Gillibrand Holds Listening Session With Area Farmers At HCCC

Herkimer County, NY (WIBX) - Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, (D-NY) held a listening session with local farmers at Herkimer County Community College today, to get a first-hand look into the issues they face. The farmers aired their grievances to the lawmaker, urging her to assist them with issues ranging from competitive pricing, using corn for ethanol and cost of production concerns.

Kenneth Dibbell a farmer from South New Berlin told Gillibrand that farmers don't need more loans but rather the ability to sell their products at a fair price. "We need to be paid for our labors, our investments, the whole nine yards, and it's been on-going for too long." Dibbell goes on to say, "It's a shame that we have forgotten that this is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people--not for the lobbyists for industry, the free trade parade, which is killing us."

Gillibrand, the first New York State Senator to sit on the Agriculture Committee in nearly 40 years,  says as the chairwoman of the subcommittee in charge of these issues, she plans to hold a hearing in Washington to work to change the pricing system, increase transparency, increase price discovery, and help farmers stay in business.

Gillibrand said, "It's so important to hear directly from my constituent about the issues that are important to them, their priorities and the solutions they see to some of the problems we're all facing. The reality is, is our dairy farmers do not get the cost of production for the milk they produce. So, we want to make sure that the price that we pay at the market is also reflected in what the farmers actually receive because theirs no connection right now. Everyone enjoys low milk prices and that will stay the same, but we want to make sure that our dairy farmers can get enough money to stay in business."

The senator says when a dairy farm goes out of business, so does the John Deere Dealership, the corner store and other small businesses. She says it's an issue that affects the entire economy. "We want to support our farmers, we want to make sure that they continue to prosper and provide the great amazing produce and dairy products that they give us every single day," she said.