To the Editor:
(March 2015) National Agriculture Day, recognized on March 18, is an important time to honor the many contributions farms make to our communities. We are especially blessed in New York to have such diversity. Farms of every size and style produce the highest quality food that we could ask for.
Just this month, NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s new report highlighted the nearly $38 billion contribution farming makes to our state’s economy. In the Central New York region alone, there are 3,500 farms and 785,000 acres of farmland. Our region (which also includes Cortland County) ranks third in the state for agri-cultural sales. This is critical to the support of our tax base. Without the work of our farms, our rural economy would certainly suffer.
More importantly, our family farms make vital contributions to our way of life. They feed our families. They provide open space free from development. They work to preserve the land and natural resources for the next generation to take over the essential work. And last year alone, they donated more than 10 million pounds of food to regional food banks across the state.
As consumers are taking a growing interest in their food, let us honor the people who grow it. It isn’t an easy job, and if they didn’t do it who would? We would simply like to say thank you to each of our farm families for their commitment, compassion, and hard day’s work.
Raymond Lockwood, Cayuga County Farm Bureau President
Nathan Durfee, Madison County Farm Bureau President
Harvey Skeele, Onondaga County Farm Bureau President
Nancy Weber, Oswego County Farm Bureau President