farms operating at several 

locations; a very large broiler producer 

who owns several of the former egg 

complexes and has several contract 

growers, and has built new buildings. 

We also have a large number of new 

farmers producing natural, organic, 

free-range, and pastured eggs and meat 

birds.” 

Farmers’ Markets to the rescue 

The rapid increase in the number of 

farmers markets in New York (235 farmers 

markets in 2000; approximately 500 

this year) is also having a noticeable 

impact on small-scale poultry production. 

“Meat is becoming increasingly 

popular at farmers markets and we find 

more meat producers in markets each 

year,” says Diane Eggert, executive director 

of the Farmers Market Federation 

of New York. But that includes all 

meats, not just poultry. And I find eggs 

to be a market staple.” 

The shape-shifting continues. 

Helping entrepreneurs 

find that golden egg 

Numerous New York Farm Viability 

Institute projects focus 

on helping farmers identify 

enterprise options and access 

new markets. One such 

project helped North Country 

farmers identify alternatives 

that would most effectively 

utilize their production resources. 

Cooperative Extension 

educator Bernadette 

Logozar worked with Todd and 

Michelle Asselin of Harmony 

Hills Farmstead in Duane, N.Y. 

to identify alternatives and develop 

a business and marketing 

plan. They currently raise 

Cornish cross birds for meat, 

layers, rabbits, turkeys, swine 

and beef. Today, the Asselins 

have a thriving and growing 

direct farm marketing business 

that utilizes a website, on-farm 

sales, drop location delivery 

and a farmers’ market.


Education news 

School calendar keeps kids in touch with agriculture 

School calendars cover the school year and highlight a different commodity each month. 

Classic tourney celebrates a decade of fundraising 

By Sandra Prokop 

sprokop@nyfb.org 

The sun finally shone on Sept. 28 at 

the NYFB Foundation Golf Classic, 

held at the Robert Trent Jones Course 

in Ithaca. The 2010 Classic was rained 

out after a few holes, but that was nothing 

compared to the flood waters that 

closed the En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, 

the venue originally selected to 

host this year’s event. The Robert Trent 

Jones Course was able to host the event 

on short notice, and the 11 a.m. shotgun 

sent 78 golfers out on the course. 

Although the postponement was a challenge 

to all, most of our teams were able 

to attend. 

The Classic is the Foundation’s biggest 

fundraiser, with proceeds being 

used to educate the public about agriculture. 

This year’s tournament, which 

celebrated both a decade of Golf Classics 

and 100 years of Farm Bureau, 

brought in over $35,000 through sponsorships 

and in-kind donations. This 

will provide schools, museums and the 

community with agricultural programs 

and materials. 

The tournament united golfers from 

across the state. The day’s Best Team 

Score prize went to the Charles J. Husted 

foursome, who each received Nike 

Machspeed Hybrids. Second place went 

to the Gray Agency team, who each 

received a Nike Everclear putter, and 

third place went to Wickham’s Tank 

Oaks team, who each received a Nike 

SV Sandwedge. The Most Honest Team 

Award was won by Broome County 

Farm Bureau I (Broome County Farm 

Bureau also served as the official Classic 

host as well as the photography 

sponsor.) The Top Farm Bureau Team 

was the Schuyler County Farm Bureau 

team, who won a foursome of golfing 

complete with greens fees and carts, 

courtesy of the Robert Trent Jones 

Course. 

“Thank you so much to all of our 

sponsors who helped to make this Golf 

Classic a success,” said Paul Bencal, 

Foundation chair. “Without their support, 

we would not be able to educate 

the public about the importance of agriculture 

in our daily lives.” Bencal also 

commended Norbert Amberg and his 

committee for a job well done. 

Please visit www.nyfbfoundation. 

org for a complete listing of the contest 

winners and highlights of the day plus 

supporters, sponsors and donors. 

By Sandra Prokop 

sprokop@nyfb.org 

Every year, the Foundation designs 

and distributes approximately 3,500 

agricultural School Calendars for use 

in third grade classrooms across New 

York State. It is a 10-month school 

calendar that showcases a different 

commodity for each month and an ag 

fact for each day. Each month also includes 

agricultural words and terms 

to learn and use. We secure sponsorship 

for each month from commodity 

groups and others throughout New 

York State. 

The monthly sponsors include: The 

American Dairy Association and Dairy 

Council; CY Farms, LLC; Empire State 

Potato Growers; Northeast Ag & Feed 

Alliance; NYS Maple Producers Association; 

NYS Wine & Culinary Center; NY 

Apple Association; NY Beef Industry 

Council; NY Pork Producers; and New 

York Farm Bureau Member Services. 

The overall sponsor is the Northeast Ag 

Education Foundation Inc., who should 

be commended for their continual support 

of our efforts to get agricultural 

facts into elementary classrooms. 

Teachers from all over New York 

State have been e-mailing their 

thoughts about our calendar, and the 

consensus is that it works well in the 

classroom. We want to thank all of our 

sponsors and alert everyone that we are 

now working on the 2012-2013 calendar. 

There is an opportunity for everyone, 

every commodity organization, every 

business and every county Farm Bureau 

to be a sponsor. With mailing costs 

escalating, we are currently researching 

alternative delivery options. Please 

let us know if you have ideas or would 

like to be involved in any way. 

The SUNY Cobleskill twosome and the Wickham Bros. from Wickham’s Tango Oaks 

Team eagerly hit the greens at the Golf Classic 

Teens explore ag careers 

The 35th annual New York State 4-H Agribusiness 

Career Conference was held Oct. 6 and 7 at SUNY 

Cobleskill. The conference was sponsored by New 

York State 4-H, New York Farm Bureau and SUNY 

Cobleskill. The annual career exploration conference is 

open to youth ages 14 and above who are interested 

in pursuing careers in agriculture and agribusiness. 

This year’s conference featured tours to farms and 

operations in the Cobleskill area, as well as seminars, 

guest speakers and guided tours of the SUNY Cobleskill 

agriculture facilities.


From the field 

Flood, Disaster, 

Recovery, and Hope 

Region 9 

Bambi A. 

Baehrel 

bbaehrel@nyfb.org 

In nearly 26 years as a field advisor, 

I don’t remember ever seeing the kind 

of destruction I have seen since Irene 

and Lee ripped through the area. What 

I did see was communities 

and people 

coming together to 

help rebuild lives. I 

saw hope, determination, 

compassion 

and an outpouring 

of love and faith. 

To all those I have 

had the honor of 

working with these 

last two months, 

thank you. 

From agencies to 

volunteers to Farm 

Bureau members— 

you all made a difference. 

Someone asked me why and how everyone 

wanted to help. I got an answer 

from a good friend, John Radliff, who 

said, “There by the grace of God go I,” 

as he got a load of hay ready to donate 

to neighbors. That says it all. 

Albany 

In the middle of storm recovery effort, 

Albany County Farm Bureau 

planned its annual meeting, held policy 

development meetings, attended town 

planning sessions and contacted nonrenewals 

to remind them to save $10 

before Nov. 1. The county Farm Bureau 

helped identify the needs of friends and 

neighbors, and passed the information 

to me. 

Chenango 

Before the county got hit with the 

flooding of Hurricane Lee, they were 

in the process of helping Texas with 

the exact opposite problem. Chenango 

County learned how to put a disaster 

assistance program together—pairing 

with Herm Sherwood-Sitts, who started 

the “Hay for Texas” campaign. Cornell 

Cooperative Extension and Chenango 

County Farm Bureau jumped in to help. 

The hay donations were easy. 

The transportation was harder to arrange, 

but with the help of Don Metch, 

a former resident of the county and 

currently a director on the Van Zandt 

County Farm Bureau board in Canton, 

Texas, it got arranged. 

President Bradd Vickers was pleased 

by the learning experience. “The contacts 

gained from this can also be used 

to help with the relief efforts here in 

New York,” Vickers said. 

The county Farm Bureau also helped 

an Agriculture Disaster Information 

Meeting at the Mt. Upton Fire House. 

The meeting brought all the agencies 

together and was well attended by farmers 

seeking information. 

The county Farm Bureau is planning 

its annual meeting for Nov. 1 at the 

Silo Restaurant. The guest speaker will 

be Alice Young, a nationally recognized 

FFA speaker. 

Delaware 

When the flooding hit Delaware 

County, county Farm Bureau President 

Duane Martin reached out to establish 

what the needs were. It was mostly infrastructure 

damage—roads were gone, 

main streets were wiped out. The big 

need came from the volunteers doing 

the clean up. 

They needed gloves, masks and 

tools. Duane called me, giving me the 

information, and I knew who to ask: 

Julie Sorenson at NYCAMH (New York 

Center for Agricultural Medicine and 

Health). I talked about the need and location 

to drop off, and within two hours 

the masks and gloves were there. 

Through phone calls and e-mails, 

North Country farmers organized a hay donation event for farmers impacted by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Pictured 

above is Randy Ooms, a dairy farmer and NYFB member, loading hay into a trailer headed for the Mohawk Valley. 

Duane was able to inventory many of 

the losses and direct assistance to the 

right place. 

The county Farm Bureau also held a 

policy development meeting on Aug. 18. 

Greene 

Irene came through this county like 

a freight train, taking out roads and 

homes and bridges and dropping more 

than 15 inches of rain. When the rain finally 

stopped and the magnitude of destruction 

was realized, the owner of the 

Great American grocery store in Cairo 

had a relief fund in place through the 

Bank of Greene County. 

He would match donations up to 

$5,000. Greene County Farm Bureau 

immediately donated $5,000 to the relief 

effort. Jim VanOrden from Greene 

County Farm Bureau helped me identify 

the immediate needs on the various 

farms that got directly impacted. 

Volunteer fire companies went up 

the mountain to Prattsville to help 

with the clean up, while the Coxsackie 

Sportsmen’s Club volunteered a day to 

go and cook meals for the volunteers 

and residents. Fundraisers were set up 

and the community came together. 

A disaster informational meeting with 

all the agencies was held at the Cooperative 

Extension Agro Forestry Resource 

center (once they got power back). 

At the Greene County Farm Bureau 

annual meeting, Assemblyman Pete 

Lopez was the guest speaker. He told of 

all the things he has seen after the flood 

and of the love and determination of all 

those affected by it, including stories of 

his dad’s house being destroyed. 

Otsego 

Otsego County Farm Bureau wanted 

to help Schoharie County, after they had 

helped their own friends and neighbors. 

I would especially like to thank Harold 

Palmer for jumping in a getting a load 

of lumber delivered to Todd VanAllers 

in Middleburgh. 

Otsego County Farm Bureau also 

sent out a challenge to all other county 

Farm Bureaus—to donate money for a 

ROPS (rollover protective structure). 

They got the chance to do this in a big 

way, thanks to Barbra Bayes at NYCA- 

MH—who created a Publisher’s Clearinghouse-size 

check to present to their 

ROPS recipient. 

Farm Family agent Tom Kohlberg 

also got honored for all his years of 

service to the Farm Bureau when State 

Board Member Richard Ball presented 

Tom with a plaque from NYFB. 

Schoharie 

This was ground zero for Tropical 

Storm Irene, especially the towns of 

Middleburgh and Schoharie. The flooding, 

destruction and heartbreak were 

unbelievable. Like the phoenix rising 

out of the ashes, the communities are 

rebuilding. Farmers, residents and 

businesses all came together. 

I was fortunate to work with some of 

the best people: David Cox from Cornell 

Cooperative Extension, Anne MacCuish 

from the Emergency Management 

Office, Alicia Terry and Penny Heritage 

from the Schoharie Planning Department, 

Extension Dairy Specialist David 

Balbian, Schoharie County Farm 

Bureau Vice President Jim Saddlemire 

(my eyes and ears on the ground), farmer 

and State Board Member Richard 

Ball (who said to me, “I am tired of being 

a victim. It’s time to move on.”), and 

Schoharie County Farm Bureau President 

and best friend Winnie Nelson and 

her husband, Paul (also known as Winnie’s 

secretary). 

Thank you to everyone for the support 

and help. To all those who donated 

and offered their assistance and to 

all those who lost everything—I am so 

proud of you all. To my co-worker and 

friend, Sandra Prokop, thanks for believing 

I could help make a difference. 

Weather was the news 

in lower Hudson Valley 

Region 10 

Marilyn 

Howard 

mhoward@nyfb.org 

What a summer! 

Cool and wet, hot 

and dry, then wet, 

wet, wet! I hope you 

survived the terrible 

weather. We 

look forward to a 

good try again next 

year. 

District 10 had 

a summer meeting 

to hear about new 

developments in Albany 

and Washington, 

with District 

Director Charlie Larsen and New York 

Farm Bureau Vice President Eric Ooms 

bringing everyone up to speed. 

Columbia 

The Columbia County Fair was a 

great success with Adrian and Deni 

Ooms tending the Columbia County 

Farm Bureau booth. Down the lane, 

member Linda Fix took care of the Ag 

Building and the Farm Bureau Foundation’s 

kiosk. 

Cornell Cooperative Extension 

(CCE) of Columbia County held a wonderful 

Ag Innovations Tour. It included 

visits to the Altobelli Farm, where owner 

John Altobelli and Chuck Bornt of 

CCE gave a great presentation on the 

advantages of zone tillage. 

When asked what organizations 

helped farmers the most, John said, 

“Farm Bureau.” No, I did not pay him 

to say that, but thanks, John. 

The next stop was Milk Thistle Organic 

Dairy Farm, which processes its 

own milk. Trowbridge Cattle Company 

hosted the lunch, with Phil Trowbridge 

speaking on black angus, Mike Shanahan 

(Shanahan Cattle Promotions) 

speaking on setting up websites to promote 

your farm and Mike Schrader (In 

Front Training Center) speaking about 

the training and rehabilitation of race 

horses. 

Also on the itinerary were Kinderhook 

Farm, which raises beef, sheep, 

chickens and eggs for New York City 

restaurants, grocers and for their own 

farm market. 

The tour ended at Golden Harvest 

Farm, a large apple orchard and farm 

market, to see the new Golden Harvest 

Apple Distlillery—an addition by Derek 

Grout. It produces apple and pear vodka 

and other spirits. 

Dutchess-Putnam-Westchester 

The policy development picnic in 

July was a great success. The meal featured 

local food from Mike Athanas’s 

farm (potatoes and sweet corn), from 

Doug Giles’s Walbridge Farm (beef hot 

dogs and sausage) and from Mary and 

Jerry Stephens’ Up Hill Farm (hamburgers). 

Members brought a dish to 

pass and we had quite a feast. 

CCE of Dutchess County and our local 

Farm Bureau held an open house 

to celebrate 100 years of collaboration.


From the field 

DPW Farm Bureau President Mark Adams 

was honored with an award. Dave 

Tetor, Mark Doyle, Mark Adams and 

I exhibited a display and the Foundation’s 

kiosk at the event. 

The Dutchess County Fair had a 

great start and we had a wonderful 

booth, but the tropical storm caused the 

cancellation of Saturday and Sunday. 

Special thanks to Bob Grems and Andy 

Imperati for their help. 

Dave Tetor, a loyal Farm Bureau 

member and leader who is also a retired 

agricultural agent for CCE of Dutchess 

County and currently president of the 

NYS Agricultural Society, was honored 

with the National Extension Agent Lifetime 

Award this summer. 

The Town of Stanford held a Farm 

Tour and all stops were Farm Bureau 

members: Aaron Zyher’s dairy, Rocky 

Reef Farm Pumpkin Patch with Gareth 

Howard, Big Rock Farm with Mark 

Burdick, and Sisters Hill CSA with 

Dave Hambelton. It was a beautiful day, 

with the education of town people being 

the main objective. Lunch and desserts 

were furnished by local farmers 

and prepared by local restaurants Red 

Devin and Home Plate. 

The FFA Fall Festival at Pine Plains 

was the largest and best attended in 

several years. We were blessed with 

a beautiful day, many displays and 

booths, animal shows, and lots of food. 

NYFB District 10 Director Charlie Larsen 

served as announcer for the tractor 

pull, and Dave Tetor announced the 

horse pull. Good luck to the students on 

their trip to the National FFA Convention. 

Orange 

Sen. Charles Schumer (center) held a press conference at the Pawelski families’s onion farm in Orange County. 

Flooding from Tropical Storm Irene 

hit parts of Orange County hard. With 

the flooding along the Wallkill River, 

many of the farmers lost their crops. 

After the waters receded, there were 

emergency meetings to let people know 

what was available for them. I attended 

the ones in Orange and Greene counties, 

providing fact sheets that included 

helpful information from Farm Bureau. 

Sen. Charles Schumer held a press 

conference at the Chris Pawelski’s 

farm, with many local farmers in attendance, 

including county Farm Bureau 

President John Lupinski, Paul Ruszkiewicz 

and Russ Kowal. The senator 

brought the head of the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency with him 

and declared his support for farmers. 

Gov. Cuomo also visited the Black 

Dirt area at the Glebocki Farm, with 

New York Farm Bureau staffer Julie 

Suarez and Vice President Eric Ooms 

attending. The governor announced his 

$15 million fund for tropical storm assistance. 

Aside from storm-related activities, 

several partners of CCE of Orange 

County held an agribusiness tour to 

show the growth of agriculture. The 

first stop was Mark Ford Stables and 

Training Center, where we toured the 

barns, watched the track and were 

amazed at the cost of the sulkies. We 

then watched them swim a horse for exercise 

in their pool. 

This state-of-the-art facility is home 

to many of the top harness racing stables 

on the east coast. 

The tour then moved on to Crist Bros. 

Orchards, a nationally renowned apple 

orchard of 600 acres, owned and run by 

Joy and Jeff Crist. They expanded their 

packing facility in 2010 to 35,000 square 

feet and process about 400,000-500,000 

bushels of apples annually. 

Next was Hoeffner Farms, a 300-acre 

farm with 80,000 square feet of greenhouse. 

Jack Hoeffner sells at his own 

market, to farmers’ markets in New 

York City and at local farmers markets. 

He grows flowers and vegetables and 

has been instrumental in the New York 

City greenmarket program. 

The last stop—Smiley Farm—is a 

dairy farm of 40 milking cows and 40 

replacement stock on 235 acres. It is involved 

in a farmland preservation program. 

One of the top-producing dairies 

in the county, Russell Smiley puts a lot 

of focus on nutrient management and 

cow comfort. 

Ulster 

CCE of Ulster County organized 

a tour for government officials to see 

firsthand the flood damage from Tropical 

Storms Irene and Lee. 

The first visit was Kelder’s Farm. 

Chris Kelder is the county Farm Bureau 

president. Flood waters were 15 

feet deep on the flats behind his market. 

Many of the farmers spoke about their 

farms on the Rondout Creek and other 

rivers in the area. Bruce Davenport, 

president of Rondout Valley Growers 

Association, spoke on crop loss by 

all farmers along the rivers. Jack Gill 

mentioned that the rivers flood, but the 

floods are usually in the spring before 

planting. This was at harvest, which 

was why it was so devastating. 

The next stop was Wallkill View 

Farm on the Wallkill River. They lost 

most of their crops and their retail market 

flooded once from Irene and again 

from Lee. Pete Ferrante and his family 

had beautiful sunflowers around the 

fields along the road. Now it’s just mud. 

The biggest fear expressed on the 

tour was that people would not come 

this fall and buy their goods. Most have 

reopened, filling the shelves with produce 

from nearby farms that were not 

flooded. They are looking forward to a 

prosperous fall. 

Sullivan 

Sullivan County Farm Bureau’s annual 

meeting was well attended and President 

Will Highson did a great job presiding. 

Sandra Prokop, director of the New 

York Farm Bureau Foundation for Agricultural 

Education, explained the work 

of the foundation and had the audience 

on the edge of their seats with pictures of 

her own experiences with the Schoharie 

County floods. District 9 Director Richard 

Ball added words of wisdom of the 

importance of Farm Bureau. 

Please save the date for the Sullivan 

County Agricultural Summit and 

Trade Show on Nov. 28 at Villa Roma in 

Callicoon. 

Join us for a series of agriculture-focused 

workshops and discussions. Topics 

will include assessing the strengths, 

challenges, and opportunitiesfacing 

our farms; identifying key agricultural 

initiatives to be undertaken; and developing 

a plan and timeline for action. 

For more information or to register, call 

845-807-0532. 

Promoting Long Island 

agriculture 

With Irene behind us and a tough 

road of recovery ahead, Long Island 

Farm Bureau has been working with 

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk 

County, USDA’s Farm Service 

Agency, Sen. Schumer, Sen. Gillibrand, 

Rep. Bishop and the NYS Department 

of Agriculture & Markets to ensure 

that any federal and/or state disaster 

programs will include 

Long Island. 

Region 11 Heavy rain events 

before, during and 

after Irene have 

been documented. 

If you think you 

may need assistance 

from any programs 

that become available, 

please contact 

the Farm Service 

Agency to document 

farm crop damage, 

as well as damage 

to greenhouses and 

other farm buildings. 

14th Annual LIFB golf outing 

As usual, Long Island Farm Bureau 

Joe 

Gergela 

jgergela@lifb.com 

was blessed with fantastic weather on 

Oct. 6 for its 14th annual Golf Outing. 

The North Fork Country Club and its 

staff, including John Ross, were wonderful 

hosts. Many thanks to all our 

sponsors and volunteers for their efforts 

and donations. 

Radio ads 

We hope you have heard one of the 

twice-daily underwriting announcements 

aired on 88.3, WPPB—Peconic 

Public Broadcasting—all through September 

and October. Fully funded by 

New York Farm Bureau, the announcements 

promote “Grown on Long Island” 

and New York Farm Bureau’s “Local 

Farms, Local Food” program, which offers 

Farm Bureau members a membersonly 

discount at 150 participating farm 

stands, farm markets, and farm wineries 

across the state, many of them on 

Long Island. 

