Priority Issue 2008

New York's Business Climate

The agricultural industry, while facing challenges caused by fluctuating commodity prices, high taxes and ever increasing costs of doing business, still remains a primary economic and employment engine in New York State.  Besides employment on local farms, the agricultural industry generates significant employment opportunities in related food processing industries, as well as wholesale and retail food product sales and many different input suppliers.

 Recommendations:

• Continue to work on positive workforce development initiatives, including but not limited to farmworker health care, child care, and housing improvements, while opposing state labor laws that are stricter than federal farm labor laws.

·  Support enhanced ethanol production, including a cellulosic ethanol production tax credit and
          approve legislation providing a tax credit to landowners that grow energy feedstocks.

·  Reduce the high cost of energy, support efforts to increase farm-based renewable energy
          resources and establish more favorable farm net-metering laws.

·  Oppose unworkable restrictions on the use outdoor wood boilers.

·  Provide farms with the option of a refundable investment tax credit.

·  Renew and remove sunset provisions on the ten-year real property tax exemption on new
          farm buildings.

·  Support additional clarifications of Alcohol and Beverage Control law to enhance the wine and
         grape industry.

·  Oppose toll increases for the New York State Thruway to control costs of farm transport and
         relieve increased truck traffic burden on state and local highways.

·  Support efforts to provide reasonably priced health insurance for small businesses, including
         the continuation of the statute providing sole proprietors with access to quality, yet
         affordable health insurance.

·  Support efforts to enact significant and meaningful changes to our civil justice system,
         including reform of Labor Law Sections 240 and 241, along with reform of liability statues
         with respect to agricultural businesses including u-pick and equine operations.

·  Support a horse boarding and farrier services sales tax exemption.

·  Support legislation providing sole authority to New York State in regulating fertilizer and seed
         products for agricultural use.  Support the adoption of the American Association of Plant
         and Food Control Officers (AAPFCO) standards for fertilizer regulation.

·  Work to provide enhanced landowner protections, along with an equitable royalty structure on
         private and public lands, with regard to gas, oil, and wind leasing.  

·  Provide a state estate tax payment deferral for landowners that inherit farmland and keep the
         land in agricultural production.

·  Support a point-of-sale tax exemption for ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel used in agricultural
         production.

·  Enhance the current linked deposit lending program to make the program more responsive to
         the agricultural industry.

·  Ensure timely and immediate resolution of the state racing franchise question to better serve
         the equine industry and provide stability and a long term future.