Magee puts spotlight on New York dairy producers at Agriculture Day

Assemblyman Bill Magee (D-Nelson) announced that he once again hosted Agriculture Day at the Legislative Office Building in Albany in conjunction with state Senator Patty Ritchie. The event, which took place on June 6, highlights the hard work of New York dairy producers and the critical role the industry plays in the state economy.

“June is National Dairy Month, which represents more than just an opportunity to enjoy delicious milk, ice cream and yogurt,” said Magee. “It’s a chance to learn about dairy farming’s deep roots and vital role here in New York. With more than 4,600 dairy farms in the state, it’s one of our most important agricultural industries.”1

National Dairy Month originated as National Milk Month in 1937. What was initially created to help stabilize dairy demand when production was at a surplus has now developed into an annual tradition that celebrates the dairy industry’s contributions.2 Today, New York State ranks first in the United States in the production of yogurt, cottage cheese and sour cream.3 Additionally, sales of local milk around the state come in at over $2.5 billion a year, making up nearly half of all state agricultural sales.4

Agriculture Day brought legislators and staff together with dairy farmers, processors, manufacturers and agricultural educators to learn about the industry and sample New York dairy products. Featured speakers included Bruce Krupke, executive vice president for the Northeast Dairy Foods Association; Jennifer Trodden, deputy commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets; New York State Dairy Princess Hailey Pipher, an undergraduate student of agriculture at Cornell University; Mike Suever, senior vice president of research and development, engineering and procurement at HP Hood LLC; Eric Ooms, a second-generation dairy farmer and vice president of the New York Farm Bureau board of directors; and Steve Coyne, a representative of the New York State Grange.

As chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Agriculture, Magee has been a tireless advocate for the state’s dairy farmers. This year’s budget provides $1.2 million for Cornell University’s PRO-DAIRY program, which connects dairy farmers with agribusiness professionals and offers education programs to strengthen the industry. The budget also includes $1.9 million for the New York Farm Viability Institute, with $370,000 earmarked for the Dairy Profit Team to help farmers increase profits. And to prevent disease in cattle and protect public health, the state budget invests $200,000 in Salmonella Dublin Research at Cornell University.

  1. agriculture.ny.gov/DI/NYSAnnStat2016.pdf
  2. idfa.org/news-views/media-kits/cheese/june-is-national-dairy-month
  3. harvestny.cce.cornell.edu/topic.php?id=2
  4. agriculture.ny.gov/DI/NYSAnnStat2016.pdf

By martha

One thought on “Magee puts spotlight on New York dairy producers at Agriculture Day”
  1. Assemblyman Magee is a good guy, he tries hard to represent our agriculture and dairy industry. He is to be commended for his loyalty. If you want to support your local dairy farmer and milk processor, enjoy a cold nutritious glass of milk today, put down the soda and the bottled water!

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