Annual Meeting 

Long Island Farm Bureau held its 

annual meeting Monday, Oct. 24, to discuss 

Farm Bureau business and future 

policies of the organization. It was held 

at the Stonewalls Restaurant at The 

Woods golf course in Riverhead. Ideas 

discussed and agreed upon there will 

be forwarded to the New York Farm Bureau 

state office and will meet further 

debate at the State Annual Meeting in 

December, to be held in Binghamton. 

State senate ag chair hosts 

local forum 

State Sen. Patty Ritchie (R-St. Lawrence 

County), chair of the Senate Agriculture 

Committee, has been hosting 

agribusiness forums across New York 

State. On Oct. 20, she brought her listening 

tour to Riverhead to hear what Long 

Islanders had to say about “growing 

New York’s number one industry.” Long 

Island Farm Bureau was well represented. 

For those who could not attend, Sen. 

Ritchie has created a way to offer ideas, 

suggestions, and perspectives via the 

Internet. Go to www.ritchie.nysenate. 

gov and click on the “share your ideas 

to strengthen New York State farming” 

picture at the left side of the website. 

Gift, estate tax workshop for 

farmland owners 

An important educational evening for 

farmland owners will be held on Nov. 10 

at 7.p.m. at Hyatt Place, 451 East Main 

St, Riverhead. The topic will be gift and 

estate taxes and their impact on farmland 

and farm businesses. 

High real estate values on Long Island 

mean that owners of farmland and 

natural lands are often faced with the 

prospect of onerous estate taxes. 

There has been a concerted effort on 

the East End by farming and conservation 

organizations to enact tax reform 

in order to prevent farms from being 

broken up or sold due to, or in anticipation 

of, the estate tax. 

Congress recently enacted estate and 

gift tax legislation that increased the 

tax-free lifetime gift to $5 million. This 

provides opportunities for farmers and 

other landowners to pass land to the 

next generation with a reduced tax exposure. 

These tax changes are only in 

effect until Dec. 31, 2012, and now is the 

time for landowners to carefully consider 

their options. 

Please join us, and invite your tax 

and estate advisors to come along. Come 

prepared with information on your own 

estate. Practical worksheets and handouts 

will be provided that can help you 

plan for the future. 

For more information, contact Julie 

Zaykowski at the Peconic Land Trust 

by phone at 631-283-3195, ext. 32, or by e- 

mail at jzaykowski@peconiclandtrust. 

org. Registration fee is $25 per farm operation 

or family. Advance registration 

is required.


News briefs 

Congress considers 

dairy pricing reform 

By Cathy Mural 

cmural@nyfb.org 

In October, Rep. Collin Peterson (D- 

Minn.) and Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) 

introduced the Dairy Security Act 

of 2011 (DSA) in the House. The longawaited 

bill reflects most of the National 

Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) 

dairy pricing reform proposal called 

Foundations for the Future (FFTF) with 

several notable changes. 

A key change put forward by the 

DSA is voluntary producer participation 

in the supply management program 

component, called the Dairy Margin 

Protection Program (DMSP), which 

is activated during periods of low margins. 

Participation in the DMSP would 

be required for producers who want to 

participate in the dairy margin insurance 

program, called the Dairy Producer 

Margin Protection Program, which 

would replace the existing federal safety 

nets of the Milk Income Loss Contract 

program and the Dairy Product 

Price Support Program. 

Also of note, the DSA dedicates all 

DMSP revenue, which is generated 

when the program is activated, to dairy 

exports, donations and similar activities 

to equalize supply/demand inequities 

under the guidance of a farmerdriven 

program board. The Peterson 

draft that preceded the DSA called for 

redirection of 50 percent of DMSP revenues 

to the U.S. Treasury to help balance 

the federal budget, which generated 

a loud public outcry from the dairy 

community. These and other program 

changes between the FFTF and the DSA 

can be found at NMPF’s website www. 

futurefordairy.com, as well as Rep. Peterson’s 

website at democrats.agriculture.house.gov. 

According to Peterson, Congressional 

Budget Office (CBO) budget scoring 

shows the DSA provides federal budget 

savings of $131 million over a ten year period, 

which is needed to satisfy House finance 

rules and advancement of the bill. 

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 

board has voted to support the 

DSA as Farm Bill discussions continue 

in the shadow of deficit talks and harsh 

budget constraints. NMPF, IDFA and 

other stakeholders are also weighing 

in on this bill as it is being considered 

for inclusion in the Farm Bill. While 

no timeline is evident, other members 

of Congress, such as Sen. Agriculture 

Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), are 

rumored to be including provisions of 

the DSA in their Farm Bill proposals. 

NYFB is monitoring all dairy policy 

activity and working with our Congressional 

delegation for pricing reform 

that enhances New York’s dairy industry 

and adequately supports our family 

farms. NYFB will keep members apprised 

of developments as they occur. 

NY groups sign joint 

Farm Bill letter 

New York Farm Bureau recently 

sent a letter as part of a very diverse 

group of farming and food organizations 

to all New York senators and representatives, 

outlining shared concerns 

for the next Farm Bill. This marked the 

first time in NYFB’s history that it has 

joined with such a broad group, representing 

both rural and urban food interests, 

to advocate on the Farm Bill. 

“The needs of our farmers and those 

people who are looking for assistance in 

accessing healthy foods are intricately 

linked. This letter gave us all a great opportunity 

to show lawmakers how all 

the pieces work together for a strong 

food system,” explained Julie Suarez, 

NYFB director of public policy. 

“We have never before teamed with 

such a broad group of organizations to 

Heard it through the grape vine 

New York State Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb (129th District) recently 

toured small businesses in his district to listen to the concerns of 

constituents. One stop was Frontenac Point Vineyard and Estate Winery 

in the town of Covert, with owners - and NYFB members - Jim, Carol and 

Larry Doolittle. Pictured above from left are Bruce MacQueen, Michael 

Turback, Carol Doolittle, Assemblyman Kolb, Jim Doolittle, Kathy Mac- 

Queen. In front: Larry Doolittle, Zena and Steve Ahouse. 

talk about the Farm Bill, but this really 

makes sense and we’re proud that we 

could be part of this initiative.” 

Several of the organizations that 

signed the letter met at the NYFB offices 

in Albany earlier this year to talk 

about the Farm Bill and identify shared 

priorities. This conversation resulted 

in writing a joint letter that explored 

priorities for healthy communities, 

farms and environment. 

The recommendations range from 

improving the nutrition of individuals 

using SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition 

Assistance Program) and strengthening 

local food infrastructure, to crop insurance 

reform and protecting “working 

lands” conservation programs. 

“This unique group of undersigned 

organizations has worked together to 

share and develop ideas on overarching 

needs of the next Farm Bill to ensure national 

and state food security, increased 

access to and availability of healthy 

foods for all residents, and the long-term 

sustainability of our farms and regional 

food systems,” the letter states. 

This joint letter was signed by: Albany 

Presbytery, American Farmland 

Trust, Brooklyn Food Coalition, FO- 

CUS Churches of Albany Inc., Food 

Systems Network NYC, Foodlink, Inc., 

Greenmarket, Hawthorne Valley Association, 

Hunger Action Network of 

New York State, Just Food, New York 

Farm Bureau, New York Sustainable 

Agriculture Working Group, Northeast 

Organic Farming Association of New 

York, 10 separate chapters of Slow Food 

across New York State, and West Side 

Campaign Against Hunger. 

Sprayers exempt 

from hauling permits 

Interpretations of laws that regulate 

transportation within the agricultural 

industry have been challenged 

on numerous occasions. This recently 

occurred in central New York, with a 

ticket being issued on an agricultural 

sprayer that measured less than 12 feet. 

The ticket stated that the implement 

should have been permitted. This was 

inaccurate. When implements are used 

solely for farm purposes they are not 

required to have permits at that width. 

The NYS Department of Transportation 

has verified that agricultural sprayers 

are exempt from having to apply for 

and receive special hauling permits, so 

long as they are used entirely for farm 

operations. The court in which the ticket 

was disputed eventually dropped the 

charges and upheld the exemption. 

Liquor Authority 

holds public forum 

The State Liquor Authority (SLA) 

recently held an unprecedented public 

forum in New York City, with satellite 

connections to the Albany and Buffalo 

office, to discuss various features of the 

alcoholic beverage control law. This 

meeting was convened by Chairman 

Dennis Rosen and sought to gather the 

community’s perspective on many issues 

left unaddressed by the former 

State Law Revision Commission recommendations 

for modernizing the statute. 

The chairman noted that while the 

Law Revision Commission made some 

good suggestions, the finalized report 

did not actually contain specific, concrete 

language that would serve to recodify 

the archaic law. 

What is needed now is an actual rewrite 

of the statute, with this meeting 

serving as the first overall attempt to 

gather opinions from the various levels 

of the three-tier system. 

Vigorous debate was held over arcane 

issues, such as whether or not a 

retail establishment could locate on 

the second floor of a building. This illustrates 

that the legacy of prohibition 

lives on in somewhat obscure, questionable 

regulations in contrast to the modern 

view of necessary controls. 

Wineries were well represented in the 

New York City office, with both the Wine 

and Grape Foundation and several New 

York Farm Bureau member wineries in 

the room. NYFB brewer members, along 

with NYFB staff, were present at the Albany 

location. While discussion of the 

wine in grocery stores issue was taken 

off the table early, since it is a legislative 

issue, various permitting and streamlining 

issues were considered. 

Also notable was the discussion 

about whether or not the SLA should 

consider implementing a farm brewery 

license category to create more opportunities 

for New York farmers to bring 

back hops production. 

The farm distillery license was noted 

to be a success, but feedback indicated 

that allowing more opportunities to sell 

the products would be helpful to farmers 

and distillers alike. 

The SLA should be commended for 

convening this forum, and NYFB hopes 

to participate in others that are more 

tailored to the farm winery, distillery 

and brewery license categories. 

Coop Extension 

Forage Exchange 

A new online forage exchange created 

by Cornell Cooperative Extension 

is now available to ensure that flooded 

New York farms will not run out of feed 

for their livestock. 

Hurricane Irene devastated many 

New York Farms, damaged others, 

and left still other farms relatively untouched. 

Many flood-damaged farms 

are in desperate need of feed and forage. 

The Forage Exchange provides 

an online venue for farmers who have 

available feed and forage to post that 

information, and for farmers in need to 

locate feed and forage. All transactions 

(including making arrangements for 

transportation) will take place between 

the farmers themselves. 

The Forage Exchange is posted online 

at http://ccetest-lamp.cit.cornell. 

edu/forage/ 

Additional resources for farms damaged 

by the flooding are available at 

www.cce.cornell.edu 

Cooperative Extension Educators 

and Farm Bureau staff across the state 

will be available to assist farmers in 

using the exchange. For more information, 

call your county extension office 

or log on to www.cce.cornell.edu 

Cooperative Extension created the 

Exchange in cooperation with New 

York Farm Bureau and the New York 

State Department of Agriculture and 

Markets.


Collaboration, commitment help 

farmers cope with nature’s punch 

By Carol S. Roberts 

Farm Family Insurance 

There’s a saying that crisis doesn’t 

create character; it reveals it. The character 

of New York’s farmers, business 

owners and rural community was recently 

tested and was proven to be first 

rate, sound and solid. We all have stories 

of Irene’s wrath as well as tales of 

heroic efforts by those who pitched in to 

help friends and strangers devastated 

by Tropical Storm Irene. 

Two months later, we continue to 

endure and prevail despite the storm’s 

lingering impact. This determination, 

fellowship, collaboration and commitment 

to the success of one another are 

a true testament to the human spirit in 

general and the farming community in 

particular. 

Irene initially made landfall as a category 

1 hurricane in North Carolina, 

made its second landfall as a category 

1 hurricane in New Jersey and its third 

landfall as a tropical storm in New 

York. While the losses weren’t as great 

as forecasters predicted, they were 

nonetheless very real and devastating 

to the thousands of people who endured 

substantial losses. 

When the National Weather Center 

forecast Irene, Farm Family Casualty Insurance 

Company sprang into action. The 

company had been tracking the storm’s 

progress, and its catastrophe team convened 

three days before Hurricane Irene 

was forecast to make landfall and met every 

morning before and after the storm 

to report progress and determine further 

steps needed in wake of Irene. 

For Farm Family policyholders, the 

steps taken before Irene hit made it easier 

for them to deal with – and report their 

claims. All calls identified as Hurricane 

Irene claims had a special priority status. 

Other non-hurricane claims calls 

You can make a 

difference by making 

a donation to the 

Irene Relief Fund. 

were directed to other departments, including 

our other home office in Springfield, 

Mo. 

An independent adjuster company 

provided damage appraisal services 

throughout the areas affected by the 

storm. Farm Family’s adjusters managed 

the independent adjusters, ensuring 

coverage resolution and timely adjudication 

of claims. 

Before Irene hit, Farm Family published 

information for consumers on its 

website, mobile app and Facebook page, 

including hurricane preparedness tips; 

hurricane news and status reports; 

links to FEMA, NFIP and other national 

emergency sites; how to report a claim; 

how to check the status of a claim; and 

post-hurricane loss control material. 

Our agents are our first line of 

communication to our policyholders. 

Therefore, we took great care in keeping 

them updated and informed. Many 

agents contacted their clients before the 

storm, and some were out at their clients’ 

farms, nailing up boards and shutters. 

There was a strong possibility that 

our own agents would be affected by the 

storm (and were), so Farm Family set 

up a hotline they could use to report on 

their own status and needs. 

On the first day after Hurricane Irene, 

we had more than 100 claim calls an hour 

coming in, with a rate of response of 

eight seconds. That means that no client 

was waiting on the phone fore more than 

eight seconds, and all of them spoke to a 

human being, not a machine. 

A number of claims were settled on 

the first phone call (more than 25 percent). 

All told, Farm Family had close 

to 3,000 claims reported. 

Hurricane Irene required employees 

to show great sensitivity and great 

service. Fortunately, this is our core 

strength and we’re dedicated to helping 

our clients through traumatic events. 

“We witnessed an exceptional display of 

teamwork throughout the home offices 

in Glenmont, N.Y., and Springfield,” 

said Joseph O’Connor, Claim Director. 

“Team members worked late every night 

and through weekends to take care of 

our policyholders. Adjusters were on 

site quickly to work with policyholders. 

Agents visited their clients and lent support 

– physically and morally.” 

Many employees volunteered in 

flooded communities. Donations poured 

in for our own employees affected by 

the hurricane, and our employee fundraising 

efforts are ongoing. 

Farm Family has also joined forces 

with the Regional Farm and Food Project. 

For every Farm Family Facebook 

“LIKE” we receive from now until Dec. 

31 at www.facebook.com/farmfamily, 

we will donate $1 toward the Regional 

Farm and Food Project Disaster Relief 

Fund. One-hundred percent of the proceeds 

will go to New York farmers in 

affected areas. You can show your farming 

neighbors how important they are 

to our communities and economy by 

making a donation. 

Direct donations can also be sent to 

the fund. Make checks payable to Regional 

Farm and Food Project/Irene 

Relief Fund, P.O. Box 621, Saratoga 

Springs, N.Y. 12866. 

Farmers who need help from this 

program can find an application form 

with submission details online at www. 

farmfamily.com. 

AFBF names 

Julie Anna Potts 

as Executive 

Vice President 

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 5, 

2011—The American Farm Bureau Federation 

board of directors today elected 

Julie Anna Potts executive vice president 

of AFBF. 

In her new role, Potts will lead the 

AFBF staff in its implementation of all 

programs and activities for the organization, 

as well as for the coordination 

between AFBF and its affiliated companies. 

She will also serve as treasurer of 

AFBF and its affiliates. 

Since March of this year, Potts served 

as AFBF senior executive director for 

operations and development, overseeing 

strategic development and the operations 

of AFBF’s Organization, Accounting and 

Administrative Services departments, 

as well as coordination of the American 

Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture 

and American Farm Bureau, Inc. 

Potts succeeds Richard W. Newpher 

who retired after 19 years of service 

with AFBF, the last seven as executive 

vice president. Newpher previously 

worked 19 years with the Pennsylvania 

Farm Bureau in various capacities. 

Potts first joined AFBF in 2004, serving 

as general counsel until 2009. In late 

2009 she was named chief counsel of the 

Senate Agriculture Committee, serving 

under then-Chairman Blanche Lincoln 

of Arkansas. She rejoined AFBF earlier 

this year. 

Before joining AFBF, Potts practiced 

law as an associate in the Washington 

office of Mayer, Brown, Rowe and Maw, 

where she represented AFBF in environmental 

regulatory cases. Prior to 

that, she was an associate with Sonnenschein, 

Nath and Rosenthal and served 

as a law clerk for the U.S. District Court 

for the District of Columbia. Potts grew 

up in Alabama, where her family owns 

farmland. She earned her law degree 

from George Washington University in 

Washington, D.C. 

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Workers Compensation 

Safety group returns $6M to members 

By Kevin Cook 

kcook@nyfb.org 

The Executive Committee of Safety 

Group 486 recently declared a 35 percent 

dividend for the 2010 policy term. This 

means a return of over $6 million dollars 

to over 2,600 members of the Safety 

Group. It is also the 44th consecutive 

year that a dividend has been declared. 

In fact, Safety Group 486 has returned 

over $131 million to our policyholders 

since the inception of the group in 1967. 

The dividend checks were mailed 

on or about Oct. 13, 2011. If you were a 

policyholder during the 2010 term and 

did not receive a dividend check, please 

contact the Member Services Department 

and we can find out why you did 

not receive a check. 

As a reminder to the current policyholders 

in Safety Group 486, if you have 

not yet paid your 2010 or 2011 Group 

Managers’ Fee to the NYFB, please 

remit payment now. The collection of 

the Group Managers’ Fee is important 

not only to the operation of the Safety 

Group but to the overall success of the 

programs provided to the members of 

the NYFB. 

A couple of changes will take place 

for the 2012 policy term. You will notice 

a slight increase in the rates and 

an increase in the NYS assessment 

fee that is charged on each policy. Our 

Group Managers’ Fee will remain at 

7.5 percent for the 2012 term. When 

you receive your renewal policy, please 

review it carefully. Look at the payroll 

levels and be sure it is in line with what 

you have reported. If there is a substantial 

increase in the payroll, please let us 

know so we can investigate for you. 

If you currently have workers’ compensation 

coverage with another carrier 

and would like to save on average 

50 percent of your cost, please contact 

Michele or Kevin in the NYFB Member 

Services Department to request a quotation 

at no obligation. Safety Group 

486 is not only a better business decision—it 

is a better financial decision as 

well. Thank you for your continued support 

of Safety Group 486 and the New 

York Farm Bureau. 

Farm NY Pac looks back 

on very busy first year 

New York Farm Bureau’s Farm NY 

PAC recently celebrated its first of year 

of working to accomplish much needed 

public policy initiatives that benefit 

the agricultural industry in New York 

State. The Farm NY PAC collects voluntary 

monetary contributions from 

farmers and agricultural supporters 

and uses the money to communicate the 

industry’s needs to elected officials in 

New York State through the campaign 

fundraising process. 

The Farm NY PAC is controlled by a 

committee of New York Farm Bureau 

leaders and makes spending decisions 

to educate lawmakers about farm policy 

and help New York Farm Bureau 

achieve its public policy goals. The goal 

of the committee is to strengthen New 

York Farm Bureau’s grassroots lobbying 

efforts, not replace them. 

“There are so many competing interests 

at the state capitol and policy 

makers are relentlessly bombarded by 

phone calls, meetings and information 

on thousands of issues. Getting new 

ideas to help the agricultural industry 

heard by legislators is a continual challenge 

for New York’s farmers,” said 

Jeff Williams, manger of governmental 

relations for New York Farm Bureau. 

“The Farm NY PAC provides a good opportunity 

to communicate agriculture’s 

priorities to decision-makers.” 

The Farm NY PAC is the only nonpartisan 

political action committee organized 

and directed by farmers. Decisions 

on contributions from the Farm 

NY PAC to elected officials are made 

solely by the farmers that are on the 

Farm NY PAC Committee. 

“By contributing to New York Farm 

Bureau’s newly-formed Farm NY PAC, 

you can add strength to our grassroots 

lobbying efforts and help reach legislators 

that may need additional education 

about farming and how legislation 

impacts their food security and New 

York’s economy,” said Williams. 

For more information on the Farm 

NY PAC, please contact Jeff Williams at 

(518) 436-8495. Farm NY PAC contributions 

can be mailed to: 

Farm NY PAC 

159 Wolf Road 

Albany, New York 12205 

Grape announcement 

Congressman Tom Reed (left) unveiled the Grape Region Accelerated Production 

and Efficiency (GRAPE) Act during a press event at NYFB member Jim Bedient’s 

(right) vineyard in Branchport on Sept. 28. The bill, H.R. 3110, is co-sponsored by 

Rep. Richard Hanna and would extend the hours of service exemption for grape 

haulers from 100 to 175 air miles from the point of harvest to a processing facility 

during a harvest period. This would allow farms that are located further away from 

the processing facility to move their grapes quicker and preserve quality. NYFB supports 

this bill. 

Advice on solar energy direct 

marketers can trust. 

NY Farm Bureau Members John and Loretta Gill of Gill Corn Farms 

and their 11.34 kW solar system that will save them over 

$77,000 in electricity costs over the life of the system. 

CAll or CliCk todAy. 

(518) 326-1104 | www.jordanenergy.org 

JEFE1011_Gill.Ad.indd 2 

10/7/11 9:09 AM


Farm Bureau Centennial A yearlong series 

1919 was a challenging year as delegates 

struggled over a Farm Bureau constitution 

By Marie Krenzer 

mvkrenzer@rochester.rr.com 

The summer of 1919 found many 

Farm Bureau leaders across the nation 

busily preparing for the November 

meeting of the American Farm Bureau 

Federation in Chicago. 

As a result of the February meeting 

in Ithaca, an organization committee 

was charged with drafting a constitution 

and bylaws, including a national 

finance plan. State federations assessed 

their finances for future contributions. 

