The Peru Gazette

State agriculture industry on the brink of collapse due to coronavirus pandemic

From the office of Assemblyman Dan Stec candidate for NY State Senate

Assemblyman Dan Stec (R,C,I-Queensbury) and his Assembly colleagues are calling on President Trump and New York’s Congressional delegation to take action on behalf of our agricultural industry.

In a letter sent to the President and the state’s entire Congressional delegation, Stec and the Assembly Republican Conference offered a series of recommendations to boost our agriculture industry as it struggles to maintain during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These proposals are intended to work in conjunction with any future federal stimulus funding. In addition, Stec and his colleagues requested the U.S. Department of Agriculture to identify immediate measures to deliver essential resources and much-needed, immediate relief to our family farms.
“These are unprecedented, uncertain times for every New Yorker,” Stec said. “We need to do the best we can to help everyone who is facing severe economic hardship, and right now, that means supporting the economic backbone of our state: the agriculture industry.

“Our farming families employ thousands of New Yorkers and are responsible for the healthy, quality food we all eat. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, dairy farmers right here in my District and farms across the state are in danger of going under,” he added. “For those reasons, my colleagues and I are calling on the federal government to take immediate, major action to help our farmers.

“As the President and Congress work on new strategies to help jumpstart our economic recovery from this crisis, I will continue to apply pressure and make sure our state and region receive the resources they need and deserve,” Stec concluded.

Because of the emergency protocols in place to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, there have been major disruptions to the agriculture industry’s supply chain, labor force and market demands. The recommendations can be found on the second page of this release, seek to address that:
• The $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was a monumental achievement to assist Americans in this time of crisis. We believe the USDA must ensure New York State immediately receives the largest percentage of CARES Act funding, due to the severity of the virus here, combined with our position as a national leader in dairy production;

• The Small Business Administration (SBA) must clarify and ensure that farm and agricultural businesses are eligible for the $10,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan provided for in the CARES Act;

• Further, the federal government must ensure that the temporary flexibilities on farm loans recently announced by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) are made permanent for the duration of the pandemic and subsequent economic recovery, and also by ensuring adequate and equitable access to credit during this period of market uncertainty;

• Washington must enact an additional stimulus package that provides 100 percent federal reimbursement of monies lost to New York farmers that would not be covered under the CARES Act. Further, this relief should continue for at least 90 days after the present emergency period has expired;

• The federal government should ensure that the H2-A visa program continues to operate;

• The list of agricultural items should be expanded to include dairy products for the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program; and

• The federal government should reimburse the state for any revenues lost by actions designed to reduce costs and regulatory burdens on the agricultural industry.