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Gov. Eliot Spitzer on Thursday
addressed farmers at the State
Annual Meeting for New York Farm
Bureau, outlining a new initiative
to bring broadband access to rural
areas and praising a year of
successes for farm policy.
"Farm Bureau greatly appreciates
Gov. Spitzer attending our State
Annual Meeting and addressing the
farmers of New York," said
John Lincoln, President of New York
Farm Bureau.
"We have made some real progress
this year," Spitzer said to a crowd
of more than 300 at the annual
meeting in the Niagara
FallsConferenceCenter.
Spitzer praised the partnership
between Farm Bureau, State
Agriculture Commissioner Patrick
Hooker and the legislature for the
many accomplishments for farmers in
2007.
Chief among them was a dramatic 24
percent reduction in Workers' Comp
rates for farmers. This
achievement, which was a big
campaign promise of the governor's
in 2006, will have a major impact on
the bottom line of most farm
businesses in New York state.
Farm Bureau has fought for reduced
workers' comp rates for more than a
decade.
Other achievements this year
included the passage of the Dairy
Investment Act, which allocated $30
million to family farmers struggling
to recover from low milk prices of
2005-06.
Spitzer praised Commissioner Hooker
for swiftly distributing the money
to farmers. In most cases, farmers
received checks within two weeks of
sign-up deadline for the program
last spring.
The Farm Bureau strongly appreciates
the support of Senator Catharine
Young, chair of the Senate
Agriculture Committee, for the state
Senate's support of this critical
initiative.
Spitzer also said that the Pride of
New York outpost in the Hunt's
Point Produce Terminal in New York
City will be a reality sometime next
year. He said that the Pride center
at Hunt's Point will help bring
Upstate produce to New York City
customers.
Assembly Agriculture Committee
Chairman Bill Magee has been a
strong supporter of bridging the gap
between upstate farmers and
downstate consumers. Farm Bureau
appreciates his support of this key
project.
Spitzer's major announcement
centered around a new initiative to
bring high speed internet access to
rural areas of New York. He said he
hoped that by 2015, most farmers
would have access to affordable high
speed internet service. Currently
only 25 percent of rural residents
have high speed access.
The governor likened the project to
a similar effort by then-governor
Franklin Delano Roosevelt back in
the 1930s to bring electricity to
rural areas of the North Country.
Spitzer said that high speed
internet access will be key for
farmers competing in a global
economy.
Lincoln,
President of Farm Bureau, said:
"Farm Bureau has long recognized the
need for broadband access in rural
areas, where most of our members do
business. Broadband is an essential
business tool that our farmers
require to compete in a global
economy. We are grateful that
Governor Spitzer is taking this
initiative as part of a bigger
effort to revitalize the Upstate
economy."
Local Senator George Maziarz
(R-Newfane) and Assemblywoman
Francine DelMonte (D-lewiston) also
welcomed farmers to Niagara Falls
for the annual meeting. |