States without a federation were urged 

to organize before November. 

In New York, a membership fee of $1 

would not allow contributions to the national 

effort. A successful campaign to 

increase dues was immediately needed. 

Correspondence between Pres. Strivings 

and New York Farm Bureau Secretary 

H.E. Babcock during the month of 

September — just two short months prior 

to the Chicago meeting — reveals their 

anticipation and strategic thinking. 

In a hand-written letter by Strivings 

to Babcock, dated Sept. 5, 1919: 

“I feel that Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois 

are going into a strenuous campaign 

of FB activity and it maybe that 

NY will have to get a new vision of FB 

work or be in embarrassing shape as a 

Federation at Chicago.” 

In a typed letter from Strivings to 

Babcock upon return from Washington, 

dated Sept. 18, (there for other business 

he met with MC Burritt, New York State 

Leader of County Agents.) 

“…we all know of the purpose of the 

corn-belt states to put across at Chicago 

in Nov., a very pretentious program for 

a National Federation with generous 

support. We are not of the opinion that 

any such support is at all necessary, 

but we do feel that any concession to 

New York and New England and the 

Southern States will not bring the actual 

membership contribution for the 

National movement below 50 cents per 

member. With this in mind WE MUST 

HAVE MORE THAN $1.00 membership 

fees in our counties.” 

Strivings drafted a letter to all county 

presidents explaining the dire need 

for a significant dues increase. 

In a typed letter from Babcock to 

Strivings, dated Sept. 20, 1919 (after discussions 

with extension personnel): 

“We all agree that it is possible to put 

across a $2.00 or better membership in 

this State, but that it can only be done 

thru the leadership of farmer farm bureau 

leaders.” 

Babcock laid out a successful plan to 

American Farm Bureau Foundation 

The farming landscape has changed significantly since the formation of the American Farm Bureau Federation in 1919.. 

bring forth the change they desired. 

Strivings and others put forth the 

proposition and encouraged the necessary 

constitutional amendment at county 

annual meetings. A $2 fee was approved 

and after many strategic meetings a $5 

fee approved the following summer. 

While New York leadership was occupied 

with its finances, the national 

organization committee had an equally 

interesting summer. 

The organization committee, 

chaired by O.E. Bradfute of Ohio, had 

been quiet since February. The threat 

of organized regional federations in 

competition with each other was real. 

The Midwestern states had positioned 

themselves with both member numbers 

and the financial means to carry out 

the threat. Leaders of these states had 

grown impatient with the committee’s 

silence and where considering proceeding 

on their own. The Iowa president, 

James Howard, devised a plan that effectively 

pacified them. Iowa’s competent 

secretary, J.W. Coverdale, was a 

breeder of beef cattle. Knowing this, 

Howard sent him to meet at Bradfute’s 

farm. Three days of discussing the livestock 

industry mixed with their ideals 

for a national organization produced 

the desired draft documents. 

The final chapter in the formation 

of American Farm Bureau Federation 

starts with the November 1919 meeting, 

where delegates from 32 states worked 

tirelessly for three days and nights debating 

every detail of the constitution. 

Effective use of parliamentary procedure 

and strong leadership produced a 

By Pamela Rafferty 

prafferty@nyfb.org 

The New York Farm Bureau State 

Annual Meeting will be held on December 

6-8, 2011, at the Holiday Inn-Arena 

in Binghamton, NY. This annual meeting 

will be the culmination of a yearlong 

celebration of Farm Bureau’s beginnings 

in Broome County. 

The meeting will begin with the 

opening ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 

at 1 p.m. The business and delegate sessions 

will begin immediately following 

the opening ceremony. Gov. Andrew 

Cuomo has been invited to address attendees 

at the dinner and awards program 

on Tuesday evening. Wednesday’s 

highlights include the president’s 

address and the executive director and 

treasurer reports at 11:45 a.m. We are 

very pleased to welcome American 

Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman 

to our Wednesday evening reception 

document to take home for ratification. 

Next month: The conclusion of the 

AFBF story and the NYFB centennial series. 

NYFB annual meeting will 

be a centennial celebration 

and banquet. Thursday morning’s delegate 

session will include elections and 

bylaw proposals. 

A special 100th anniversary celebration 

event will be held Wednesday afternoon 

at 4 p.m. This event will be held at 

the Riverwalk Hotel, a short distance 

from the Holiday Inn. Bussing will be 

provided to shuttle attendees between 

hotels. This event will feature a pageant 

that reenacts the first Farm Bureau 

meeting. Past New York Farm Bureau 

leaders and staff will be invited to this 

event. In addition, Cornell Cooperative 

Extension will be holding their meeting 

at the Riverwalk the same time, and 

will be participating in this special celebration. 

Other highlights of the meeting include 

the Young Farmer & Rancher 

business session and elections on Tuesday 

at 11:45, the annual silent auction, 

numerous exhibits and county presidents’ 

lunch on Wednesday at noon. 

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF NEW YORK FARM 

BUREAU, INC. ANNUAL MEETING 

The New York Farm Bureau, Inc. (NYFB) Annual Meeting 

will be held at the Holiday Inn Binghamton-Arena, 

Binghamton, New York during three days 

on Dec. 6-8, 2011. 

The voting delegate business session convenes on Tuesday 

afternoon, Dec. 6, 2011 and runs through 

Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011. 

All Farm Bureau members are invited and encouraged to 

attend the NYFB Annual Meeting. 

Attention Members 

of Safety Group 486: 

The Annual Meeting of Safety Group 486 will be held at the New 

York Farm Bureau State Annual Meeting in Binghamton, NY. 

The Holiday Inn Binghamton-Arena, Binghamton, NY 

Wednesday, Dec. 7, 8 a.m. in the LaTasse Room 

This is a meeting for policyholders of Safety Group 486 during 

which the past year will be reviewed and any questions or issues will 

be discussed. Representatives of the New York State Insurance Fund 

will also be available to answer questions along with Kevin Cook, 

New York Farm Bureau Director of Member Services. 

We look forward to seeing you there.


County meetings offer opportun 

Craig Braack, Allegany County historian, gives a presentation titled “Vanishing Americana” at the Allegany County Farm Bureau Annual 

Meeting. He presented a detailed history of the county’s barns, silos and even outhouses, in photo above. Wyoming County Farm Bureau 

held a phone-a-thon in October to remind non-renewals to renew their Farm Bureau membership, in photo below right. 

District 1 Director Hal 

Kreher (right) presents 

Chautauqua County 

Farm Bureau President 

Dave Edwards with 

his membership quota 

certificate from AFBF. 

William Graby 

introduces county 

resolutions at the 

Sullivan County 

Farm Bureau Annual 

Meeting in Roscoe.


ities for meeting, greeting ’n’ eating 

Amanda Barber leads policy discussion at Cortland County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, held at CNY Farm Supply. 

Region 8 Field Advisor Bill Hamilton presents Washington County 

President Tom Borden and membership chair Betty Getty with a 

certificate awarding them for attaining membership quota. 

District 4 Director Ashur 

Terwilliger speaks to the 

assembled Steuben County 

Farm Bureau at their 

annual meeting, in photo 

above. 

Cayuga County Farm 

Bureau had a number 

of distinguished guests 

at their annual meeting. 

From left: Commissioner 

of Agriculture Darrel 

Aubertine, NYFB President 

Dean Norton, Cayuga 

County Farm Bureau 

President Ray Lockwood, 

District 3 Director Jonathan 

Taylor District 3 Director, 

Cayuga County Farm 

Bureau member Wilson 

Mitchell and Assemblyman 

Gary Finch.


Farmers must work together 

to be successful 

My name is Hal Kreher and I am running 

for reelection to the NYFB State Board 

of Directors for District 1. I have enjoyed 

representing Western New York on the 

State Board for the past 

District 1 

Hal Kreher 

2 years. I am very excited 

about the Leadership 

and Staff that we 

have working for us and 

would like to continue 

serving Western New 

York on the Board. 

Over the past two 

years we have had some 

big decisions to make 

and to communicate to 

our membership: we 

have guided the organization 

through a by-law 

change to initiate a new 

membership level, we 

have had the counties 

approve the formation 

of a Political Action Committee, and we have 

changed a major partner that we are working 

with. These decisions and actions are not taken 

lightly but are the result of serious discussion 

at all levels, State Board, Annual Meeting of the 

membership and at each county. I appreciate 

the give and take and the respect that is shown 

within our organization when discussing these 

issues even when there is not 100% agreement 

on an issue. 

Agriculture is going through some interesting 

times that challenge each of us. Whether it is the 

volatility of commodity pricing, weather challenges, 

or the challenges of dealing with increasing 

regulation we all need to work together and 

share ideas to be successful. We are fortunate to 

have a strong organization to represent us at the 

Local, State and Federal level. I look forward to 

continuing in a leadership role and representing 

my district as a State Board Member 

I welcome your input and will continue to do 

my best to represent you. 

Ready to build on a record 

of service 

I 

am writing to you to announce my candidacy 

for District 5 Director to the New York Farm 

Bureau Board of Directors. As District 5’s 

Director for the past two years, I have found the 

position to be both challenging and rewarding. 

I have enjoyed meeting and working with many 

of you during this past term and would welcome 

the opportunity to serve as District 5’s Director 

again. 

My Farm Bureau leadership experience is… 

• Madison County 

Young Farmer and 

District 5 Rancher Chair 

• Member of the 

Darrell Griff 

Board of Directors for 

over 20 years (two different 

terms) 

• County Farm Bureau 

Vice President 2 

years 

• County Farm Bureau 

President 4 years 

• Delegate to the 

State Annual Meeting 

• District 5 Director 

2 years 

• State Dairy Committee 

2 years 

• State Annual Meeting 

Committee 1 year 

I have also recently been appointed Farm Bureau’s 

representative to the Rural Schools Association 

of New York State Board of Directors. 

I have also served on… 

• The Stockbridge Valley School Board of Education 

NYFB State Board of Directors 

Candidate Statements 

• Stockbridge Valley Ag. Advisory Board 

• Hamilton Ag. Advisory Board (present) 

• President and Charter member of the 

Stockbridge Valley Ruritan organization 

• Presently serve on the Madison County 

Natural Gas Task Force 

My wife Chris and I own and operate Shale 

Springs Farm in Madison County town of Hamilton. 

We are a pasture based farm, supplying 

feeder stock to local growers as well as finished 

product to local markets. My farming background 

was in dairy, farming with my father for 

17 years. I still have close ties to the dairy industry, 

working as a hoof trimmer. 

Thank you for your consideration of my candidacy. 

Please feel free to call me with any questions. 

I look forward to seeing you at the State 

Annual Meeting in Binghamton celebrating 100 

years of Farm Bureau. 

Grassroots is 

our strength 

I 

District 7 

Kirby Selkirk 

am Kirby Selkirk and I’m running for the 

position of District Seven Representative to 

New York Farm Bureau Board of Directors. 

I’ve been a member of Farm bureau since 

taking over the family 

dairy farm in the 

1970s. I now run a 100 

ewe sheep farm selling 

lamb direct to consumers 

at farmers markets 

in the Adirondacks and 

to local grocers and 

restaurants. Over the 

years, I’ve served as a 

Franklin County board 

member and am on the 

board today. I have been 

its president and vicepresident, 

I’ve served 

on the NYFB resolution 

committee and am 

currently the district 

representative on the 

Promotion and Education Committee and the 

Livestock, Feed Grains, Equine and Aquaculture 

Committee. As a voting delegate to several 

NYFB annual meetings I’ve shepherded policies 

originating in my county through the process of 

becoming state policy. I’ve also argued and lost 

on occasion. 

I’m a member of the Empire Sheep Producers, 

North Country Shepherds, Adirondack 

Farmers Market Cooperative, Adirondack Harvest 

and the Chateaugay Revitalization Committee. 

I’m also a member of the advisory group for 

the North Country Agricultural Development 

Program. 

I worked for 10 years as a NYFB Field Advisor 

for the northern counties. 

I believe that without Farm Bureau agriculture 

would be unable to remain a viable industry 

in New York or the nation. The truly grassroots 

nature of our organization is its strength 

and the reason for its continued success over the 

past 100 years. 

As a member of the Board of Directors I will 

work to ensure the financial strength and integrity 

established by past leaders and to carry out 

the wishes of the members. 

Because of my extensive experience with the 

workings of Farm Bureau I feel competent to 

represent my district on the state board. 

Farmers today face new, 

intense challenges 

Our family owns and operates Schoharie 

Valley Farms in Schoharie, NY. We are a 

200 acre diversified vegetable, small fruit 

and greenhouse operation. We serve both a retail 

direct market through our “Carrot Barn” 

and wholesale markets from the Capital District 

to New York City. I serve on the Schoharie 

County Farm Bureau Board of Directors and 

the New York State Vegetable Grower Board as 

well. I have appreciated the opportunity to serve 

as chairperson of the 

District 9 

Richard Ball 

NY Farm Bureau labor 

committee and to represent 

NY on the AFBF 

labor committee. 

Although agriculture 

has often faced 

challenges, those that 

we face today are particularly 

intense. Our 

State, National and 

Global economies have 

ratcheted up the pressure 

on many issues. 

Much of agriculture 

feels under siegeby the 

market place, by special 

interest groups, even by 

our own government. 

There is plenty of hard news to go around. 

And yet I remain optimistic. New York State 

is home to some of the best soils and some of the 

best producers in the country. We are living and 

producing food just a few hours away from the 

largest appetite in the world. Consumer interest 

in local foodwhere it is grown, how it is grown, 

who grows it, is increasing every day. All of us 

have a vision for our families and our farms it 

will take a strong collected vision and a unified 

effort by all of us in Farm Bureau to reconnect 

and reinforce our pressure in the market place 

and our influence on the political process. Farm 

Bureau affords us the opportunity to have that 

input on the issues that affect our industry. It 

would be a privilege to continue to represent you 

on the state Board. 

We’ve got to do more 

to protect our consumers 

Promotion 

& Education 

Ann Peck 

News headlines blare “American children 

dying after eating applesauce from China, 

harmful pesticides found on raspberries 

imported from Mexico, 

Roundup has been 

banned even though 

science shows it is a 

safe pesticide, beef and 

chicken prices are no 

longer affordable except 

for the wealthy, and 

grapes from Chile made 

people sick in California”. 

All of these things 

are possible in the United 

States in the next few 

years unless we (farmers 

and agriculture organizations) 

promote 

ourselves and educate 

the public. There are 

groups and organizations 

today that are 

preying on the emotional public who do not have 

a good sense of where their food comes from or 

how it is grown to fulfill their agenda. They even 

use the marketplace to achieve their goals. BST 

is a good example of this 

This is why New York Farm Bureau needs even 

a stronger Promotion and Education committee 

to get the word out both in our schools and to the 

general public. This is why we need to work with 

the Foundation to promote agriculture to all New 

York citizens. We have some good tools to use such 

as the coloring books, kiosk, Ag Literacy Day, Fun 

on the Farm type of events, etc. I would like to see 

Farm Bureau take this one step further. We need 

to learn how to blog, use Facebook, Tweet and use 

You Tube so we can get their personal stories out 

where others can learn from them. 

If I am elected again, I will try to promote and 

work on things to make us more effective in getting 

our message out. It is time we all took time 

to promote ourselves. Right now I am working 

on this from my side by starting a blog. If I can 

do it so can others.


Making energy from manure? 

Not only possible; profitable 

By Adam Specht 

aspecht@nyfb.org 

Washington County farmer Sean 

Quinn has become a national leader in 

the adoption of green agricultural technology. 

Last year, Quinn, who operates KA 

Sunset View Farm in Easton, introduced 

a thermal heat recovery system 

to his 2,100-head dairy calf and heifer 

raising operation. The system, only the 

second of its kind in the entire country, 

was installed by Joshua Nelson of 

AgriLab Technologies in Pawlet, Vt. 

A thermal heat recovery system collects 

heat generated from decomposing 

organic waste. The heat generated by 

the composting process—which can be 

transported up to 500 feet with a minimal 

decrease in temperature—is able be 

utilized for a variety of farm purposes. 

It is a highly versatile technology that 

can be adapted for a variety of different 

farms, both large and small. 

Quinn, whose farm generates a substantial 

amount of manure, began looking 

for a way to harness his farm’s manure. 

“We had already been windrowing 

compost outside and I thought to myself, 

‘Boy, there’s a lot of heat coming 

off this material.’ It seemed like there 

ought to be a way to utilize this,” said 

Quinn. 

A visit to Vermont 



John Noble, a dairy farmer from 

Livingston County, and Laurie Griffen, 

a sod farmer from Saratoga County, recently 

spoke to a crowded room in Albany. 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo had convened 

a conference of citizens from all walks 

of life, including individuals appointed 

to the state’s 10 newly created Regional 

Economic Development Councils. 

The purpose of the conference was 

to have a substantive discussion on how 

to turn around the state’s business climate. 

In the governor’s own words, New 

York must be “open for business.” 

While the media attention was focused 

on former Pres. Bill Clinton’s 

speech, and an announcement made 

by the governor of a new investment 

in nanotechnology, participants also 

had access to a variety of break-out 

sessions. NYFB was quite pleased that 

one of the sessions was moderated New 

York State Agriculture Commissioner 

Darrel Aubertine. The commissioner’s 

Assemblyman Tony Jordan, Rep. Chris Gibson and Joshua Nelson of AgriLab 

Technologies tour the thermal heat recovery system installed last year at KA Sunset 

View Farm in Washington County. 

Quinn was first introduced to thermal 

heat recovery while visiting a 

dairy farm in northern Vermont. The 

farm, whose system was also installed 

by AgriLab, was the first in the nation 

to use this novel technology. 

According to Nelson, the beauty of 

the system is that it can serve a variety 

of different purposes on the farm. 

“By composting solids or organic 

waste that they’re generating, they can 

then be composting that material, capture 

the heat, and then directly use it 

for heating greenhouses, their homes, 

offices, equipment sheds, hot water— 

whatever they need,” said Nelson. 

On Sunset View, the heat is used primarily 

to produce hot water for washing 

farm equipment and mixing milk 

replacer. Quinn is also able to heat both 

his office and shop with the system. 

Once the composting process is complete, 

the leftover solids can be used for 

bedding and fertilizer. 

For an operation as extensive as Sunset 

View—the farm uses around 4,200 

gallons of hot water per day—the savings 

are dramatic. Quinn estimates he 

is saving $3,100 a month on energy costs 

and around $4,000 on bedding. Additionally, 

the farm was able to cut down its 

manure hauling costs last year by about 

$180,000, since the waste is kept on the 

farm to fuel the system. 

Widely applicable 

The heat recovery technology is not 

just applicable to dairy operations—it 

could potentially serve a wide variety 

of commodities. Nelson is currently 

working with poultry farms in Maryland 

and Wisconsin to install heat recovery 

systems that would aid in the 

production and packaging of fertilizer. 

He also believes it could allow farmers 

to diversify their businesses. For example, 

he envisions a scenario in which a 

dairy farmer is able to produce cheese 

using the hot water generated by the 

system. 

“There’s a very wide array of applications 

for anyone who’s dependent on 

the grid and fossil fuel for heat,” said 

Nelson. 

Grants helped with cost 

While the startup expenses for the 

system are substantial, Quinn was able 

to receive grants that helped defray 

the cost. With the tremendous savings 

made possible by the heat recovery system, 

he expects it to pay for itself in less 

than three years. 

Quinn enthusiastically recommends 

heat recovery to farmers interested in 

cutting down their expenses. 

“I think there’s a lot of opportunity 

out there with heat recovery,” Quinn said. 

“It’s very environmentally safe, simple to 

run, and it’s a way to reduce manure load 

and create a bedding source.” 

Farmers interested in thermal heat 

recovery are encouraged to contact 

Josh Nelson at AgriLab Technologies. 

He can be reached by phone at (802) 325- 

2203 or by e-mail at agrilabtech@aol. 

com. 

Farmers in Albany mean business 

session focused on how our farm families 

are adapting to the ever-changing 

marketplace for agricultural products 

in a state that has a tremendously high 

cost of doing business. 

During the session, Noble shared 

his own personal experiences in agriculture. 

While his family and farm 

have grown and expanded over the 

years, the Nobles have always been focused 

on running a profitable business 

while supporting the community and 

the environment. Meanwhile, Griffen 

discussed the evolution of her family’s 

farm—specifically how the farm has 

changed its structure, its land base, 

and even its primary commodity. (The 

Griffens transitioned from a dairy to a 

sod production to remain viable.) 

Douglas O’Brien, a deputy secretary 

from the United States Department 

of Agriculture (USDA), spoke of the 

critical role that rural development 

agencies and farmers can play in local 

communities’ economic development. 

He urged local officials to consider the 

resources available at the USDA to help 

facilitate infrastructure and other rural 

improvements. Both Noble and Griffen, 

as well as Commissioner Aubertine, 

discussed the many ways in which New 

York’s agricultural diversity make it a 

strong state, but one in which crafting 

effective policy to help farmers can be 

challenging. 

The audience responded by encouraging 

farmers to share their stories. 

One attendee, a dean of one of the City 

University of New York’s colleges and 

not someone who would normally have 

the opportunity to interact with farmers, 

said it best when she stressed that 

agriculturalists should take more time 

to connect with consumers, especially 

those New York City. 

With the recent focus on locally 

grown foods and counteracting the rising 

rate of obesity, now is the time for 

the agricultural community to establish 

a dialogue with the city. Hopefully, 

these Regional Council conferences, the 

thriving greenmarkets program in the 

city and the work of the NYFB Foundation 

for Agricultural Education can 

help farmers bridge the urban/rural 

divide. 

Maple farms, 

DEC reach 

agreement 

on reverse 

osmosis 

By Helen Thomas, 

Executive Director, New York State 

Maple Producers’ Association 

Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a technology 

popular in many industries that 

has proved to be very useful for maple 

production as well. 

