Skip to main content

Bill cosponsored by Collins aims to clear path for future farmers

By Howard B. Owens

With an eye toward drawing more young people into farming, Rep. Chris Collins appeared at the Post Farm in Elba today to announce his support of a bill that would provide aid and support to aspiring young farmers.

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2013 is aimed at providing loans, grants and assistance to new farmers.

“Farming and the agriculture industry play a critical role in the economy of our area, and in communities all around the country,” Collins said. “But the average age of our nation’s farmer is 57 years old. With a large segment of America’s farmers and ranchers at or nearing retirement age, we have to encourage young people to enter this challenging, hard and vitally important line of work so we can sustain this economic engine.”  

Collins appeared with members of Future Farmers of America, New York Farm Bureau President Dean Norton and Genesee County Farm Bureau President Jeff Post.

"This will provide an opportunity for young people to get into farming," Norton said.

The bill would:

  • Enable access to land, credit and technical assistance for new producers;
  • Assist new producers to launch and strengthen new farm and value-added businesses;
  • Help new producers become good land stewards;
  • Provide training, mentoring, and research that beginning farmers and ranchers need to be successful;
  • Conduct outreach on agricultural job opportunities for military veterans.

For more on the bill, click here.

Ivy Reynolds, secretary of the NYS FAA, said the bill will ensure that young people like herself with a passion for farming will stick with farming.

"The engagement of young people in agricutlure is key to ensuring that when current owners and operators of New Yorks farms, dairies, nurseries and vineyards are ready to retire, there's a new generation that's ready, educated and excited about their role as the providers of nutrition," Reynolds said.

Post, Collins and Norton.

Reynolds, and a barn cat who stopped by to check out all of the activity.

C. M. Barons

Buddy, you just love being a bummer. The word choice was "add"- as in additional integrity as opposed to implying there was none to start with. You know darn-well who the humor was aimed at and suggesting otherwise is a canard. I think YOU owe the teenager an apology for exploiting her to take a jab at me.

Jun 10, 2013, 5:33pm Permalink
Jeff Allen

Nah, it's not about being a bummer, it's about offering the opportunity for clarification. The picture shows Ivy at the podium and the picture title even references her at the podium with the cat. Here is a likely scenario: Ivy calls her friends a family and tells them she had the opportunity to speak at a press conference with a US Congressman and the TheBatavian was there and pictures are on the website. Aforementioned friends and family check out the pictures. Ivy's grandma clicks on the comments and the first one puzzles her. Now Ivy's grandma probably doesn't know who the regular contributors are and certainly not which ones never miss the opportunity to take cheap shots at politicians with whom they don't agree. Nor does she know which ones like myself who have long winded responses that seemingly focus on minute details of a post.
So given the layout and title of the picture, a newcomer would naturally assume that Ivy's character was being called into question. Therefore on behalf of regular contributors... Ivy I am certain that you are a fine person and clearly respected among your peers by virtue of your position of secretary and that FFA is a great organization. The first post was clearly aimed at the unknown person on the far right of the picture whose leg and dark brown boot are the only things visible.

Jun 10, 2013, 7:40am Permalink

Authentically Local