Magee bill helps farmers install drain tiles for better crop growth
(June 2014) Assemblyman Bill Magee’s (D-Nelson) bill to provide low interest loans to farmers for the cost associated with the installation of drain tiles in their fields has passed the Assembly. This bill aids farmers with a costly but vital method for effectively treating subsurface water through the creation of a revolving loan fund (A.7706).
“Often the cost of tiling prevents farmers from improving drainage on a field, even though they know that in the long-term the measure will help them get in the field faster and grow better crops,” stated Assemblyman Magee. “The drain tile revolving loan fund will help many farmers while also strengthening our economy.”
Drain tiling is the practice of installing tubes under the soil surface below tillage depth to lower the water table of poorly drained fields, helping plants to better absorb oxygen and nutrients. Subsurface moisture can damage root development for crops and poses difficulties for farmers who need to access their lands in order to upkeep them. According to a report by Cornell University, drain tile installation may cost farmers $800 to $1000 per acre, a cost that often proves prohibitive.
Magee’s bill requires the Soil and Water Conservation Committee to administer the funds. Assemblyman Magee noted that with the high prices of crops, it’s a good investment for the state to help speed up agricultural processes and grow our economy.
The bill is also moving in the state Senate, where it’s sponsored by Senator Ritchie.
Magee announces job opportunities for Central New York residents
As the summer approaches, many graduating college students and Central New York residents are finding themselves looking for jobs. In light of this, Assemblyman Bill Magee (D-Nelson) is encouraging residents to take advantage of the New York state jobs database in their search for employment opportunities.
“Job searching can be tiring and at times very discouraging. That’s why I want to make sure that residents in our community have access to helpful tools they can use as they look for jobs,” stated Assemblyman Magee.
To view open job positions in the Central New York region, please visit: http://bit.ly/NYSJobs. Young professional looking for assistance can also speak with a staff member at a NYS Career Center by visiting http://bit.ly/NYSCareerCenter.
This year, Central New York’s economy saw a decrease in its unemployment rate, according to the
NY State Department of Labor. Moody’s Investors Service also praised the state budget that Assemblyman Magee helped pass for keeping the spending plan as “credit positive.” Assemblyman Magee noted that this is a great step forward but more must be done.
Assemblyman Magee has also launched a veterans’ job search on his website to ensure our soldiers make a smooth transition back into civilian life. The Veterans Job Bank provides opportunities for jobs from thousands of employers, available at http://bit.ly/VeteranJobSearch.
To further reduce costs for local businesses that create jobs, he successfully cut the income tax on manufacturers to zero. In addition, he fought for a 20 percent property tax credit for manufacturers who own or lease property.
“As a small business owner myself, I know the struggles our local businesses are faced with every day – we can’t afford our shops to close their doors,” said Assemblyman Magee. “I’m very happy that we are getting the message across: we need more jobs. New good-paying jobs will keep our graduating class from deciding to look for opportunities elsewhere.”
Magee helps streamline the dairy industry statewide
With more than 700 million pounds of yogurt produced in 2013, New York State has made the list as the “yogurt capital of the nation” for the second year in a row. Assemblyman Bill Magee (D-Nelson) announced that the success of the yogurt trade should encourage everyone to continue working together to help loosen restrictions and increase support for dairy farmers.
“Agriculture is an important part of our economy and the success of the yogurt business means that we are on the right track,” stated Assemblyman Magee. “This success is a prime example of what can be accomplished when we loosen restrictions and cut through red tape that hinders growth for our local businesses.”
In August 2012, Assemblyman Magee participated in Governor Cuomo’s first ever “yogurt summit” and helped identify ways to “smooth out” the production of Greek yogurt and boost our economy. As an outcome of this summit, the state lifted caps under the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations regulation, allowing farmers to increase the amount of dairy cows from 199 to 299 without extra costs.
That year, Assemblyman Magee introduced a measure that became law to further streamline the application process to receive an agriculture assessment (Chp. 160 of 2012). He also lowered taxes by capping increases in assessment values from ten percent to two percent (Chp. 385 of 2013). Previously, Assemblyman Magee led the fight to enact the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact.
This year, the state announced $850,000 added to the Dairy Acceleration Program (DAP), which is in addition to the $1 million that was announced last August. The program helps dairy cattle farms to develop business plans that would generate growth in the region. Farms interested in applying for DAP, should visit http://bit.ly/DAP-Dairy.
Assemblyman Magee also noted that New York is ranked the third highest producer of milk in the nation. According to the USDA, the dairy industry generated $2.8 billion in revenue statewide in 2013, an increase from $2.2 billion in 2010.
Magee sponsors legislation to assist students seeking careers in manufacturing and technical fields
Recognizing the importance of manufacturing in the Central New York economy, Assemblyman Bill Magee (D-Nelson) announced he is sponsoring legislation that will create a new pathway for young adults who want a career in our region’s increasingly high-tech manufacturing facilities (A. 8189).
“Manufacturing is one of the leading industries in Central New York,” said Assemblyman Magee. “We need to train our young adults for the jobs of today and can do so by offering a career-focused alternative to the traditional regents diploma.”
This legislation would create a new specialized Career and Technical Education (CTE) diploma, focused on the skills needed to succeed in the region’s high-tech manufacturing facilities. It would serve as an alternative to the traditional regents diploma, allowing students to focus on skills they need to succeed.
Students, after graduating with a CTE diploma, would have a better foundation as they take that next step whether it’s into new careers in biosciences, cyber-security, culinary, green energy, health services, mechanical technology, nanotechnology and welding or into college. The CTE diploma would also prepare students for technical education programs offered at community and technology colleges like SUNY Morrisville.