WAMC New York News
(2009-08-26)
BATAVIA, NY
(WXXI) -
The head of the New York Farm Bureau says it's very significant that US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will be holding a dairy field hearing in Batavia Thursday.Dean Norton says Gillibrand recognizes the needs of the state's dairy industry.
The hearing will specifically focus on the pricing structure for milk. Norton says dairy farmers are getting paid less than their costs of production and that most farmers are in a serious crunch. He says some farmers have already gone out of business, while others are "on the brink."
Norton owns a dairy farm in Genesee County. He says he's losing thousands of dollars a month and is concerned like everyone else.
Thursday's hearing is scheduled for 2 at Genesee Community College. Norton will be sitting on a panel representing economists and industry experts.
Gillibrand is the first New Yorker in almost 40 years to sit on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
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