FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2002

SCHUMER: NEW YORK DAIRY &APPLE FARMERS WIN BIG IN THE FARM BILL

Schumer says Farm Bill will send NY farmers a giant stimulus, with $76 million going to the state's dairy producers and $16.6 million to NY apple growers

Senator announces $10 million grant for onion growers in Orange County, releases a statewide, county-by-county analysis of how New York's apple and dairy farmers fared in the Farm Bill

Dairy and apple farmers in New York should get a giant stimulus package from the recently completed federal Farm Bill, according to a new county-by-county analysis by US Senator Charles E. Schumer. Schumer said that Northeastern agriculture scored a major victory in the Farm Bill and vowed to continue fighting to ensure that New York's farming community holds its place on the map.

"It's not every day that I get to deliver good news to New York's farmers, so today is particularly sweet," Schumer said. "No bill is ever going to solve all of the challenges facing New York farmers but we took a great step forward in the effort to make things a little easier for them. It's safe to say that apple and dairy farmers are all big winners from this Farm Bill, and I'm going to keep working to make them even bigger winners down the road."

Dairy – Using data from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri, Schumer's analysis found that dairy farmers in New York should expect about $76 million in payments this year if the price of milk falls below 16.94 per cwt as expected. Schumer said the individual New York dairy farmer stands to receive an average payment of $15,200 annually over the approximately three and a half year life of the dairy program. For more information on the dairy provisions, click here.

According to Schumer, the North Country's 2,081dairy farms would get about $31.6 million; the Southern Tier's 1,770 dairy farms would get about $26.9 million; Western New York's 1,357 dairy farms would get about $20.6 million; Central New York's 1,155 dairy farms would get about $17.6 million; the Finger Lakes' 1,000 dairy farms would get about $15.2 million; the Capital Region's 939 dairy farms would get about $14.3 million; and the Hudson Valley's 422 dairy farms would get about $6.4 million.

Apples – The Farm Bill would send about $12,925 in 2002 to the average apple farmer in New York -- for a total of more than $16.6 million statewide -- to help farmers recoup losses suffered as a result of low apple prices in 2000.

According to Schumer, the Finger Lakes' 393 apple farms should get $5.1 million; Western New York's 290 apple farms should get $3.75 million; the Hudson Valley's 246 apple farms should get $3.2 million; Capital Region's 106 apple farms should get $1.37 million; the Southern Tier's 87 apple farms should get $1.1 million; Central New York's 69 apple farms should get $891,825; the North Country's 62 apple farms should get $801,350.

Onions – The Farm Bill would also send a $10 million grant to the State of New York to support onion producers in Orange County who suffered crop losses between 1996 and 2000.

"New York Farm Bureau is extremely appreciative and pleased with Senator Schumer's efforts for New York agriculture as displayed in the Farm Bill agreement," New York Farm Bureau President John Lincoln said. "Mr. Schumer's tireless dedication and commitment to family farms has again resulted in a positive piece of legislation for our rural communities. Due to his hard work and leadership to achieve a national dairy program, increased conservation funding and specialty crop assistance,all of agriculture will soon benefit. We wholeheartedly thank Senator Schumer for his friendship and devotion to the Empire State's farm families."

To see how individual counties in New York fared in the Farm Bill, click here

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