Each year more maple producers in 

New York install this technology, saving 

evaporation time and significant fuel 

each season. Part of the challenge of 

using new technology is to insure that 

no harm to the environment occurs. 

The New York State Maple Producers’ 

Association, Leader Evaporator, 

New York Farm Bureau, the Departments 

of Agriculture and Markets and 

Environmental Conservation (DEC) 

have worked together this year to review 

the use and cleaning procedures 

for reverse osmosis systems in the maple 

industry. 

It was agreed that, with attention to 

just one small step that is done during 

RO cleaning, the systems can be used 

with no harmful impact on the environment. 

This agreement has resulted in 

an exemption from regulation of maple 

RO systems by the NYS DEC. 

Two kinds of waste water 

Reverse Osmosis systems generate 

two types of “waste” water — permeate 

and wash. In maple production, the permeate 

consists of the water portion of 

the sap that has been separated out by 

the RO system. 

Over a maple season, permeate is 

generated in thousands of gallons. 

While most other applications of RO 

technology create a permeate that contains 

harmful stuff, maple production 

is unique in that the permeate is essentially 

distilled water. This permeate 

can be released back into the environment 

with no concern. 

The wash portion of the RO waste 

water is a small quantity of water that 

contains a lye-based soap to clean the 

RO membrane, as well as the additional 

water that rinses the soap out of the 

membrane. 

The soap can create a waste water 

with a high pH, but by adding citric 

acid to the water before draining it, the 

pH can be returned essentially to normal 

so that the room temperature water 

can then be drained out without further 

concern. 

In general, the amount of citric acid 

required will vary depending on the 

starting PH of the wash water, but will 

take approximately ¾ lbs. of citric acid 

per 25 gals of wash water. Citric acid 

(think lemons!) is a very inexpensive 

material, available from maple equipment 

dealers. 

Wash procedures differ 

Maple producers who have Reverse 

Osmosis technology should check with 

their equipment dealer for the wash 

procedure specific to their equipment. 

Feel free to contact the NY State 

Maple Producers’ Association at 315- 

877-5795 for assistance or information 

(www.nysmaple.com) 

Maple producers are very pleased 

that no regulation, inspection, or permits 

will be needed for operations that 

employ reverse osmosis systems and 

use this simple cleaning method. The 

decision came from a positive team effort 

by representatives of all parties 

who were committed to keeping maple 

operation simple while caring for the 

environment – a continuing emphasis 

of the maple industry.


Compliance Corner 

Register Water Usage Or 

Face Additional DEC Permits 

The face Sarah Hooper, 36, 

of NewYork Multiple Schoharie farms County Barbers 

Agriculture Schoharie Town, NY County, NY 

Tell us about your involvement 

in agriculture. 

I am very fortunate to be tied to multiple 

farming operations in Schoharie 

County. My involvement first started in 

New York at Schoharie Valley Farms, 

which is my family’s farm. My father 

bought the farm when I was a freshman 

at Cornell in 1993. I was then 

blessed to marry Jacob Hooper, who 

now assists in managing Barbers Farm 

in Middleburgh, N.Y. Jacob and I are 

also involved in growing Hooper Garlic 

with his parents, and are partners in 

Wilderhook Maple, a business we began 

with some great friends of ours. 

How exactly is your family 

involved? 

That is one of my favorite parts of 

being involved in agriculture. Working 

with family is really a gift. Being tied 

to so many operations allows me to 

interact with my family everyday. 

At Schoharie Valley Farms, I work 

with my father, Richard Ball, my 

brother, Ethan and my sister, JoLyn. 

When I am helping at Barbers, I get to 

see many of Jacob’s family members, 

including Jim and Cindy Barber, who 

are involved in the farm, his Grandma 

Grace Barber. 

Jacob and I have two children. Our 

daughter Anna is 8 and son Liam is 

5. They are now getting old enough to 

enjoy helping out on both the farms, 

with things like picking raspberries in 

the high tunnels or assembling boxes 

for cider doughnuts at the Carrot Barn. 

I really enjoy having the luxury of 

spending time with them and watching 

them enjoy the farming way of life. 

Did you grow up on a farm? 

I grew up on Schartners Farm, in 

Exeter, R.I., which my father helped 

manage when I was growing up. That 

was where I learned the value of working 

hard and began my appreciation of 

farming. (It all began when I was quite 

small, earning a quarter for each quart 

of strawberries I picked.) 

Schartners was a great experience 

and prepared me for the farms I am 

part of now. Both Barbers and Schoharie 

Valley Farms are multi-faceted 

retail fruit and vegetable farms. I have 

been fortunate to get to learn the many 

areas of the farms… from working in 

the field, in the greenhouses, in the 

bakery, to buying merchandise, and 

setting displays in the store. Every day 

presents something new and offers a 

new challenge. 

How is Farm Bureau significant 

to you? 

Farm Bureau is important to me. 

I am so thankful for it. Agriculture is 

becoming more and more challenging 

every year. It is comforting to know 

that farmers have a voice and a means 

to communicate our needs to government 

officials on so many different 

levels. 

Being involved in so many operations, 

I see that there are changing 

needs in each area in agriculture. I 

appreciate that Farm Bureau is multifaceted, 

and helps support the many 

different types of agriculture. I am 

also quite proud that my Dad has been 

able to be actively involved as well. 

Tell us about Irene’s impact and 

what it meant for you…. 

Hurricane Irene brought challenges 

on a magnitude we could never have 

foreseen. For our farms, our families, 

our neighbors and our community, the 

impact will be felt for quite some time. 

Both Barbers and Schoharie Valley 

Farms saw nearly 100 percent losses to 

whatever crops were still in the field, 

some damage to fields and for Barbers, 

some structures were impacted as well. 

The timing of the storm was exceptionally 

tough as we were in the midst of 

both summer and fall harvests. 

But we are thankful to get the 

chance to farm again. We are looking 

forward to next year, and sowing new 

seeds in 2012. 

Face of NY Ag 

correction 

Grassroots published a picture 

of the wrong Eastman in its Face of 

New York Agriculture in the October 

issue. This picture of Roger Eastman 

should have been published, instead of 

his cousin, Chuck Eastman. We regreat 

the error (even if the Eastmans had a 

good laugh over it.) 

By Lisa Ovitt, Paralegal 

lovitt@nyfb.org 

For the first time in New York State, 

more than 400 industrial and commercial 

users must obtain a state permit 

in order to withdraw major amounts 

of water from New York State’s Great 

Lakes Basin. Withdrawals of 100,000 

gallons or more per day will require a 

permit be issued to gas drilling companies, 

power plants, golf courses, water 

bottlers and other such entities. 

Permitting & Reporting 

This new law, however, significantly 

eases requirements for farm operations 

to report their water use to the Department 

of Environmental Conservation 

(DEC). 

At certain times during the growing 

season, a farm may need to irrigate 

crops due to dry weather, but New York 

farms are not large-scale, year-round 

water users. New York State regulations 

recognize this and provide for an 

opportunity for registration of farm 

water withdrawals with DEC if the 

withdrawal exceeds the threshold outlined 

in new statute. 

Previously, a farm that had the capacity 

to withdraw 100,000 gallons of 

water in any one day was required to 

report their water use to DEC. 

Under the new law, a farm that withdraws 

an average of 100,000 gallons 

per day of water over any 30-day period 

must report their water use to the Department. 

There is no fee for farms to 

report their water usage. 

Under the new law, it is critical that 

farms report their water use to to DEC 

prior to February 15, 2012 and then file 

similar reports annually thereafter. 

A farm that chooses to wait until after 

this deadline will be required to obtain 

a permit for their water withdrawals 

if they exceed threshold withdrawal 

of an average 100,000 gallons per day of 

water over any 30-day period. 

Agricultural Purposes 

The “agricultural purposes” included 

in the scope of the exemption 

include the practice of farming crops, 

plants, vines and trees and the keeping, 

grazing or feeding of livestock for sale 

The New York State Public Service 

Commission (Commission) and the 

New York State Energy Research and 

Development Authority (NYSERDA) 

has announced a $5 million Agriculture 

Disaster Program to immediately help 

farms replace systems and equipment 

damaged or lost due to Hurricane Irene 

and/or Tropical Storm Lee. 

The program provides funding for 

energy-efficient repair and replacement 

of damaged electric and natural 

gas systems and equipment, such as 

milk processing, cooling, heating, and 

other farm systems. Emphasis will be 

placed on fast application response and 

face-to-face, on-line, telephone and other 

support needed by farmers. 

This program was approved by the 

Commission and is being administered 

through NYSERDA with assistance 

from the New York State Department 

of Agriculture & Markets. Assistance 

is available for equipment or systems 

purchased on or after August 28, 2011 

for sites affected by Hurricane Irene, or 

September 4, 2011 for sites affected by 

Tropical Storm Lee. 

Program eligibility will be limited to 

farms and on-farm producers located 

of livestock or livestock products, and 

the on-farm processing of crops, livestock 

and livestock products. 

Reporting Form 

Registrations are valid for one year. 

Some of the information included on 

the form prescribed by DEC is: 

The place and source of the proposed 

or existing withdrawal; 

The location of any discharge or return 

flow; 

The location and nature of the proposed 

or existing water use; 

The actual or estimated average annual 

and monthly volumes and rates of 

withdrawal; and 

The actual or estimated average annual 

and monthly volumes and rates of 

water loss from the withdrawal. 

(In calculating the total amount of 

water withdrawal, all separate withdrawals 

are combined regardless of 

whether such withdrawals are for a single 

agricultural use or for related but 

separate purposes.) 

NOTE: If a farm DOES NOT register 

with the DEC regarding water withdrawal 

and if the water withdrawn for 

agricultural purposes exceeds an average 

of 100,000 gallons per day in any consecutive 

30-day period, it will be required 

to obtain a permit and make a report to 

the Department. 

For additional information and water 

reporting forms, visit DEC’s water 

reporting page on their website at 

http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/55509. 

html. As of yet, the site has not been updated 

to reflect the new changes in law, 

but this will be changed in the near future. 

However, farms are able to report 

their water use on the outdated reporting 

form currently provided on the DEC 

website. 

For more information on these 

changes or on DEC reporting requirements, 

contact Richard Kruzansky in 

the Department of Environmental Conservation’s 

Bureau of Water Resources 

Management at (518) 402-8182. 

— Lisa A. Ovitt is a paralegal in the 

New York Farm Bureau 

Legal Affairs Department. 

Cuomo, PSC Offer 

Disaster Assistance 

within counties identified by Executive 

Orders 17, 21 and/or 22. Eligibility 

is contingent upon demonstration that 

the loss was suffered as a result of Hurricane 

Irene and/or Tropical Storm 

Lee. 

Applications are available at http:// 

nyserda.ny.gov/agriculture-disasterprogram, 

and are for eligible farms or 

on-farm producers. 

The applications will be processed 

in the order in which they are received 

on a first-come, first served basis until 

December 15, 2011 or until the funding 

runs out. Funding will be provided at 

100 percent of eligible costs minus other 

aid or insurance proceeds received 

with a maximum assistance amount of 

$100,000 per farm. 

Farms seeking assistance will be required 

to provide supporting documentation 

for the equipment or systems 

for which they are seeking funding. 

Detailed invoices or estimates for the 

equipment or systems will be required 

for program application. Farms must 

also demonstrate that they contribute 

to the System Benefits Charge (SBC). 

For more information, applicants 

can call 1-877-NY-SMART (877-697-6278).


Inside DC 

NY reps fight for flood recovery 

By M. Kelly Young 

kyoung@nyfb.org 

As the clean-up following Tropical 

Storms Irene and Lee has progressed 

in Upstate New York, it is becoming 

harder and harder to see exactly where 

the storms hit in some areas unless you 

look closely. But in D.C., our New York 

representatives have not forgotten the 

devastation and have continued to work 

closely with NYFB on solutions to help 

farmers. 

NYFB submitted a list of relief measures 

to both Senators and the Representatives 

in affected districts shortly 

after the storms, but action on the Congressional 

level has essentially been 

focused on two priorities. First, money 

must be made available for the Emergency 

Conservation Program (ECP) 

and the Emergency Watershed Protection 

Program (EWP). Second, through 

a waiver or buy-in, farmers should be 

able to access USDA’s permanent disaster 

assistance programs. 

The conservation programs are important 

for restoring farms to operation 

because they help repair waterways, remove 

field debris, repair conservation 

structures and replace lost soil. 

ECP is coordinated through USDA’s 

Farm Service Agency (FSA) to provide 

emergency funding and technical assistance 

for farmers and ranchers to 

repair farmland damaged by natural 

disasters. Participants receive costshare 

assistance of up to 75 percent of 

the cost to implement approved conservation 

practices determined by county 

FSA committees. 

EWP helps by relieving imminent 

hazards to life and property caused by 

natural disasters, such as addressing 

the problems of debris-clogged streams 

and channels, unstable stream banks 

and jeopardized water control structures 

and public infrastructure. NRCS 

may bear up to 75 percent of the construction 

cost of emergency measures. 

The remaining costs must come from 

local sources and state or local government 

and/or conservation districts are 

usually involved. 

Shortly after the first storm, Irene, 

came though New York, members of 

both houses joined together to introduce 

S. 1521 and H.R. 2856, the “Post- 

Irene Emergency Farm Aid Act.” This 

bill would authorize $10 million to support 

ECP and EWP. Both Senators sponsored 

the version in the upper house. 

The House version was introduced by 

Rep. Chris Gibson and co-sponsored by 

Reps. Hanna, Hayworth, Hinchey, Owens, 

Reed and Tonko. 

However, after Lee hit some areas 

again and expanded damage into the 

Southern Tier, it became obvious that 

clearing a backlog of emergency conservation 

funding from Midwest damage 

earlier in the year would be necessary. 

Rep. Tonko introduced H.R. 3005, 

the “Helping Devastated Farmers Act 

of 2011,” with co-sponsors Hinchey, Owens 

and Slaughter. The bill provides for 

$151 million for ECP and $187.5 million 

for EWP. 

The second priority, allowing farmers 

to access disaster assistance programs, 

was important because farmers 

who do not have every crop in their 

farm insured or covered by the Noninsured 

Assistance Program (NAP) are 

not eligible for most disaster relief programs. 

However, specialty crops have 

poor insurance options that do not fit 

well into risk management programs 

and NYFB has long advocated with our 

farmers to improve crop insurance for 

these producers so they have a viable 

product to purchase. Long-term NYFB 

is pressing hard for crop insurance reform 

in the next Farm Bill, but in the 

meantime producers should not be punished 

for not purchasing a product that 

doesn’t meet their needs. 

Rep. Gibson introduced a bill, along 

with co-sponsors Reps. Buerkle, Hanna, 

Hayworth, Hinchey, Owens and Tonko, 

that would temporarily waive the risk 

management purchase requirement for 

producers impacted by Irene or Lee in 

order to make them eligible to receive 

assistance under the Supplemental 

Revenue Assistance Program (SURE); 

Emergency Assistance for Livestock, 

Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish 

Program (ELAP); and Tree Assistance 

Program (TAP). These programs would 

help fruit and vegetable farmers, livestock 

farmers who lost feed, and orchards 

and nurseries that lost trees, respectively. 

The bill number is H.R. 2905. 

None of these ideas will move forward 

as actual bills. Instead, incorporation 

into a larger government spending 

bill is their best chance of passing 

and this is what our lawmakers in 

both houses have been working feverishly 

to do. These were not included 

in the spending bill that passed at the 

end of September to fund the government 

through Nov. 18, but are pushing 

for inclusion in the bill that will bridge 

spending for the rest of the calendar 

year. We should know if its successful 

by mid-November. 

Just because a lawmaker is not a cosponsor 

of a specific bill or just because 

the Senate does not have a companion to 

some of the House bills does not mean 

that there is any discrepancy over what 

must be done. Both houses are working 

on the same efforts and all Congressional 

offices in the affected districts are 

working together toward similar ends 

for New York farmers. 

Beyond legislative changes, Sen. 

Charles Schumer addressed another 

concern of NYFB when he sent a letter 

to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack shortly 

after the storms urging him to waive the 

interest on emergency loans to farmers 

hit hardest by Irene and Lee. 

Interest rates for emergency loans 

currently stands at 3.75 percent, which 

is higher than many typical operating 

loans. Schumer wrote that charging 

farmers higher interest rates on emergency 

loans when they are struggling 

makes New York’s recovery even more 

difficult and asked that farmers who 

take out emergency loans after Irene 

and Lee be allowed to do so interest free, 

or at a significantly reduced rate. 

Sen. Gillibrand’s office worked with 

NYFB and was also very helpful in talking 

with the Risk Management Agency 

(RMA) after the storms to push the 

agency for clarification to insurance 

adjusters regarding flooded corn. After 

some tense days, this corrective action 

allowed insured farmers to receive the 

correct indemnities for their crop. 

NYFB is continuing to work closely 

with all of our Senate and House offices 

to secure the needed assistance for 

storm-affected farms. If you have any 

questions about these efforts, please 

call Kelly Young at 1-800-342-4143 or e- 

mail kyoung@nyfb.org. 

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NYFB gets 

a ‘capitol’ 

reception 

NYFB members from 

western and central 

New York and from the 

Southern Tier visited 

Washington, D.C., in 

September to lobby and 

attend Senator Kirsten 

Gillibrand’s New York 

Farm Day reception. Over 

the course of two days, 

NYFB members met with 

the entire New York 

Congressional delegation, 

both Senators and 

the governor’s DC staff. 

The group talked with 

lawmakers about the 

needs of flood-affected 

farmers, the status 

of E-verify and pending 

agricultural guestworker 

programs, crop insurance 

reform, dairy reform and 

the 2012 Farm Bill. 

Grassroots 

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Ag Trivia Quiz 

Question: True or False: The state of New York officially made 

Thanksgiving Day an annual custom in 1817. 

Answer: True. President Franklin D. Roosevelt restored the last 

Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day in the year 1939. He did 

so to make the Christmas shopping season longer and stimulate the 

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doug@nynewspapers.com


NYFB helps untangle red tape 

Continued from Page 1 

at the time I did not think we would see 

so many farm distilleries open their 

doors”. 

With the assistance of two committed 

and enthusiastic legislative sponsors 

— Sen. Bill Larkin and Assemblyman 

Bill Magee — and a big lobbying 

push, the legislation was signed into 

law and became effective in 2008. 

“I am thrilled that this legislation 

has led to a resurgence in the craft distilling 

business in the Hudson Valley 

and throughout New York State,” said 

Sen. Bill Larkin (R-Cornwall-on-Hudson). 

“It illustrates what can be accomplished 

when small businesses and the 

Legislature work together to solve problems 

and allow an industry to flourish.” 

A thousand distilleries 

As Stephen Osborn, a winery member 

in Marlborough, the Hudson Valley 

said, “In the 1800s, there were over 

a thousand distilleries in the Hudson 

Valley, while after prohibition and after 

cracking down on bootlegging, in the 

1930’s there were none.” 

For Stephen and his wife, Kim Wagner, 

establishing the farm distillery license 

was as critical as the actual text 

of the legislation. Stephen and Kim 

wanted to have not only their winery 

business, but also wanted to establish a 

farm distillery to give customers another 

reason to visit Stoutridge Vineyard. 

“Making sure that the legislation 

allowed us to have two separate manufacturing 

facilities, but share a tasting 

room, counter, and sales staff was key,” 

said Stephen. 

“Previously, if we had been able to 

afford the licensing fee to establish the 

distillery, we would have been required 

to maintain completely separate facilities, 

and as both of our businesses are 

small we simply couldn’t afford to do 

that. NYFB helped us make the connections 

with our legislators and their 

Continued from Page 1 

of Facebook, realize that this posting 

was not even copied from the Shafer’s 

own Nanticoke Gardens Facebook 

page. It was clipped from a Facebook 

page called “Flood Relief Volunteers,” 

who got it from someone else, who got it 

from…and so it goes. 

A completely separate Facebook 

page called “flood clean-up” also posted 

calls for volunteers. Judi Whittaker was 

listed as one of 31 people who had confirmed 

that they would be there, with 

another 19 listed as “maybe.” 

In the list of those committed to 

showing up and helping with clean-up, 

one learns how many other people these 

volunteers have officially “friended:” 

140 for one of them, 197 for another, 258, 

167, and even 780, and that’s not even 

the whole list. 

That means—potentially—more 

Thomas Earl McKenzie and Brian McKenzie own and operate Finger Lakes Distilling 

- the region’s largest craft distillery. The distillery, located on the eastern side of 

Seneca Lake, uses locally grown fruit and grains to produce high quality, handmade 

spirits. 

staff that we needed to explain why this 

was an important distinction to have 

in the farm distillery license. We are 

looking forward to establishing the distillery 

component of our operations in 

2012.” he added. 

An eye-opening experience 

While NYFB’s focus was on assisting 

our farmers to establish their own farm 

distillery, should they chose to diversify 

in that direction, entrepreneurs like 

Brian McKenzie were a tremendous 

part of securing passage of the legislation. 

“I’ve gone from an idea and some 

plans on paper, to sourcing locally grown 

products from about 20 farms a season, 

employing 18 full and part-time employees, 

and now have entered the distribution 

chain, selling primarily in New 

York but also breaking into new markets 

in Chicago,” said Brian. 

“Taking the time to spend a day in Albany 

and trying to convince legislators 

to allow me to open a new business, to invest 

in New York and in the agricultural 

community was an eye-opening experience 

for me.” 

“The reality is that I sell half of 

what I produce out of my door, and 

without the ability to do those direct 

sales, which were prohibited before 

NYFB helped change the law, I simply 

wouldn’t be here today.” 

Facebook brings a flood of relief 

than a thousand friends were notified of 

Nanticoke Gardens’ cleanup day with 

one click of the mouse by “friends” of 

Nanticoke Gardens. Another 378 people 

who had not committed either way—to 

attend or not attend—might also have at 

least passed along the call for help. 

