WASHINGTON – The House Agriculture Committee passed the farm bill with the support of Congressmen Christopher Gibson (R- 19) and Sean Patrick Maloney (D- 18). The bill contains a number of provisions that will benefit New York's Hudson Valley region.
The bill includes Maloney’s Crop Risk Options Plan (CROP) Act that defends the specialty agriculture economy of the region as well as an amendment to help families and communities with flooding in the black dirt region.
“That’s a pretty special piece of legislation that will enhance and direct the secretary of agriculture to be our partner in helping our farmers to prevent another disaster like the one that happened in Hurricane Irene because for folks who are familiar with the region, there are a lot of folks out there who are still not back on their feet after that,” said Maloney.
Sharon Soons is a fourth generation fruit and vegetable farmer in the New Hampton area. She said farming remains a major component of live in the region and state.
“It really is a huge driver of not just the economy, but of the landscape,” said Soons.
Gibson said the bill “represents a significant victory for our local farmers, overhauling the safety net program for dairy farmers, encouraging the growth and sustainability of local and regional agriculture and organic farming, protecting conservation programs, and helping beginning farmers access the capital they need to enter the field.”