Proposed Cap to NY Farm Expansions Spark Concerns From Dairy Industry

A proposed bill in the New York State Senate would place a cap on herd numbers for farmers looking to make expansions. The proposal is already striking concerns for the state’s largest agriculture sector.

Dairy makes up nearly half of New York’s agricultural production, and the state ranks fifth in nationwide milk production, according to the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets. Family-owned farms make up 94% of that output.

“Fourth-generation dairy farm, farm here currently with Grandpa who’s still going at it. My dad. And I have a twin brother, so all four of us are still involved,” said Bradley Adams

Adams is a partner at Adams Dairy Farm in Randolph, N.Y. – in Cattaraugus County. They grew over the years from 38 cows in 1960, to now nearly 5,000. But a State Senate bill currently in committee would prevent farmers from seeing the same kind of growth Adams has seen.

Sponsored by State Senator Jabari Brisport of Brooklyn, S6530 would bar the DEC from issuing new expansion permits to dairy farmers for over 700 cows.

The stated goal is to reduce pollution from manure, and to protect family farms from large corporate operations. But Adams said family farms in New York often need to expand to remain competitive.

“We’re doing everything we can to stay competitive with neighboring dairies and other states as well,” he said. “Part of that to be competitive is growth. So we’re adding cows, getting more efficient with our land that we use to feed the cows, but we’re also getting more efficient with our employees, because we’re trying to milk more cows with equal employees, or trying to get the employee to cow equivalent higher.”

State Senator George Borrello of the 57th District opposes the bill. He calls it short-sighted.

“Driving [farmers] out of New York State and putting them out of business is only going to make us reliant on other states and other countries for agricultural products where they don’t have those same standards,” he said.

Borrello believes what the state should be doing is helping farms acquire technology to assist in dairy production, not limiting it. Governor Kathy Hochul announced $21 million in modernization grants, but split among 106 farms.

“Milk is a commodity. So when you start talking about single digit margins of profit, the only way to survive is to create greater volume and create greater efficiencies,” said Borrello. “And any business has to do that, particularly in agriculture. You have to invest in technology, which is very, very expensive.”

For Adams and Adams Dairy, he said a bill like this one doesn’t just hit his own family.

“It’s all of businesses that we work with that put money back into their communities and the families that we provide for here,” said Adams. “You’re going to be affecting all of those people’s lives.”

Bill S6530 remains in the State Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee.

Story by Ryan Zunner/Buffalo Toronto Public Media/New York Public News Network

Image Credit: New York State Senate