Fifteen miles to the west, in Apalachin, 

N.Y., vegetable farmer Lisa Bloodnick 

holds a fall harvest party every 

October for her CSA (community supported 

agriculture) supporters and 

other loyal customers. This year, she 

turned it into a fundraiser for floodstricken 

farmers. 

In her Facebook posting, she wrote, 

“Sunday, October 16, 1-6 pm, Bloodnick 

Family Farm will be hosting a Farm 

Party at 979 Pennsylvania Ave., Apalachin. 

625-4141. Help us celebrate the 

strength and resilience of our community 

while helping us raise donations 

for some of our local farms that were 

damaged in the wild weather this season. 

Music, fun and friends. Potluck— 

please bring a dish to pass. Everybody 

invited and welcome. Please spread the 

word.” 

October 9 saw a “Rock the Flood” 

fund-raising concert at Country Pines 

Restaurant in Endicott. More than 3,000 

people had “likes” its Facebook page. At 

the time of writing, a similar rock concert 

is slated for the Village of Schoharie 

in mid-October. 

Smartphones made the social networking 

process even faster, even more 

“real-time,” noted Jim Saddlemire, vice 

president of Schoharie County Farm 

Bureau. On-the-spot pictures were sent 

directly among farmers, friends, family, 

neighbors, and first-responders. “Oh, 

yeah, there was a lot of that.” 

Regs change for minors on farms 

By Nicole Willis 

nwillis@nyfb.org 

The U.S. Department of Labor has 

proposed federal child labor standards 

that will affect the employment of 

youth on all farms throughout the U.S. 

The proposed regulations would alter 

what type of work will be considered 

hazardous to the welfare of children. 

The proposed regulations plan to remove 

two certification programs that allow 

youth to operate tractors and farm 

equipment, expand prohibitions against 

working with animals, limiting work involving 

construction, communications, 

roofing, wrecking, demolition, operation 

of hoists, and being above elevations 

greater than 6 feet. It would also prohibit 

tasks that fall within the job of “pesticide 

handler,” and would also prohibit 

the use of electronic devices while operating 

power-driven machinery. While 

changes such as electronic devices are 

common sense and we support the safety 

of youth working in agriculture, these 

regulations will drastically change how 

farms are able to employ youth whether 

related to the family farm-owner or if 

from the local community. 

By decreasing the opportunity and 

the ability of the next generation to 

work on our family farms, the potential 

“recruitment pool” for new farmers 

will be drastically limited. Many 

of our current farmers started out not 

necessarily by growing up on their own 

farm, but by working on a neighboring 

farm and developing a love for farming 

which translated into a farm business 

venture as a career. These regulations 

will not only limit the ability of partners’ 

children, nieces and nephews, to 

work on our family farm operations, 

they may also discourage future agricultural 

business entrepreneurs and 

farmers by limiting their exposure to 

our farm families early on in life. 

AFBF and NYFB have submitted a 

request for an extension of time for the 

comment period, which is due on November 

1. Both organizations are also 

submitting official comments, but in 

the meantime, members may e-lobby on 

this issue at www.nyfb.org. 

As changes are implemented NYFB 

will update on what can be expected 

from these regulations and how these 

will impact your farm. 

Baehrel 

managed 

storm crisis 

one farm 

at a time 



Even as the flood waters were rising 

in the Schoharie Valley on the night of 

Aug. 28, mobile technologies provided 

a highly decentralized flow of information. 

There was no need to depend on a 

central authority to direct all responses. 

Modern communications technology 

empowered people to gather 

information, report it anywhere and 

everywhere they chose, and act on their 

own. 

Even so, having the right people 

in the right place makes a difference. 

From a Farm Bureau perspective, the 

prompt appointment of field advisor 

Bambi Baehrel as a matchmaker— 

matching needs for assistance to offers 

of assistance paid dividends. Press releases 

sent out by Farm Bureau and 

other organizations listed her phone 

number and e-mail address. 

“After that, people started calling me 

out of the blue,” Baehrel recalled. She 

would get calls about farmers in need. 

She would get calls from farmers a hundred 

miles distant, offering free silage 

and hay that flooded farmers could feed 

their livestock. Then she would enter it 

all on a spreadsheet to keep track of it 

and call people back to patch deliveries 

together. 

Leaders of Otsego County Farm Bureau 

got one of her e-mails. It mentioned 

a need at the Van Aller Farm—a dairy 

farm in Middleburgh—for a specific number 

of 2-by-4s, planking, etc., to repair the 

siding on a barn. Through some combination 

of “I know someone who knows 

someone,” phone calls, and e-mails, a 

solution was contrived by the Otsego volunteers: 

Jason Harter had some hemlock 

saw-logs. John Stucin ran them through 

his sawmill. Harold Palmer trucked them 

the 50 miles to Van Aller’s. Stucin also 

pledged 500 bales of hay. 

Otsego County Farm Bureau is also 

collecting donations, said Palmer, who 

was elected vice president of Otsego 

County Farm Bureau in the middle of 

all this. 

“One of the problems is that some of 

the farmers aren’t ready yet to receive 

these donations,” said Baehrel. “The 

place needs to be cleaned up or repaired 

first, otherwise they end up having to 

move the donated feed a couple of times.” 

And the calls continue to come in. 

NYFB teams up 

with Google 

New York Farm Bureau is partnering 

with Google for New York Get Your 

Business Online—an easy, free and fast 

way to build a website for your farm or 

business. Through this program, you’ll 

find everything you need to get started. 

Web professionals will be at your side 

every step of the way. Google will also 

provide the computers or a plug-in for 

your own laptop. 

If your farm or business is already 

online, you’ll find tools and resources to 

help you better succeed. 

Google will be holding two events in 

November to kick of the program: one 

on Monday, Nov. 14 in Troy; the other 

Buffalo on Friday, Nov. 18. At these 

events, you will be able to create and 

publish a free website for your farm or 

business in less than 60 minutes. 

For more information on the program, 

visit www.newyorkgetonline. 

com.


Join us online 

Now there are more ways than ever 

to stay connected to the important 

issues facing New York farmers. 

Visit the New York Farm Bureau any time at 

www.nyfb.org for the latest on news and events, 

legislation and more. 

Get in on the dialogue with your fellow farmers. Friend the New York 

Farm Bureau on Facebook at facebook.com/NYFarmBureau. Call 

us toll-free at 

1-800-342-4143

Page 22 Grassroots October 2011 

Grassroots Farmers’ Market 

Classified Ads FREE to NYFB members, 

and cheap for everybody else! 

Hay 

DAHO’S FINEST ALFALFA. Larsen Farms 

607-865-8844. rbishop@larsenfarms.com 

QUALITY HAY for sale. Alfalfa-Grass mix. 

45 pound bales. $2.75 per bale. 315-866-3348 

HAY FOR SALE. 4x5- 1000lb.Round silage 

bales, mixed grass, no chemicals, can load 18- 

wheelers. 1st cut and 2nd cut available. Cash 

upon loading. Schaghticoke, NY 518-796-2344 

HAY FOR SALE. Certified Organic and Conventional 

round bale hay and baleage for sale. All the same 

price. Mixed grass and clover. Hay stored inside (4x5) 

Baleage wrapped with six layers of plastic. Help with 

trucking arrangements. Whitehall, NY 518-499- 

0239 or 4055. 

HAY FOR SALE. Certified Organic and 

Conventional round bale hay and baleage for 

sale. All the same price. Mixed grass and clover. 

Hay stored inside (4x5) Baleage wrapped with six 

layers of plastic. Help with trucking arrangements. 

Whitehall, NY 518-499-0239 or 4055. 

Hay for sale: 4 by 5 baleage wrapped with 

plastic $38.00 small square bales $1.50 to $3.00 

per bale 1 st and 2 nd 3 rd cutting 315-691-4878 or 

416-9641 

A.G. EMERICH & SONS. Hay, straw and bagged 

shavings. Serving NY and NE since 1935. Van 

trailer loads dropped or picked up by the bale. 

518-399-1893 or 518-399-7444 

JENOVA FARMS Hay Service. All we do is hay. 

Finest in WNY since 1947. Pick up or delivered 

in Western NY. 716-560-8779 or dvance57@ 

hotmail.com. 

HAY FOR SALE. 1 st cutting $4.50, 2 nd cutting 

$5.50 – high quality mixed grass – price includes 

delivery and stacking anywhere in the Capital 

Region. Call Klaus Busch 518-928-1593 

HAY FOR SALE. Quality hay & Alfalfa. Sm & Lg 

squares. Westchester, Dutchess and Putnam area. 

845-406-5655 

BARLEY STRAW for sale. Small squares. Clean, 

bright and tight. Use as a pond treatment for 

algae, for bedding and feed. Cazenovia, NY. 315- 

662-3861 

HAY FOR SALE. 4x4 rounds, stored inside, made in 

early July $25/each. Boonville, NY 315-942-4475 

Tractors, Machinery 


JOHN DEERE Front mount aux fuel tank 60 gal fits 

10-55 series tractors. $150 Call 716-532-4380 

JOHN DEERE 400 bucket loader w/backhoe. 

$6800 obo. Southern Otsego County. 607-764- 

8663 

1060 NEWFIELD. 65hp diesel. Excellent 

Condition. New rubber. $4500. 315-831-5132 or 

315-368-8286 

FORD 2000, Case VAS w/cultivators, VAH (High 

Crop), 430, Farmall 300, Super H, Ford 2N, MH 

Pony (mint). Large selection of Molines (rare and 

restored), call for info and pics. 518-922-6301 

CASE IH 1660 Combine. Excellent condition. 

30.5x32 tires 1063 corn head and 1020 flex head 

available. 1986 Chevy C70 diesel with 16’ dump 

body and grain chute. 315-945-5131 

DOZER Terrax C6. New tracks, Excellent 

undercarriage. Runs excellent. Asking $13,500 

obo. 518-963-7752 

PARTS for H.G. Cletvac. Axels, Drive gears, Farm 

Hand 2 row potato harvester with m table dirt 

remover. Farmall Cub. 315-573-2365 

FARMI BRAND 3pt Log Winch. Model 601 for 70 

thru 150 HP Tractors. $4150. 315-964-1161 

MOSQUITO MAGNET. Large 20 lb tank. Everything 

intact. Pd $500 asking $250. 518-641-9661 or 

518-374-9107 

FORD 3 pt hitch mower $350. Twin rotor tow 

behind seeder/fertilizer spreader $75. New Idea 

#406 loader $500. Farmall M with 110 center 

mount mower $2900. H&M two row cultivator 

$300. 315-271-6565 

Reach Farm Bureau members throughout the state! 

Sell equipment, real estate or a service, you name it! 

One free ad — up to 30 words — per month for every member, 

as long as we receive your ad by the 15th of the previous month. 

Want an additional up-to-30-word ad? No problem. 

Members pay just $15. Non-members pay $30. 

We gladly accept ads by e-mail at: classifieds@nyfb.org. 

or mail to: Grassroots Classifieds, PO Box 5330, Albany, NY 12205 

or fax to: 518-431-5656 

For more information call: 518-436-8495 


3 AUGER DISCHARGE from Knight 3030 Mixer 

$750. Mullen 300 gallon drum style milk tank, 

vgc $850. 18.4x30 tires and power adjust rims, 8 

bolt. $300. 716-941-5123 

ELEVATOR 50’ long 20” wide $600. JD Side 

Deliver Rake with 3 point hitch PT $600. 2 row 

Ideal Corn Picker $1500. Prentice Log Loader on 

Gas Tandem $3500 518-578-0135 

GREENHOUSE EQUIPMENT. Ellis super flat/ 

pot filler. Fills pots up to 16” tall. Only premier 

pro-mix was used in this machine. Works great. 

Located on Long Island 631-831-7259 

GREENHOUSE EQUIPMENT: 5 furnaces modine (4) 

16,000 btu (1) 11,250 btu. 2 blowers acme 40” x 

2’x40” deep. 2 automatic lowers 40”x63” and a 

Gleason Econc-Pak Flat & Pot filling system. Md# 

FFR-30-H. 6’6”, width 3’5”. 716-532-4358 

FOR SALE. All or in part. Wholesale plant nursery 

and equipment. Located near Ithaca NY. Land, 

Buildings, greenhouses, skid steer, racks, pots & 

more. Info at www.nurseryequip.homstead.com. 

607-387-9202 

MILKING SYSTEM: Complete 10 stall flat barn 

parlor (discontinued use because of new parlor) 

Westfalia ATO’s, universal systems. 2 pipelines 

including numerous items. Will separate. List 

available. Brian Newton. 607-863-3931 

SHEEP FARM EQUIPMENT Dispersal. Includes: 

Aluminum trailer, hay elevator, foot trimming 

table, semen tanks, SI equipment, show blankets, 

shears, fans, feed racks and more. Ox7ford@ 

hotmail.com for details. 

EVERSMAN MODEL 3212 – Two section land 

leveler. 10’ – 12’ wide. Good condition. Pictures 

on request. $3600 315-271-4490 

GEITH Heavy duty 30k-60k hydraulic excavator 

tumb excellent condition $1500. 20 bushel apple 

bins $25. 315-593-3316 

All credit cards accepted. 

Advertisers in this section support the mission 

of the New York Farm Bureau. 

NYFB reserves the right to refuse to accept any classified ad, paid or unpaid, 

at its sole discretion. Payment must accompany order with all paid ads. 

Advertiser 

of the month: 

Hartland Farms 

MORGAN HORSES- We offer 

the finest in trained mares, geldings and 

outstanding young stock. Terrific quality, 

sane, and sound. Hartland Morgans, 

www.hartlandmorgans.com Windsor, NY, 

607-655-2604. 


FMC – 4 lane (for apples & peaches) grader, 

waxer, dryer, bin dumper. 40’ dbl. belt, many new 

parts, all excellent. $15,500. 570-596-4635 

0% FINANCING on Hesston & Massey Ferguson 

Round Balers, Mowers and most hay tools. Call 

us for Hesston and Case IH Hesston parts. www. 

mabiebros.com or 315-687-7891 

CALL US for KRONE hay tools and parts. Tedders 

and Rakes in stock. www.mabiebros.com or 

315-687-7891 

TOOL STORE CLOSING. $100,000 inventory. 

Woodworking/Automotive Equipment. Air, hand 

tools, compressors, generator, jumbo socket/ 

wrench sets, engine stands to 2000lbs. Vices, 

hoists and much more. Call 845-266-5537 

3pt Hitch 7 ½ snow blower double auger w/ 

hydraulic chute (cylinder included) very good 

$1875; Dayton PTO generator 50/25kw on nice 

trailer $2750 315-964-1161 

RETIRING JD Tractor Mechanic is selling Shop 

Service and Repair Manuals, extra parts, come 

tools and some toys NIB. Call 631-830-7051 or 

Email deeredoc161@yahoo.com. 

2 CONCRETE STORE Silos. 20x80. Best offer. Call 

Kinderfields. 518-758-2249 

SILO: Side mount flurry store. 6219 E with 2 barn 

pumps. Great condition. $4000. 315-337-8974 

FREE: 2 concrete silos, 65x20 and 75x25. You take 

down and remove one or both. 518-287-1870 

H&S MANURE Spreader 80. Stored inside; like 

new. 716-474-0716 

HAY WAGON: 8’x16’. All metal, no wood, 3 

pt hitch metal fertilizer/lime spreader. Yamaha 

Grizzly, 125cc ATV, 4-stroke camo color. All in 

VGC. Pygmy goats too. 518-966-8130 

HAY WAGON: 8.5x16’, never stored outside. 3 

Pt hitch fertilizer spreader, 16’ hay elevator, 300 

gallon fuel tank with hand pump. Call evenings 

518-686-9851 


WANTED: 8’ or 10’ transport disc in Steuben or 

Allegany County. 607-225-4502 

WANTED: 2-row corn planter. 315-684-9349 

WANTED: Used chicken processing equipment. 

Joe at 203-395-0908 or jhaberny@aol.com 

WANTED: Diesel tractors, Case LA, DC (wide 

front), 930, 1030, 500. 518-922-6301 

WANTED: Would the person that has the Allis 

Chalmers G Tractor that lives in Mexico, NY call 

315-986-4461. I lost your name and phone 

number. Thanks. 

JOHN DEERE 2240, Woods rotary mower 0121 

(offset), FMC sprayer DP300, Vicon spreader 

PS603, Utility trailer, new chain saws – Alamia 

12”, Homlite 14”. 716-523-8972 

Vehicles and Vehicle Parts 

1957 CHEVY HOOD Good condition. $125.00 

518-692-7810 

MAX ATV’s - The six-wheeler workhorse that is built 

to last. Nothing Compares! Call 315-853-3640. 

1996 33 FOOT MOTOR HOME. 4600 miles. GM 

chassis & engine. Sleeps 6. A/C, Satelite TV, full 

kitchen & bath, generator. Excellent condition. 

Originally $85,000 asking $25,000. In Brewster. 

845-406-1266 

HONDA ENGINE DEALER – Seaway Rental Corp, 

Watertown, NY. Stock parts and services, Honda 

engines. 315-788-4700. 

Equine 

EQUINE DENTAL SERVICES accepting new clients 

in all of New York State 315-829-3135. 

NATURAL Barefoot trimming for horses of all 

sizes. Reasonable rates, multi-horse discount. 

Call Ashlee 315-868-4223 or visit www. 

gentletouchfarrier.webs.com. 

WESTERN CHAPTER NYS Horse Council. Serving 

the equine community in WNY. www.wcnyshc.org. 

716-941-9120. 

WILDWOOD FARM – standing imported Lusitano 

Stallion – Voluntario Interagro. Quality Iberian 

warmblood young stock available. 607-693-5091. 

REINING HORSES FOR SALE – Ticonderoga, NY. 

Check out website www.willowwoodfarm.com 

FOUNDATION QUARTER HORSE breeding and 

sales. Suitable for many disciplines, especially 

ranch horse versatility. Raycliff Farm. 315-823- 

4321 visit www.rhultenquarterhorses.com. 

LAND’S END WHIPPORWILL. Reg. Section B Liver 

chestnut Welsh pony stallion! By #1 ranked 

Hunter Pony Stallion Caroline’s Red Fox! $500 

private treaty. Foxtale Farm. foxtalefrm@aol.com 

or 607-215-5594 

REG ARABIAN MARE 10 yrs old Egyptian 

bloodlines. Tall. Pretty. $1350. Also pure bred arab 

colt. 6 months old. Halter broke. Typie. Friendly. 

$600. 607-849-4860 

JP RHOADES FARM. Reg. Morgan horses. All ages. 

Trained and young stock. Bred for soundness, 

athleticism, sensibility. Pine City, NY 607-732- 

8485 Prhoades@stny.rr.com. 

MORGAN HORSES- We offer the finest in 

trained mares, geldings and outstanding young 

stock. Terrific quality, sane, and sound. Hartland 

Morgans, www.hartlandmorgans.com Windsor, 

NY, 607-655-2604. 

REGISTERED MORGAN MARE. Liver chestnut. 

Ground drives, trail rides with company. Good for 

farrier. Experienced beginner rider. 8 yrs old, 

15 hands, Elegant. Knows leads, WTC, willing to 

please. Great potential. $3000 obo. Cell# 914- 

489-3250 

HAFLINGER Horses. All ages. Top bloodlines. 

Mostly imported. From 14.1 to 15.1 hands. 

Reasonable prices for top bloodlines. NEW TREND 

FARM. 518-762-1503 

SMALL HAFLINGER PONY. Great as a companion 

pony. $200 716-754-7156

September 2011 Grassroots Page 23 


Equine 

HORSES/PONIES. Large selection. Quiet family 

to fancy show. Thoroughbred and Paint/ 

warmblood stallions. Broodmares. Photos. WWW. 

HIGHPOINTFRM.COM 845-266-3678 

GYPSY VANNERS for sale: Premier American 

and European bloodlines. Long island bred foals, 

yearlings, geldings and mares are available now. 

Visit www.Ellena’sGypsy VannerFarm.com or call 

David at 631-921-9300 

HERD REDUCTION – FREE to a good home, 

thoroughbred broodmares without papers or 

$1000 with papers. 3 references required. 607- 

369-9100 

PAIR OF PONIES. 14 hands. Brother/sister. Clyde/ 

welsh crosses. Gray. Ride, drive (single and 

double). Gelding was used for vaulting. UTD on 

everything. Good for farrier, loading etc. $5000 

obo. 518-441-4035 

GENUINE HEINZ 57 part draft 8 yr old black 

gelding. Excellent work horse. 12 yr old Quarter 

horse cross sorrel gelding trail horse. Too many 

horses, too little time. 607-382-7472 

PERUVIAN PASO. Flashy 4 and ½ year old paso 

mare with five months training under a highly 

respected Peruvian Paso trainer. She has great 

breeding and tons of brio. $5500 516-721-9173 

for more information. 

SHIRE SALE. 3 pair; 2 whites, 2 bays, 2 

blacks (1 of which is a stallion). Extraordinary 

temperaments, terrific quality. Very gentle nature. 

Located in the town of Southold. 631-765-8801 

HORSES TRAINED – Youngsters started/ 

problem horses. Registered Morgans for 

sale – sweet tempered and beautiful. www. 

blackwillowmorgans.com. 

FINGER LAKES THOROUGHBRED Adoption 

Program has new horses available for show and 

pleasure. These horses are looking for a great 

home. For information and pictures visit www. 

fingerlakestap.org. 585-905-7457 

STALLS AVAILABLE FOR LEASE. State of the art 

72x180 indoor arena, bull pen, round pen, 1/8 

mile track, outdoor arena, turnout, miles of trail 

riding. Karen 607-222-4447 Binghamton area. 

C.B. WALKER STABLES. Brewster NY. Horses boarded, 

leased, bought and sold. Lessons in all disciplines. 

