Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced a plan Tuesday that she believes will strengthen the Empire State’s dairy farms.
Along with Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, Gillibrand plans to introduce the “Dairy Pricing Reform Act” to the senate next week.
Gillibrand says the price of dairy products has continued to rise during the past 40 years. But farmers’ pocketbooks haven’t experienced a likewise response. Farmers across the state have been forced to cut costs and sell cows to account for a growing financial strain. The Southern Tier lost about 9,000 cows from 2002 to 2012. A temporary extension of the farm bill was approved at the end of 2012.
The legislation will extend a part of the 2008 Farm Bill through September.