Training in dressage, jumping and eventing. 845- 

278-1731 or info@cbwalkerstables.com. 

CHEVAL STABLES – Horse boarding in Marion NY. 

Indoor and Outdoor arenas, trails, round pen. Call 

1-585-520-5088 

CHESTNUT RIDGE Stable in Cambridge, NY. 

Boarding, Lessons and Training. Indoor and 

Outdoor Riding Arenas, Cross Country Course and 

Trails. Indoor and Outdoor Board. 518-677-3545. 

DIAMOND DERBY Ranch. Horse boarding, daily 

turnout, trails and lessons. Western, English. 

845-638-0271 

AFTER HOURS FARM, Clifton Park NY. Specializing 

in “TLC” horse boarding, superior English 

riding lessons and training. Indoor and outdoor 

rings. Horse shows, clinics and summer camp. 

(518)384-6441. 

FULL CIRCLE TRAINING STABLE LLC. Certified 

John Lyons Instructor of Natural Horsemanship. 

30 years experience-still learning everyday. 

Woman’s workshops March-Nov. Private lessons 

and training. Children welcome. Michelle Labriola. 

Rte 40 in Easton, NY 518-692-7111 –farm cell 

518-338-7401 or www.fullcircletrainingstable.com 

ADIRONDAK FOOTHILLS EQUINE in Comstock, 

NY offers horse boarding, lessons, indoor arena 

and much more. Brand new 120x280 outdoor 

provides the perfect venue for ranch sorting, 

team penning, barrel racing and gymkhanas. 

Visit www.adkfoothillsequine.com for a listing 

of events. Call 518-642-3755 or e-mail 

adkfoothillsequine@roadrunner.com. 

PHELAN TRAINING STABLE. Horses for sale, 

excellent dispositions. Lessons available, all seats. 

Qualified teacher. www.PhelanTrainingStable.com 

or 585-657-6952 

RENEGADE FARM in Schenectady NY. Reasonable 

rates with experienced quality service since 1996. 

Boarding, training, English & western lessons by 

Lynn Bakos. ARIA certified instructor. Monthly 

Adult Horsemanship course, summer camp. Indoor 

& outdoor rings, trails, over 40 acres of pastures. 

518-864-5518 or lgbrenegade@yahoo.com. 

Equine 

‘It will not be doubted, that with reference 

either to individual, or National Welfare, 

Agriculture is of primary importance. 

In proportion as Nations advance in population, 

and other circumstances of maturity, this truth 

becomes more apparent; and 

renders the cultivation of the 

Soil more and more, an object 

of public patronage.’ 

George Washington, 

Eighth Annual 

Message to Congress, 1796 

INFINITY FARM, a private boarding facility located 

in the West Charlton/Glenville area, currently 

has openings. Large box stalls, tons of turnout 

(w/ run-ins), large outdoor riding ring, trails, 

round pen and many extras. Check us out www. 

infinitehorses.com or call 518-374-9838 

HORSES BOARDED like family. 12x12 stalls, all 

day turnout onto lush green pastures. 10 miles of 

State Forest trails. Near Esperance. Retirees/Layups 

welcome $270/month www.Hearts-Haven. 

blogspot.com. Compare our rates! 518-875-9944 

HORSE BOARDING at Sunset Valley Farm, full 

board $225 per horse or $200 per multiple 

horse. Board has hay, grain, stall, turnout, 

lighted 80x130 outdoor arena, trails / fields on 

100+ acres, large pastures, training and lessons 

available. Owner on premises with 30 years of 

experience. 518-794-8129 or taz1919@aol.com. 

HORSE BOARDING: 10 minutes off NYS Thruway 

Exit 23, Albany. Full excellent care, lush pastures 

with Keepsafe Mesh fencing, outdoor arena, great 

trails for an hour to 5 hours riding. http://earl1. 

angelfire.com. Call 518-475-0929 

HORSE BOARDING- Sullivan County. New barn. 

Lots of turnout with run-ins. Endless trails, tireless 

care. www.HighRoadHorseFarm.com or 845-482- 

4706 

HORSE BOARDING - Private family horse farm, 

Abundant secure pastures. Unending quiet 

woodland trails. Very large indoor arena. Large 

box stalls. Individual care. Resident veterinarian. 

Otego, NY 607-988-7779 

HORSE BOARDING – includes personal care, 

bi-monthly worming, use of outdoor arena 

and access to gravel road and trails. Separate 

paddock and roomy stall. $200/315-314-1932 

labowgirl@yahoo.com. References available. 

QUALITY STABLES. Quality care for boarding and 

training horses. Large lesson program for all ages. 

Visitors welcome. Oneonta, NY 607-432-8977. 

www.qualitystables.com. 

HORSE HEAVEN STABLES: horse boarding, 

English/western lessons, IEA Competition Team, 

full board includes turnout, feed and bedding. 

Indoor and outdoor arenas, heated tack room. 

Family owned and operated. 315-462-2354 or 

jpetruzz@rochester.rr.com. 

BOARDING,TRAINING & SALES: Pasture and 

rough board. Natural training methods in 

dressage, trail riding and western horsemanship. 

Lusitano crosses and quarter horses for sale. 

Clinton Corners, NY 845-594-9915 

FROM HUNT SEAT to race horses. We offer quality 

boarding, training and lessons. Horses started to 

fine schooling at very reasonable rates. Check 

us out at www.southerndutchess.com. 24/7 

supervision. 

BAR JMC RANCH offers full boarding, training 

programs, and lessons –english and western. 

Family run facility in Greene County. Reasonable 

rates with quality service. 845-820-4072 

FOUNDATION TRAINING & Solutions for Problem 

Horses. 32 acres of heaven just outside of 

Saratoga. Natural Horsemanship Approach (PNH). 

Learn with your horse! Call Sue Knight at Round 

Table Training. 518-885-0402 

Equine 

CORNERSTONE TRAINING STABLES. Training, 

lessons and sales. Check us out. Training, 

Lessons and sales. 607-359-2390 or www. 

cornerstonetrainingstables.com . Addison, NY. 

SUGAR HILL FARM of Victor, NY offers riding 

lessons for all levels. A safe environment builds 

confidence and teaches compassion while 

working with horses. 585-924-8240 or www. 

Sugarhillarabians.com. 

STONEWALL STABLES, I do everything, 50+ acres 

to enjoy, full board $200. Alden, NY 716-937- 

7682. 

PLEASANT HILL STABLES. Trail riding, Western/ 

English tack & Apparel shop, Boarding, Lessons, 

Indoor arena. Horse & Carriage for Weddings, 

Team & Wagon for Parties, Birthday parties, Gift 

Certificates. www.pleasanthillstable.com or 607- 

648-4979 

WINDROCK FARM solving common training 

issues with your horse, safe trailering, no 

kicking, biting, leading with respect, starting 

young horses with confidence, ride and obstacle 

course. Check web site for details. www. 

SwansonPetersonProductions.com. 

HORSES – Sales, training, lessons, breeding, 

boarding. Morgans, Paints and Quarter Horses. 

www.northstarfarm.com or 716-532-3390 

BOARDING, TRAINING (foals to seniors), Lessons, 

and Sales. Natural Horsemanship. WWW. 

hoofstepstrainingLLC.com (845) 820-0339 “Hoof 

Steps Training LLC, Doing things right one step at 

a time”. 

RETIREE HORSE BOARDING on family farm in 

Heldenberg, Knox NY. Box stalls, good pasture, 

quality hay and experienced caregivers on 

premises 24/7. Call Bonnie at 518-872-2151 

RETIRED HORSE BOARDING. Custom diets, 12x12 

stalls with windows, turnouts – individual/group, 

indoor arena. Specializing in nutritional problems. 

Equine nutritionist-owner/manager. Afton, NY. 

www.equineretirement.com 607-639-2409 

HORSE BOARDING & Riding Lessons. Brunswick 

NY. Oversized indoor arena, heated stables 

with all amenities. Board $525. Lessons for 

beginners-intermediate on seasoned horses $35. 

PlacidHillsStables.com 518-279-9717 

HORSE BOARDING at Stillwater Island Farm. 20 

min from Saratoga or Clifton Park. Spectacular 

views from the 50 acre private island. We have 

room for 2 boarders. Indoor arena, large box 

stalls, turnout in grass pastures with run-in sheds. 

Individual care. Maintained trails. Resident 

Veterinarian. Foundation Training available with 

natural horsemanship methods (PHN). $650 518- 

281-6383 

GLENWOOD FARM in Oneonta – Parent/Child 

opportunities! Unique Spanish language learning 

and horsemanship program for all ages in a 

fun environment. 607-433-1754 or amlusins@ 

hotmail.com. 

FOUR SEASONS Therapeutic Riding Center. Where 

people speak through horses. Therapeutic riding 

instruction, EAAT and Hippotherapy for people of 

all abilities. NARHA member center. 845-434- 

5912 

Equine 

INSTRUCTIONAL TRAIL RIDING in the National 

Forest on Tennessee Walking Horses. Why trot 

when you can glide? Experience the Cadillac of 

rides. Horse sales as well. Call Stan 607-330-1198 

LUKENS HORSE Transportation. Providing the best 

care for your horse for over 25 years. Weekly trips 

from the Northeast to Kentucky. Give us a call! 

1-800-621-1225 or www.horsetransport.com. 

CARRIAGE DRIVING and Beginner Riding lessons, 

Pony Parties. Shadow Brook Farm, Middletown, 

NY Call Betty 845-692-5046. 

1990 Circle J 2-Horse trailer, straight load w/ramp, 

storm doors, 2 escape doors, tack compartment. 4 

new tires. Very good condition. 607-225-4909 

1974 HARTMAN 2-horse trailer. New brakes, 

good condition. $800. 845-226-1424 or 845- 

309-4444 

TWO HORSE trailer, electric brakes; 10 foot horse 

trailer; 15 month small Angus steer; Heston baler 

belt and pickup tines; IH 966 oil and fuel filters. 

518-885-6286 

WHISKEY CART & One Horse Cutter Sleigh. 

Excellent condition. Extra set of draft shafts for the 

cart. 2 complete sets of harnesses. Cart $1500 

Sleigh $2000 Harness $200 & $400. 845-895- 

2758 

Con-Tack consigns and sells any horse related 

items including tack, riding apparel, antiques, 

etc.845-757-4442 or visit www.con-tack.com. 

TACK SALE to benefit Ontario County 4-H Horse 

Program, November 26, 2011 preview starting 

at noon at the Cornell Coop Extension Building, 

480 N. Main Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424 

585-394-3977 

CUSTOM SADDLES at wholesale prices. Custom 

tack. Six to eight week time frame. 845-292-9224. 

BLACK 15” Western Saddle. Padded thick seat, 

nice leather tooling, new condition, used 1x. 

$175. 315-245-0687 

DRAFT SADDLE (new) leather 18” seat nice 

tooling $575; 300 gal galvanized water tub $95; 

Rubbermaid stall corner feeder $11 each 315- 

245-0687 

FARRIER TOOLS at Afton Farrier Supply. Rasps, 

Nippers, Hoof Knives, horseshoes and more. 607- 

206-3867 or www.aftonfarriersupply.tripod.com 

STOP ARENA DUST Now you can have a dust free 

indoor! MAG Flakes eliminates watering, saves 

money. Proven and safe. www.StopArenaDust. 

com Emerson Supply 716-434-5371 

PREMIUM QUALITY THRIVE horse feed; complete 

feed, highest quality ingredients. Great for all 

ages/breeds of horses. Aids with normalizing 

weight, build healthy hooves, improves coat, aids 

with establishing a calm temperament. Feed as 

nature intended. See website: prayroadstables. 

com or call 315-393-3433 

TRAIL RIDES: Join us for a fun ride on our trails 

and fields. 585-638-5042. 

EQUINE CONNECTIONS © MASSAGE THERAPY. 

Enhance Performance. Safeguard against injury. 

Give your horses the best possible care. CJ 

Mathewson. Certified Equissage © Therapist. 

Info@ www.equitouch.webs.com 518-848-4599 

COGGINS TESTING – AGID and ELISA. Chemistry, 

Hematology, Urinalysis, Fecal and Serology too. 

Have your veterinarian contact us at Mohawk 

Valley Vet Labs (MVVL) located in Westmoreland, 

NY 1-877-853-4930 

AQHA IF Western Pleasure prospects and 

broodmares. Paid up in NSBA Breeders Futurity. 

Prices start $1500-$7500. May help pay for 

trucking expenses. Ticonderoga, NY 518 585 

3040 Web address www.freewebs.com/ 

journeysendfarmqhs 

A HORSE DRAWN AFFAIR/BROE FARM home 

of Rosevale Leggo. 16.2 black morgan stallion 

standing at stud. Boarding ,lessons, training, 

dressage, driving ,hunters, Sales 518-329-5249 

MINIATURE HORSES,AMHA,AMHR, Stallions, 

Mares, Geldings. Champion bloodlines, Show and 

Pet quality. Also Miniature Donkeys, Llamas & 

Peacocks. Fairwise Acres. 607-545-6247 or visit 

www.fairwiseacres.com. 

MINIATURE HORSES, appaloosa stallion, mares, 

great dispositions. $600, saddles. Ticonderoga, 

NY. Lord Howe Valley Farms. 518-585-3009



Livestock 

BULLS! BREEDING- Age Jerseys, very good 

– excellent dams with 20,000lbs + records. 

Dreamroad Jerseys Call Flip 518-762-2375. 

BULLS – REGISTERED HOLSTEIN SIRES: from EX 

dams w/high fat & protein plus longevity traits. 

Over 50 on hand –see the dams when you visit. 

Call Wayne @ Ridgedale 518-673-2809 

100% PUREBRED WAGYU BREEDING BULL 

available for sale or lease. Semen available, will 

deliver. Forever Hopeful Farm. 518-369-6874 

HERD REDUCTION SALE! Reg. Black Angus 

females & pairs. Genetics include Trav004, SAV 

Pioneer, SAV Bismark, Objective, Sitz Upward, 

Sitz New Design. Also selling 2009 Trav 004 Son. 

Herd located in Colton, NY. Call 209-470-5293 or 

tammih12@gmail.com 

REGISTERED RED ANGUS born 5-3-09. . 315- 

691-4878 or 416-9641 

REGISTERED ANGUS Bulls: Yearling by Final 

Answer. Three year old by Duff New Edition 6108. 

Call or email for performance data and more 

details. Amp4265@yahoo.com or 716-597-7836 

REGISTERED POLLED Hereford Heifer and Bull 

calves; high weaning weights, good bloodlines. 

Berne, NY 518-872-0256 

HEREFORD bred heifers. Safe in calf to MSU TCF 

Revolution 4R. Developed through Penn State 

Heifer Development Program. Excellent genetics. 

jwagner@mhcable.com or 518-469-3777 

HOLSTEIN STEER 1200lbs, butcher ready $1100 

or $1.90 hanging weight. 4 holstein/jersey steers, 

600lbs, $500 finish off this summer! All fed certified 

organic feed, pasture raised. 585-554-4468 

STEERS. 2 Holstein/Jersey cross steers. 950 lbs 

each. Healthy, closed herd. 20 minutes south of 

Syracuse. 315-391-4290 

BEEF COW/CALF pairs. Some certified organic, some 

registered. Herefords and crosses. All very nice cows. 

Will also consider trade for certified organic milkers. 

Hannibal-Cato area. 315-626-6770 

BEEF CATTLE WANTED: Tiffany Hill Farm is a 

cutting horse facility in Wappingers Falls, NY. 

We are seeking cattle suppliers for our practice 

sessions. We require 30 to 35 head on a monthly 

basis. Cattle must be fresh (not worked with 

horses).We will pick up and return. Please contact 

Jim at 845-462-2774 or 914-403-2015 (cell) or 

e-mail jim@industrialwindow.com. 

BROCKETT HOOF TRIMMING 2006 Graduate of 

Dairyland Hoof Care, now serving Lewis County 

and the surrounding areas. Times are tough but 

cow health is not the place to cut. Call Tim today. 

814-644-5323 

PERFORMANCE Dairy products. Live microbials 

for your dairy cows. Let Fred Myers help you 

improve your herd average. 315-271-5329 or 

315-865-6190 

REGISTERED ALPINE dairy goats. 2009 kids, 

yearlings and milkers. CAE Prevention Certified 

Scapie Program. 315-727-1887 

DAIRY GOATS – ADGA registered Oberhasli 

National Top Ten DHIR milkers, yearlings, bucks, 

goat milk soap. Delicious milk, high butterfat. 

Darien 585-547-9906. www.harperhillfarm.com. 

REGISTERED NIGERIAN Dwarf Goat Does and 

Buckling. Nice markings. Easy to handle. 

Excellent milkers. Milk is very good for you and 

makes great cheese. Great for a small family 

or 4H project. 518-854-9702 or Alanna@ 

starlitridge.com. 

REGISTERED NIGERIAN Dwarf dairy goats – small 

and easy to handle. breeding stock, ideal for 

personal milk supply, 4-H projects, Can pull carts 

of be a pack animal. Does and bucks available. 

Shots-wormed- Downsizing herd. Binghamton 

area, call evenings 607-693-2682 

ADOPT-A-GOAT to NO KILL FARMS ONLY. Young 

and healthy from Saratoga County. $75 adoption 

fee. Call Lou at 518-584-3041 or www.exit13s.com 

ANGORA GOATS. Reg. breeding stock from super 

fine Texas bloodlines. Breeding age bucks, does 

and starter flocks available, also raw or washed 

mohair fleece. Some pet quality stock also 

available. 518-537-4487 

AKBASH PUPPIES. Livestock guardian dogs. Adult 

dogs on premises working sheep, alpacas and 

goats. Puppies live with all species. Ready now. 

Excellent temperaments! No coat maintenance. 

Springside Farm. 315-683-5860 


SHETLAND SHEEP BREEDING stock for sale. 

For information or photos, 716-244-0290 or 

wildgeesefarm@gmail.com. 

OLD ENGLISH sheepdog puppies: adorable, 

willing learners, love children. Health guarantee. 

Payments, shipping available 716-483-6511. 

TINY YORKIE Puppies. 5 girls, 1 boy. Mom 6 lbs, 

dad 4lbs. All Registered. Ready July 19 th . $900 

each. 518-792-0437 

MEAT GOATS: market-show-breeding stock. See: 

Empire State Meet Goat Producers Association 

website www.ESMGPA.org 

GOATS, DONKEYS, TURKEYS, spring chick, fresh 

eggs, live and dressed. NPIP certified 518-733- 

9332. 

DAY OLD CHICKS – Cornish Rock cross broiler 

chicks, Red Sex linked layer chicks, and Broad 

Breasted White turkey poults. Call or write for 

prices and availability. NEPPA Hatchery, 660 

Fordsbush Road, Fort Plain, NY 13339 518-568- 

5322 

CLUN FOREST TWIN ewe and ram lambs. 

Grainless growth, meat or fleece. windyridge@ 

twcny.rr.com 315-653-7575. 

2011 WHITETAIL FAWNS for sale. Max, Palmer, 

Xfactor,, Rolex, Maxbo Extreme and Absolute 

genetics. Great crosses. Limited number of fawns 

for sale. Taking deposits. Northern Whitetail 

Farms, Akron, NY. More details on the website at 

www.NorthernWhitetailFarms.com. 

ALPACAS! ALPACAS! ALPACAS! Invest in the New 

York Farm lifestyle! Near Belleayre Mountain. 

www.alpacasofdundorwoods.net 845-254-4602. 

ALPACAS. Show quality stock. Excellent 

bloodlines, fiber and color. Many to choose from. 

Plan a farm visit. Call 518-475-7774 

RICE ALPACA FARM going out of business sale. 

Everything must go. We have proven herd sires, 

bred females, maidens and dams with babies. 

Most under $2k. Visit www.ricealpacafarm.com 

or call 315-626-6768 

CONSIDERING ALPACAS... At Spirit Wind Farm 

and Fiber Studio we take pride in offering quality 

alpacas with competitive prices and guarantees. 

Providing education in alpaca husbandry and fiber 

w/ ongoing support before, during and after the 

sale. Contact us w/ questions or to schedule a 

visit to our farm and studio. 315-926-5427 email: 

kyoung8@rochester.rr.com 

OTTER CREEK ALPACAS located in Johnsonville, 

NY. Come visit our herd of Show and Pet quality 

alpacas. We are a full service farm from sales and 

tours to our farm store. Enjoy all aspects of the 

alpaca lifestyle. Christine at 518-783-4059 or 

www.ottercreekalpacas.com 

ALPACAS – Reg. quality breeding females, pet/ 

fiber quality males. Call for sales list. Reasonably 

priced. Package deals available. Visit us, just 

outside of Syracuse, NY 315-445-2865 www. 

brierhillalpacas.com. 

DUTCH HOLLOW Alpacas. Breeding, boarding, 

started herds, quality genetics at affordable prices. 

Alpaca fiber CSA shares available! All major 

credit cards accepted. www.DutchHollowAcres. 

com. 585-237-8575 


ATTENTION HOME SPINNERS. Super soft under 

20 micron alpaca males only $550 each. 3 for 

$1200. Must make room so these herd sire 

quality males must go. Check them out at www. 

magemountainalpacas.com or 716-938-9077 

ALPACAS FOR SALE. ALL must go! Pet & quality 

animals, males & females. Shearing table, cute 

and other misc. items. All negotiable. Call after 

7pm or leave a massage 607-589-4888 or 607- 

589-7590 

ICELANDIC SHEEP: Meat, breeding stock, fleece, 

roving, yarn, felt, pelts. High quality products. 

Shepherd’s Falls Farm. 315-683-9408 or visit our 

website at www.shepherdsfallsfarm.com 

WHITE DORPER SHEEP. Shedding, no shearing 

needed, ewes, ewe lambs and ram lambs for 

breeding, custom-butchered freezer lambs, 

pasture raised without any grain, hoof rot free. 

www.whitecloversheepfarm.com or Email ulf@ 

whitecloversheepfarm.com. Phone 585-554-3313 

FREE RANGE grass only beef bulls 1.00 a pound 

live weight 518-883-8284 


PAINTED DESERT SHEEP, Miniature donkeys, 

Pygmy goats, Narragansett Turkeys, Golden Lacken 

Velder chickens, White bobwhite quail, Ryder Pond 

Farm 518-568-2953 

Forestry/Forest Products 

LOCUST POSTS Poles Lumber split rail fencing 

hardwood, softwood, lumber wood. Lot’s wanted 

518-883-8284. 

WHITE CEDAR fence posts. Various sizes and 

prices. Taking orders now. 315-386-8863 

LOGGING, LAND CLEARING, firewood, call 

Rainbow Ridge Farms 518-733-9332. 

TIMBER HARVESTING/LAND CLEARING Buyers of 

standing timber and logs. Full insured. Immediate 

Payment. J.L. McNamee, Ltd. 518-851-LOGS 

(5647) 

SUSAN KEISTER, Forester. Specialty: softwood, low 

grade and high grade timber sales; Management 

Planning. 585-728-3044 or visit www. 

susanjkeisterllc.com. 

CONSULTING FORESTRY : Timber sales, 480A, Gas 

Line and other appraisals, Firewood/improvement 

marking, ect. Roy D. Hopke, CF, 607-648-4573 

Info Google “Roy Hopke”. 

FOREST MGT. Services. 480a, Stewardship & NYC 

watershed forest mgt. plans, timber sale admin., 

appraisals, hunting leases & other services. 

JP Zylstra, Cert. Forester. 845-355-9042 or 

JPZMAN@Yahoo.com. 

NEW LEAF ENVIRONMENTAL LLC. North Eastern 

Wildlife and Forestry Consultants. Contact Lance 

Ebel and Andrew Fuerst at 607-229-0272 or 

visit www.newleafenvironmental.com for more 

information. 

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. Firewood processors 

and other products to choose from. View videos 

at www.windancerfarm.com. 607-656-4551 

MOORES LOGGING – Buyers of standing timber. 

Hardwood and softwood. 

607-293-7968. 

SAW MILL on Long Island. Custom Cut lumber 

Boards, Planks, Beams. 631-727-5920 Ed Thompson. 

SAW MILL BLADES 1 40 in. $500 obo, 1 48 in 

$1,000 obo, 1 50 in 1000 obo, 518-883-8284 

SAWMILL American #2 50” blade $1000. Also 

52” left hand blade $600. 716-307-3175 

FIREWOOD FOR SALE. Long length (8-15’) 

hardwood logs delivered all long Island and South 

East NYS. 845-667-2540 

APPLE WOOD & FIREWOOD available in Columbia 

& northern Dutchess counties and all adjacent 

areas. Delivery available, call for free quote. 845- 

876-5999 

STANDING TIMBER WANTED. Hardwood, 

softwood, top prices paid. Harvesting with 

flotation equipment – low impact. J.B. Winter & 

Sons Logging Company Inc. 518-392-8173 

TIMBER & LOG BUYERS. “The Wagner Company” 

purchase standing timber, hardwood logs 

and timberland throughout New York and the 

Northern Tier of PA. 607-687-5362 or www. 

wagnerlumber.com. 

$$$LOGGING$$$. Buying standing timber. Hard, 

soft, maple, cherry, walnut ,ash, red &white oak. 

50-500 acres. Paid before cut. Free consultation; 

good network. 315-668-3786 or 315-706-4592 

CUSTOM SAWING of logs, rough-cut hard and soft 

wood lumber available. Mill Blades Hammered. 

Call Ken. 585-547-9269 or 585-591-0180 

NOW BUYING TIMBER: any kind. Aspen, poplar, 

cotton wood, willow, soft maple. Pole wood, fire 

wood stock. Standing or harvested. Picked up or 

delivered. Covey Tree Inc. 716-484-6183 

Travel 

WILD WEST TROPHY HUNTS: Trophy elk, whitetail, 

red deer and buffalo. Wildwestrophyhunts.com 

607-847-6658. 

EASTON VIEW OUTFITTERS are specialists 

in putting together just the kind of outdoor 

adventure you have in mind! From once-in-alifetime 

trophy hunt to wilderness photography 

to using our lodge for your gathering or as your 

source of quality cervid stock for a new or existing 

farm, we promise you an unforgettable outdoor 

wilderness experience. Call 518-692-9999 for 

more information. www.EastonViewOutfitters.com. 

COME VISIT OUR FARMS! New York Deer & Elk 

Farmers Association invites you to come visit a 

deer or elk farm near you! There are over 540 

farms in New York State! Contact NYDEFA at 

716-685-4019 or NYDEFA@NYDEFA.org to locate 

a farm near you! 

LLAMA TREKS. Take a guided nature hike with 

our pack llamas, through forested ravines with 

a stream and waterfalls, while they carry drinks 

and snacks. Spring, summer and fall. www. 

woodmanseellamas.com 315-696-8997 

FRONTENAC POINT Vineyard & Estate Winery is 

now open Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays. Located 

on the west side of Cayuga Lake. We participate 

in the Local Farms discount program for Farm 

Bureau members. www.frontenacpoint.com. 

607-387-9619 

SEASONAL AGRI-TOURISM business opens 

in Lodi, NY, Seneca County! Amazeing Acres 

features a 7000 sg.ft Hedge Maze, a classical 

stone Labyrinth, Medicine Wheel Garden, pond 

w/paddle boats and walking paths to the Finger 

Lakes National Forest. Rough camping and 

Hostel. Open May1 – Oct 31. Fun outdoor field 

trip for families and classrooms. Coming soon: 

A hopscotch pavilion and Peddle Cart Track! 

Available for Birthday parties, celebrations and 

Fundraiser Events too. www.amazeingacres.org 

or 607-592-5493 to book a reservation. 

Farm Market 

“THE MAPLE LADY” visit her at www.MapleLady. 

com for unique maple products, gifts and recipes. 

MOUNTAIN WINDS FARM Maple syrup, all natural 

farm fresh eggs, broiler chickens, vegetables in 

season. Second generation on the farm teaching 

the third generation. 518-872-0513 

VALERIES GARDEN’s open for the season. 

Annuals, herbs, perennials, vegetables and so 

much more. 732 Middle Road, Horseheads, NY 

607-739-5237 Mon-Fri 10-6 Sat-Sun 10-4. 

MARKETING BOOST. New York Farm Bureau’s 

“Local Farms, Local Food” promotion program 

gives your retail farm market more visibility with 

press releases, advertising, point-of-purchase 

materials, and Web site listing, plus a commission 

on new Farm Bureau memberships you sell. To 

inquire send e-mail to MemberSupport@nyfb.org 

or call 800-342-4143, ext. 5631. 

SUPPLIES 

DISCOUNT PESTICIDES. We ship daily. info@ 

thompsonag.com 716-934-3808. 

GENERIC PESTICIDES – Springwater Ag Products. 

8663 Strutt St. Wayland ,NY Open 7 days a week! 

Farmer friendly prices. Call for early savings and 

prices. Serving the Finger Lakes area since 2003. 

We sell brand names as well. 585-728-2386 

DRUMS and CONTAINERS Great for home 

brewery. Polyethylene plastic drums ideal for 

storage. 10 gal. white drum w/ blue screw on lid 

$10 each. 20 gal square containers w/ blue snap 

on lids, will hold 60lbs of wheat. $5/each. 55 gal. 

plastic open top drums for rain barrel $10 each. 

1/2 oz and 5 oz glass amber bottles with caps 

$.13 each. Contact paul@ontariorecycling.com 

for pictures, pricing and shipping. 585-328-4253. 

SUPER SALE!!! 300,000 BTU American Royall 

Outdoor wood/coal boilers. True closed system 

dual fuel. List price $8,600. Sale $7,000 + 

freight. $1,500 TAX REBATE!! 716-945-1414 

SAVE UP TO 65% off your hot water bill with 

EarthKind Solar. Use the sun to save money, save 

energy and reduce your dependence on imported 

fuels. Great for dairy farms. Call 1-877-Earth-71. 

VERMONT CASTINGS Encore Noncatalyst wood 

stove, 8” flue collar, 2009 model year. 

Good stove for large home. Includes thermostatic 

blower system, firebox screen and 8” 

doublewall piping sections. $2100 obo. 516-449- 

1282 

HEATERS - portable type kerosene and propane. 

Seaway Rental of Watertown, NY, stocks many 

common parts to repair many brands. Phone 315- 

788-4700. Review our main rental list at www. 

seawayrentalcorp.com 

CRATES,BOXES,BAGS for sale. Every type of 

ag packaging for wholesale/retail trade. Many 

available new, misprints or used. Immediate 

shipment. Wasserman Bag Company. Hicksville, LI 

516-681-5900

September 2011 Grassroots Page 25 


SUPPLIES 

SPECIALTY PRODUCTS 


Real Estate 

BLACK PLASTIC bulb boxes. $1.50 each. Up to 

500 available. 716-648-4673 

LISTER LASER Shearing Machine with extra 

combard culler, with plastic carrying 

case. Never used. Paid $320, asking $300. Firm. 

716-992-3806 

PRECISION GPS Guidance Equipment. We sell 

units that Guide operators, auto steer tractors, 

map spraying and systems that guide within 1-2 

inches. Outback Guidance center. Geneva, NY 

14456 315-789-0037 

WOODWORKERS: Planer/jointer knives anyone 

can change! Free shipping for NYFB members. 

www.dispozablade.com 800-557-8092. 

SULLIVAN COUNTY FARM has compost for 

sale. Buyer responsible for trucking. Dry manure 

available. 845-295-0063. 

TEXAS REFINERY LUBRICANTS Since 1922. Top 

quality oils and greases. TIRESEAL never equaled. 

Leading fuel conditioner for wear and deposit 

reduction in diesel. 716-581-0570 Made in USA. 

Amsoil synthetic lubricants. Wholesale 

prices available. The pioneer company since 

1972. Will lower overall operating cost. For free 

information pack call 1-800-753-8679. 

PURCHASE AMSOIL Synthetic lubricants. Reduce 

engine wear, lower your operating cost and help 

Farm Bureau. Visit www.lubedealer.com/ve Use 

dealer number ZO 1664563 

Egg Cartons and Poultry Supplies at 

discounted prices. 1-888-852-5340.Visit www. 

EggCartons.com. 

TARPAULINS: 1000 denier heavy duty weave, 

white, silver, green/silver, 26 sizes 8’ x 10’ thru 50’ 

x 100’ Rubber/nylon tiedowns. 845-266-5537. 

POND SUPPLIES, fish stocking and algae control. 

Contact us for your pond needs. 1-888-854-8945. 

www.willowpondaquafarms.com 

LAKE BED aerators, fountain display aerators, 

lighting, waterfall pumps, stationary fountains and 

organic treatments for ponds. NYS dealer of www. 

aquacontrol.com, email info@pondsandbeyond. 

com or call Jim 518-527-9328. 

HONEYBEES – Start Beekeeping today, we 

offer Italian, Carniolan and Russian Honeybees 

in Packages, Queens and Nuc Hives. Contact 

Betterbee, Inc at 1-800-632-3379 or online at 

www.betterbee.com and order today. Please 

mention code FARMB2008 

HONEYBEES and equipment. Order now for 

spring delivery. 845-427-2809 or elwill@ 

frontiernet.net 

HONEYBEE COLONIES wintered over and washed 

empty 55 gallon open head barrels. Available after 

May 1 st . 585-964-3121 

WASHED BEDDING SAND, STONE, GRAVEL, 

LIMESTONE CRUSHER-RUN prompt service fully 

insured since 1949. Van trucking 315-263-2647 

EQUIPMENT- Gates, pens, feed panels, corrals, 

feed throughs, all sizes. Finger Lakes. 585-394- 

1515 or 585-315-0498 ask for Ron. 

EQUIPMENT - CATTLE: chutes, headgates, sweeps, 

panels. EQUINE: stalls, saddle racks, round pen. 

Also have kennels. Call Layden’s. 888-589-7033 


FISH HATCHERY at Falconwood Farms. Live fish 

for ponds, restaurants and farm markets. Grown 

in ponds and tanks supplied by water from wells 

and springs.. 845-832-6086 www.fishfarm.com 

WOOL yarn, retail LAMB and sausage from our 

flock. www.Paragonfarm.com Palmyra, N.Y. 315- 

597-6742. 

OLFACTORY FARM has dried lavender buds for 

sale! 2oz. bag $4.95, 4oz. bag $7.95 or 3 large 

dried lavender bundles for $18 plus shipping. 

315-754-8828 

HAND SALVES, Creams, bug spray, sunblock, 

pet products, baby products and more. Made 

with local ingredients including most of my own 

organic herbs. Richmondville. 518-534-3003 

www.earthlyremediesbyerin.com. 

EMU OIL. Helps arthritis, psoriasis, skin rashes, 

poison ivy, etc. Works for any dry skin, excellent 

for wrinkles. At the Windmill on Saturdays in Penn 

Yan. Mail order available. Young Hill Ostrich & 

Emu Farm. 8489 Lattimier Hill Road. Arkport, NY 

14807 emufarm@linkyny.com. 

VITAZYME BIOSTIMULANT improves fertilizer 

efficiency, boost crop yields and quality. Call 585- 

455-0331 or visit www.agbioinc.com 

PACIFIC WESTERN OUTDOOR wood boiler 

furnaces, 409 stainless steel, priced to pick up 

Oneonta 607-434-3474. 

SEEDLINGS – Colorado Blue and White Spruce 

3 yr 8”-16” 20 for $21.95 100 for $79.95. 

Shipping minimum $15, 25% deposit, balance 

due prior to shipment. CNURSERY@Frontiernet. 

net. 585-657-7165 fax 585-657-7167 

SEW WHAT? FABRIC SHOPPE – Fabrics, yarn , 

classes and machine quilting. Addison, NY 607- 

359-4308 

RARE JAPANESE Umbrella Pines. Selling several 

in the 4-7 foot tall range. Discounted. Also have 

other specimens. Western Suffolk County. 631- 

261-7450 

CLOVER SEED. Medium red, cleaned and on farm. 

607-546-4055 

EVERGREENS – Landscape B&B. Barnestreefarm. 

net or 585-392-9279. Best time to plant 

Evergreen Trees. 

LEHIGH VALLEY WREATH Co. for all your 

Christmas Wreath needs: wholesale – mail order. 

315-662-3774 

GOOD QUALITY EAR Corn. Ton quantities 

available. Call for info. 607-546-4055 

MR.POPPING COB “ The popcorn that pops off 

the cob. Proven product for farm markets. Easy 

sales. Taking orders for the 2010 season. Call 518- 

527-0667ask for Lloyd. 

CATTLE FREE STALL SAND. Inorganic bedding 

sand, delivered by the yard. Provided by Ashcroft 

Construction Company. Greenwich, NY. 518- 

692-2014 

BULK PINE SHAVINGS Available for Pick-up 

Truck to Tractor Trailer Loads Priced by Cubic 

Yard Mike Smith Logging 877-658-3250 or 

mikesmithlogging@msn.com 

SAWDUST and bark Mulch. Also wood cuts offsends 

from sawmill. Ideal for outdoor furnaces. 

Will deliver to Sussex, NJ, Orange-Chenango- 

Sullivan-Delaware, Putnam, Wayne Counties. All 

calls returned. 845-986-2946 

BULK PINE Shavings loaded on your pick-up 

or dump truck. Mike 607-859-2394 or www. 

sawdustguy.com. 

MULCH. All natural barks and colored mulches, bulk 

stone and boulders, Rinox brick and block products, 

Aquascapes, pond supplies. GreenScapes Inc. 315- 

469-0007 or www.greenscapesonline.com. 

KILN DRIED SAWDUST and wood shavings, green 

sawdust available. Quality, clean horse and dairy 

bedding. 20 to 120 yard loads available. Prompt 

Service. 315-729-1499 

BAREFOOT WOOD PELLETS. $275/ton. Worcester 

Valley Lumber Rte 7 West, Worcester, NY 12197. 

607-397-8002 

LAMB for your freezer (legs, chops, burger, 3 flavors 

sausage, etc.) Registered Cotswold breeding 

stock, natural colored sheep too. Exceptional 

handspinning fleeces, prepared fiber and 

sheepskins, all from our flock. www.nistockfarms. 

com or 607-522-4374. Located in Prattsburgh. 

MAPLE PRODUCTS – 35 gallons grade C in 5 Gal. 

containers, 30 Gal Grade B in 15 Gal. barrels. 

1lb & 8oz maple cream and maple sugar. All top 

quality. Scranton’s Natural Products – Delhi, NY. 

607-746-6463 

ADIRONDACK BALSAM PRODUCTS. $5.00 per 

pound Balsam. Pillows, sachets, door stoppers, 

etc… 5789 State Rte 28N Newcomb, NY 12852 

518-582-2260 

GOT COLD FEET? Alpaca socks are the warmest 

socks you’ll ever wear. 100% Alpaca – made in 

the USA from our own herds fleece. Buy on-line 

at www.HideAwayAcres.com. HideAway Acres – 

Sardinia, NY 716-496-7225. 

NORTHERN WHITETAIL SCENTS sells premium 

scents direct from our deer to your door! We 

are a family owned and operated white-tailed 

deer farm right here in New York. Our scents are 

collected and bottled fresh daily! 100% natural, 

the way nature intended! We now have antlers 

and mounts for sale. Call 1-800-683-3002 or visit 

www.NorthernWhitetail.com. 

ARMSTRONG’S ELK FARM has ARMSTRONG’S 

VELVET ANTLER CAPSULES for sale. Velvet antler 

provides nutritional support for joint structure 

and function. This natural dietary supplement is 

100% natural – 100% Whole Velvet Antler from 

Armstrong’s Elk Farm in Cornwallville, NY. Call 

518-622-8452 or e-mail elkfarmerd@aol.com. 

Real Estate 

GET CASH FOR YOUR NOTES - If you have sold 

a home or property and have carried back a 

mortgage note - GET CASH for all or part of your 

note. 716-207-2002/800-816-2735. 

CLEAN LICENSED & FENCED SALVAGE/REPAIR 

YARD with new house 50% done. Great location, 

next to I-88. Some inventory 100 plus engines/ 

transmissions, complete shop – lift – tools, waste 

oil furnace, body crusher – loaders – picker. Roll 

back, back hoe and lots more. DANA’s AUTO 

PARTS. Bainbridge, NY. Visit www.danasautoparts. 

web.com. $275,000. $85,000 down, EX Terms. 

607-624-8370 or 352-308-4746 

200+ ACRES $249,900 hunting paradise, private 

dead end road, wooded and open land, plenty of 

water and pond, deer, turkey, geese, duck, 315- 

287-3680 

FANCY EQUESTRIAN FACILITY for lease, 15 stalls, 

80 x 165 indoor, much more, Nunda, NY www. 

DanMarRanch.com 585-468-2679. 

HAMBURG, NY. 50 acres of farmland for lease 

with agricultural zoning. In addition to a spacious 

barn with 25 stalls, a large indoor riding ring and 

2 outdoor rings. Call Shawn at 818-384-9638 

BEAUTIFUL BARN/stables for rent at $2500 per 

month. Hamburg, NY. Excellent location for 

boarding or training programs. Includes 25 large 

stalls (with hay) , large indoor and outdoor riding 

arenas and storage space. Call Shawn at 818- 

384-9638 

SMALL HORSE FARM w/ 3 bedroom ranch house. 

Barn with small indoor, 34 acres pasture/woods. 

$239,900. 518-424-263. www.514oldsharonrd. 

com 

FURNISHED ROOM private bath one person share 

home. Quiet countryside, security, references, 

$390.00 monthly 518-854-7862. 

APARTMENT in Rexville, Steuben County. 607 area 

code. 2 nd floor, 2br, new carpet and floors, full 

bath $300 + utilities. 1 st floor, 2 br, full bath $400 

+ utilities. 516-429-2002 

1450 Sq.f solar home, 2 bedrooms, 2 full 

bathrooms, RANCH. Year round residency on 

25 acres. Garages, shops, cabin near by. Good 

hunting and fishing. On ATV & Snow-Mobile trail. 

Asking $144,000 315-543-2919 

186 ACRE FARM – Otsego Co. Edmeston NY. 

Close to Cooperstown. 4 bedroom home, barn, 

machine shed, good pasture, fenced, hay fields, 

woods. Great for horses and livestock. Excellent 

hunting. 607-965-2174 

49 ACRES FOR DEVELOPMENT. Niagara County, 

Town of Lewiston. Easy access to bridges to 

Canada. Owner looking to partner with a grape 

grower/wine producer to 

develop this prime land located on Niagara Wine 

Trail. Located on Ridge Road (Hwy 104) Contact 

Bob Clark716-745-3839 

36 ACRES in the Finger Lakes between Seneca, 

Keuka and Canandaigua lakes. Lots of 

hardwoods, pines and waterfalls. Some slope and 

flat on top. Deer and turkey. Never been logged. 

$119,000 585-554-3799 

RANCH HOUSE. 11 acre field backed by woods, 

near Jordanville, famed Owen D. Young School, 

Knotty pine throughout, open design, 3 BR, 

2B,attached double garage with heated shop/ 

hobby rooms; full dry basement,$205,000 

approved buyers only. 732-449-5499. 

PROPERTY IN EDEN NY. Prime location, many 

possibilities. 35 acres tillable, 15 acre woods. 

Home with 5 bdrm, 1.5 bath, dining room, gas 

well on property, barn. Can be divided. Has Lake 

Erie sunsets and Buffalo skyline views. Call for 

details. Qualified buyers only. 716-207-3022 

BUILDING maintenance business established for 

38 years in same area. $300,000 in equipment, 

$400,000 in business for 2009. Must sell, make 

offer. Will stay in area for 12 months to help new 

owners. 716-649-7942 or 716-861-3984 

COUNTRY HAVEN on 32 acres, beautiful modern 

3 bdrm home, pool, garage, private setting 518- 

922-6301 

10 BEAUTIFUL acres overlooking Seneca Lake, 

Yates County. Very nice 3 bedroom colonial home 

with stone fireplace, nice set of barns. 40x80 

Morton building with shop. 315-536-2717. Please 

leave message. 

HOME on 5.2 acres, central to Albany and MA. 

Reduced to$150,000 Neg . Also, hunting land for 

lease. Call 518-733-9332. Rainbow Ridge Ent. 

THE VILLAGES, FLORIDA, 3/2 house w/2 car 

garage. Built 2006. Golf cart community (33+ golf 

courses) everything to do but no ocean. 2 week 

minimum @ $1100 and up. www.Vacationrentals. 

com. (#38462) call 518-766-3905 or 526-3905 

DEER AND TURKEY hunting galore!! 76 acres of 

open and wooded land in Steuben County, lots of 

state land nearby, with or without mineral rights. 

Several great cabin sites. 315-945-5559 

BEEF&HORSE Farm. 66 acres. Great pasture, 

lots of water, 4 bedroom home, garage/shop, 

pole barn. Low taxes in an excellent location. 15 

minutes from Syracuse. Illness forces sale. Will 

sell with or without machinery. Reasonably priced. 

315-380-0089 ask for Richard for more details. 

HUNTERS PARADISE. Ducks, geese, Deer. 114 

acres with acreage for a camp. 17 ponds 

constructed to Ducks Unlimited Specs for nesting. 

315-397-2783 

220 ACRE former dairy farm in Tioga County. 

Currently raising alpacas. Original farm house, 

barns, 5 stall garage. Creek and ponds. Mineral 

rights included. $479,900 Call NY Land Quest 

877-257-0617. www.nylandquest.com. 

SELLING YOUR FARM? Want to buy a farm? We 

can help. Go to Fingerlakesrealestate.com then 

click on FARMS. We cover all of New York State. 

We have buyers ready to buy and they have been 

Pre-approved. Want to buy, we have farms for 

sale. Call Richard Schmidt at 315-729-3672 or 

email richardschmidt@realtor.com. 

BUY LAND. 40 years experience in Farm and Land 

sales in orange County. D.L. Hawkins & Assoc. 

845-629-6896 

SELL YOUR LAND OR PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT 

RIGHTS TAX FREE. Call Free brochure on IRC 

§1031 Exchange designed to help farmers since 

1921. 800-748-5720 

DISNEY AREA ORLANDO MAGIC Kissimmee, 

Florida 4 bdrm, 3 bath fully equipped with private 

heated pool in Emerald Island Resort. Free phone 

and internet-free tennis $900 per week. 516-333- 

9596 ztea@aol.com 

Employment 

SHOW HORSE FARM needs experienced help. 

Heated indoor facility. Housing plus salary. Call 

518-756-9777. 

THOROUGHBRED FARM Oneonta area exercise 

rider wanted to re-train race horses: Prospects and 

facilities in place; split proceeds 607-783-2696. 

HERDSMAN wanted for small (40 cow) registered 

Breeding/Dairy. Partnership potential available. 

Please send resume to : Resume – PO Box 111, 

Kanona, NY 14856. 

WNY DAIRY HERDSMAN Position: 1800 Reg. 

Holstein Dairy in Western NY. Responsibilities 

include: A.I. Breeding/Reproduction and Herd 

Health Management of the Milking Herd. Email 

mlz819@yahoo.com 

Antiques and Collectibles 

LAND OF OZ AND ENDS Bus tours welcome. 

Rare OZ items among distinctive antiques in a 

“homey” setting. Thur-Sat, 10:-5: Sun 1:-5: or 

by appointment , 2 miles west of downtown 

Chittenango on route 5 315-687-3319 www. 

landofozandends.com. 

“HORSE DRAWN” farm and logging 

equipment. Plows, plow parts, handles, videos, 

draft horse clinics. 585-567-8158. www. 

farmerbrownsplowshop.com. 

JERRYS DEERE BARN – Vintage John Deere Lawn 

& Garden tractors & two cylinder tractors. New 

website for hobbyists, collectors, restorers. Help 

forum, library, photo gallery and more. All free. 

www.JerrysDeereBarn.com



Antiques and Collectibles 

Services 

Services 

Services 

WANTED- BUYING OLD CLOTHING & accessories, 

hats, shoes, 1960’s and older. Need not be 

perfect. Also buying vintage fabric and sewing 

items, other antiques, bee supplies; Rochester 

area. 585-820-6619 

FIVE VINTAGE wood framed storm windows. 59” 

l by 32”w. Asking $20 each. Good condition. 

845-255-1891 

Services 

ELLEN WATSON PHOTOGRAPHY. For your 

photography needs on Long Island. www. 

ejwatson.com. 

FERRLAND PRESS – Graphic design, printing and 

promotional products. Discount pricing available. 

Contact us for a free quote. www.ferrlandpress. 

com. Toll free: 888-332-3253, email trent@ 

ferrlandpress.com. 

KELSEY’S MEAT CUTTING & PROCESSING. We 

process both Farm and Wild Game animals. 

Mobile Slaughter Unit for farm slaughter and 

pickup. Open Mon-Thurs 10am – 8pm and Fri- 

Sun 10am – 6pm. Call 315-942-2540 or www. 

kelseysmeatcutting.synasite.com. 

BRANDT’S CUSTOM MEAT CUTTING and mobile 

processing offers on site slaughtering for all 

types of farm animals as well as poultry. Now 

taking appointments. For those ordering chicks, 

we offer on site slaughtering of all poultry. Also 

selling quarter’s and halves as well as whole beef, 

butcher hogs and pasture raised poultry. Jordan 

or Rachel Brandt 315-493-9120 

AUBIN’S BUTCHERING & PROCESSING. 

Slaughtering beef, pork, veal, lamb, goats. 

Smoking hams, bacons, beef jerky, slim jims. 40 

years experience. Gary and Bert Aubin 315-688- 

2964 

HUNTING GUIDE SERVICE – Long Island Fowl 

Outfitters.com Hunting at its best on the twin 

forks. Now booking field and pond hunts for 

2011-12. 631-965-9251 

A&G DOG Boarding at Cedar Creek Farm. Bring 

your dog on a summer vacation!! We provide a 

warm home environment on a 70 acre farm in 

East Fishkill, NY. Daily exercise. Call Kim at 845- 

206-1756. 

CERTIFIED Animal Aromatherapist. Available for 

the common and uncommon: environmental 

issues, trauma, immune system, show placing 

and rescue animals. Appointments for the 4 & 2 

legged. Itoocare@aol.com or 607-862-9536 

STUDENT VIOLIN RENTALS: 1/16 th through full 

size, shipped to your home. Rental payment apply 

toward purchase. No obligation to buy. Walton 

Music House, Walton NY 607-865-5670 

SELLING YOUR Farmhouse or does it just need 

some help? Interior decorator with 20 years 

experience will travel to your home, work within 

your budget and guarantee spectacular results. 

From Cooperstown to Lake George, I can help. 

Call 518-961-2894 to set up a time to get started. 

HOME IMPROVEMENTS: Erie & Niagara Counties. 

Interior & Exterior Renovations and Repairs. 

Kitchens and baths. Family owned business for 

over 28 years. References and estimates. 716- 

695-1414 or email dirhomemaininc@aol.com. 

KEYSTONE DESIGNERS of Ellicottville can provide 

any product with your farm, barn or company logo 

embroidered or printed. Call Jennie at 716-699- 

4062 or toll free at 866-988-2110. 

AUNT LULU’s Embroidery specializes in livestock 

embroidery on garments and accessories. Denim 

shirts, award chairs, hats and much more. Check 

out www.StitchesByAuntLulu.com for breed 

specific embroidery. Laura 585-765-2280 

EMBROIDERED APPAREL. Your logo or text on a 

wide selection of caps, shirts, jackets and more. 

631-929-2800, www.omnibusinessproducts.com 

and email omnibp@optonline.net. 

LOVE TO PIECE QUILTS? I do machine quilting. 

Quilts for sale. Do you have favorite articles you 

want made into a quilt? Erma Martin, Clyde, NY. 

315-923-7217 

SAMPLERFARM CUSTOM QUILTS made to your 

order. Pieced, appliquéd, art and T-shirt quilts 

are professionally created and quilted. Longarm 

Machine Quilting services available. Nancy at 

samplerfarm@aol.com or 518-885-8427 

FENCING. Serving Western New York for over 14 

years. We install livestock, horse, deer and many 

other types of fence. All designed to fir your 

specific needs. Call R&R Fencing. 585-599-3489 

FENCING: we install agricultural and residential 

fencing to meet your needs. Post pounding, woven 

wire, board, split rail, chain link, vinyl. 25 years 

experience. Serving Western and Central NY. 

Stable fences & Vineyards, LLC. 585-349-4119 

www.StableFences.com. 

NUISANCE WILDLIFE CONTROL Services. Let a 

professional trapper harvest muskrats from your 

property this season. Licensed and Insured. A 

beaver control specialist serving CNY. Call Scott 

315-200-0777 

CHEMICAL CONSULTANT, GDA Consulting 

“Chemistry at Work” Guy D’Angelo, Chemist. Call: 

631-878-2912. 

HORTICULTURE/NURSERY/CONSULTING. Diversify 

your ag business, expand or create. FREE 

initial consultation. Contract Growing available. 

Billsplants@optonline.net or 631-924-1513 

HEDGE TRIMMING by Peter Vorkman. We trim 

hedgerows up to 16+ feet. We will trim them back 

to the original hedgerow. Call 607-319-4960 

DESIGN-BUILD-CONCEPTS for ALL your Equine/ 

Ag building plans as well as Residential and 

Commercial. Give us your information at our 

website www.design-build-concepts.com for a 

free quote. 607-292-3690 

SPANISH/ENGLISH; translating, interpreting, 

classes; 14 years experience; www.camysorbello. 

com Camy Sorbello 315-597-9791. 

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE STORAGE, refrigeration, 

and ventilation. Arctic Refrigeration Co., Batavia, 

N.Y. Tel. 585-343-2678. 

INCOME TAX PREPARATION. Individuals, Farms, 

Businesses, Electronically! MBA, EA. Elma 

Phillips, Pattersonville, 518-887-5740, taxlady@ 

ptcconnect.net 

FULL SERVICE YEAR around tax accounting & payroll 

service in Marion, NY. New clients receive 20% off 

the tax return fee. New payroll clients receive 20% 

off their current monthly payroll fee. Call Boerman 

Tax Accounting & Payroll. 315-926-0203 

FUEL TAX REFUNDS: Farmers/manufacturers/ 

miners who purchase qualified fuel are eligible for 

a refund of taxes paid! Call for more information. 

Peachin&Associates. www.peachincpas.biz. Or 

607-432-5314 

PAUL STOEP Gravel & Excavating & Trucking. 

Lyons, NY. Call Paul for the most reasonable rates 

and the fastest service! 315-576-6610. 

STEVE O’S EXCAVATION Land cleared, roads, 

ponds, culverts, bridges, drainage, retaining walls, 

trucking, demolition Insured 607-432-4284. 

LEONARDS Logging & Excavating. Land clearing, 

logging, ponds, all types of excavation. Call Joe 

Leonard at 607-746-6616 

CAPITAL SAWMILL SERVICE. Bucket truck tree 

removal and portable sawmill service. Serving the 

greater capital region and will travel. Landscape 

design and installation. www.capitalsawmill.com 

518-479-0729 

CONSULTING REAL ESTATE APPRAISER: 

Specializing in conservation easements for PDR 

and or IRS donations; MAI, Associate member, 

ASFMRA, 30 yrs experience: R. Peters Hubbell, Jr. 

– R.P. Hubbell and Company, Inc. 845-454-6525 

or 518-846-3322 

H2A, H2B Consulting service. Help with paperwork 

all levels and locating workers. Micosta. H@Express 

518-755-4102, h2express@yahoo.com. 

H2-A and H2-B work visas. Call U.S. Americans 

for free consultation at 516-997-1065 

IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY (H-2A/H-2B): 

Experienced attorney to handle all aspects of 

visa processing, including advertising, forms 

preparation, consular processing, legal consulting. 

L.J.D’Arrigo, Esq., Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna, 

LLP. 518-487-7642 or ldarrigo@woh.com. 

GOAT HOOF GROOMING services, NYS Meat Goat 

Associates, call John at 845-246-9052. 

REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT delivered to your 

site. Check my web site www.altref.com or email: 

altref@rochester.rr.com 

SHEARING SERVICES: Llamas and Sheep. 

Baitsholts Farm. 518-797-5201. 

SLATERSQUILTBARN.COM. Fabric! Quilts! Special 

gift or need fabric for your project? Slater Quilt 

Barn has ready-made and will make to order quilts 

with your choice of 100% cotton to choose from. 

We offer custom and panograph machine quilting 

for your tops; also handquilting. 716-753-3786. 

BULK MAIL SERVICES - Let us send your 

advertising mail. Call or email. 845-482-3010 or 

jdayton@pronetisp.net. 

BARBEQUE CATERING. Let us cater your next 

event. LaJeunesse Cuisine. 518-673-2453. Email 

lajeunessecuisinellc@yahoo.com. 

THE PICKERING PUB 170 South Main Street 

Canandaigua. Warm friendly atmosphere. Pick the 

Pub for Friday Night Fish Fry $7.50, Wednesday: 

drafts and tacos $1.00, Tuesday: Wing Night. 

585-396-9060 

AG & SMALL ENGINE PARTS: If you need any 

parts for tractors, bedding choppers, lawn mowers 

& more, visit us on the web at www.wnyparts.com 

or www.nyparts.com. 315-347-1755 

REPAIR-vs-REPLACE. Electronic Dairy Board 

Service. Specializing in repair of WestfaliaSurge, 

BouMatic, Germania, DeLaval and Muellar Milk 

tank control Repair. 406-590-7764 

Truck bodies, custom built to your needs. 

Dump bodies, rollbacks, stake racks, flat beds, 

round bail wagons, dump trailers, equipment 

trailers. Western Fabrication (315)827-4008 

ENGINE & Cylinder head rebuilding. Specializing 

in Ag Diesel & gas engine rebuilding. Complete 

engine or send us your components and we 

will rebuild them and you assemble. Call Steve 

Dannible’s Engine & Machine in St. Johnsville. 

518-568-7794 

AG & HEAVY Equipment part and repair. In house 

machine shop and fabrication shop. New replacement 

parts for most makes and models of equipment. 

www.pdmechanical.com 315-288-5307 

ENGINE REBUILDING AG Tractors, cars, trucks and 

small engines. All engine machining, cleaning, 

grinding and inspection needs. We have engine 

kits, gasket kits and A&I parts. 315-789-0037 

FARM AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT BODY REPAIR. 

Heavy Equipment, Truck, Trailer and Tractor 

Body Repair; Aluminum and Stainless Steel 

Welding; Steel for sale. Visit our website at www. 

MapleGroveEnterprises.com or call Maple Grove 

Enterprises 585-492-3340 

LIME-LAKE PERFORMANCE. Servicing Sleds- Jet 

Skis- ATV’s. Ask for Mike. 716-353-8262 or 716- 

560-6018 

GRANDPA’S EXCAVATING DIV. Ditching, Tiling, 

Ponds, Land clearing, Roadways, Demolition, 

Orchard Removal Serving Western NY 315-483- 

6784 grandpas@rochester.rr.com or James Van 

Eenwyk 6720 Rotterdam Rd , Sodus NY 14551 

AQUASCAPE RAIN Xchange rainwater 

harvesting systems/Water gardens. Installations, 

consultations, products. Chips Landscaping. 

518-339-4869/Fax 518-893-2064 website www. 

chipslandscaping.net. 

FUEL SERVICE: Call for Special Fuel Pricing. 

Mohawk Home Comfort Services a full service 

Heating & Cooling installation company delivering 

Oil,Kerosene,Diesel,Gasoline and Propane 

products. Ed @ 1-800-432-8669 

SAVE ON HEATING COST – Lopi Wood, pellet, 

gas stoves & fireplaces. Leisure Line & Saey Coal 

Stoves. Piping, accessories, & installation also 

available. 5% material discount with Farm Bureau 

membership. Countryside Stove & Chimney of 

Oxford, Route 12 & Warn Pond Road, Oxford 

607-843-2000 

WIND TURBINES – Solar Panels: Representing nine 

different wind turbine manufacturers and solar pv 

insures you receive the best option for your site 

and your energy requirements. Call Pyrus Energy 

315-834-6406 

WIND ENERGY FOR YOUR FARM. Sustainable 

Energy Developments, Inc. has installed over 25 

wind turbines at farms and homes throughout NY 

State, leading the state and third in the country in 

small wind turbine installs. www.sed-net.com and 

1-877-WINDNRG. 

CORPORATE ATTORNEY: Experienced attorney on 

Long Island handling business formation, contracts 

and transactions. Vicki S. Gruber, P.C., 516-845- 

8088 vgruber@vsgpc.com or www.vsgpc.com. 

OIL & GAS ATTORNEY: Richard Gerard, Practice 

limited to Oil and Gas. Exclusively representing 

Landowners in NY and PA. Call 607-732-3793 

GAS LEASE ATTORNEY: Chenango County area, 

attorney Ed Downey, review and consulting on 

gas leases and right of ways, 607-316-5601 or 

edowneylaw@nycap.rr.com 

Miscellaneous 

BOOK OF NEW YORK’S Agricultural history is 

rich and fascinating! “Four Hundred Years of 

Agricultural Change in the Empire State” by 

Robert Bitz. Purchase on-line from both Amazon 

or Barnes & Noble. 

ISAGENIX- Take back your life. We live GOOD 

nutrition ~ I’m living proof. A few perfect shakes 

for a healthier life. Deborah Weaver 845-338- 

3130 or www.deborahweaver.isagenix.xom 

A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN Horse and Carriage 

Events/Occasions -Carriage, Hay, Sleigh, Weddings 

518-587-8706. 

ALASKA STOKER STOVES, automatic coal stoves 

up to 170,000 BTUs. Valley View Farm, 518-872- 

1007, www.vvfstoves.com 

GAS RIGHTS – Looking for members who want 

a better return from their mineral rights. We are 

members who can help you learn/earn more. Call 

Tim 607-425-7733 or email tbrlandowners@live. 

com. 

TIOGA GAS LEASE. The Tioga County Landowners 

Group is now accepting members. Membership 

information and educational resources on gas 

leasing can be found at: www.TiogaGasLease.org. 

DISCLAIMER: New York Farm Bureau reserves the 

right to refuse to accept any classified ad, paid or 

unpaid, at its sole discretion. 

Members: 

Call or e-mail Missy Nichols 

and reserve your FREE 

classified ad 

Phone: 518-436-8495 

E-mail: classifieds@nyfb.org 

Join us 

online 

Now there are more ways than ever 

to stay connected to the important 

issues facing New York farmers. 

Visit the New York 

Farm Bureau 

any time at www.nyfb.org 

for the latest on news and 

events,legislation and more. 

Get in on the dialogue 

with your fellow farmers. 

Friend the New York 

Farm Bureau 

on Facebook 

at facebook.com 

/NYFarmBureau. 

Call us toll-free 

at 1-800-342-4143


Farm Bureau Workers Compensation 

Coverage is Available to Eligible 

Agricultural & Ag-Related Businesses. 

Does Your Current Carrier Offer... 

✔ An Up Front Premium Discount up to 25%? 

✔ Dividend Averages Over 37.5% for the 

Last 5 Years?* 

✔ Free Safety Inspections? 

✔ Over 44 Years of Continuous Service? 

✔ Additional Savings for Members? 

✔ On Line Premium Payments and Claim 

Submissions? 

✔ On Line Ability to Issue and Validate 

Certificates of Insurance? 

Safety Group 486 Workers Compensation Insurance 

Times are tough enough without having to worry about who to trust with your 

workers’ compensation insurance. The New York Farm Bureau Safety Group 

486 has been around almost as long as the Farm 

Bureau itself. If you have a new or existing business 

in agriculture or a related field, call the 

Member Services Department for a price quote. 

New York Farm Bureau Workers Compensation. 

A Better Business Decision. 

Call Kevin 

or Michele 

800-342-4143 

*Average Only. 

Annual dividends and amounts are not guaranteed. Coverage and Services provided by the New York State Insurance Fund.

Irene Disaster Relief for Farms 

Farm Family and the Regional Farm and Food Project 

are joining forces - You Can Help! 

For every Farm Family Facebook “LIKE” we receive from now until December 31st 

we will donate $1.00* towards the Regional Farm and Food Project Disaster Relief Fund. 

100% of the proceeds will go to NY Farms in affected areas. 

Like us on Facebook today! 

www.facebook.com/FarmFamily 

Tell your Neighbors, Friends, Business Owners and Farms across New York and Beyond! 

Let’s show our farm neighbors how important they are to our communities and economy! 

Direct donations can also be sent/made out to: 

Regional Farm and Food Project / Irene Relief Fund, PO Box 621, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 

Farmers, how can you get help from this program? 

You can find an application form with submission details online at www.FarmFamily.com. 

For more details contact a Farm Family Agent near you. 

1 (800) The Farm | www.FarmFamily.com 

The Regional Farm & Food Project (www.FarmAndFood.org) is a member supported, farmer focused, fully accredited 501(c)(3), non-profit serving the greater Hudson-Mohawk Valley food shed of New York State. 

Property/casualty products offered by Farm Family Casualty Insurance Company and United Farm Family Insurance Company. Life products offered by Farm Family Life Insurance Company. Home Offices: Glenmont, New York. 

* Farm Family will donate $1 per like up to a maximum of $5,000. 

MC-131 1011

Facebook brings a flood of relief to frazzled farmers - New York Farm ...

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