News 12 Senator Schumer Pawelski Farm Visit

Yesterday our farm hosted a press event and mini-tour for U.S. Senator Charles Schumer regarding the massive damage caused by the flooding associated with Hurricane Irene that struck the blackdirt region of the lower Hudson Valley of Orange County, New York. Though this is the 6th "50 year flood" since 2005 this is by far the worst and in fact it is the worst event to strike since the benchmark flooding event of 1955. Many farmers who experienced that event of 1955 said that the scope of this event has even surpassed that event of 1955. What makes this event so devastating is that the crops we grow are so expensive to produce and this storm flooding struck at the point where we have 90% to 95% of our expense paid into our crops. And the typical aid paid by the USDA, by the crop insurance (see: http://216.40.253.202/~usscanf/index2.php?option=com_events&task=view_det...) and the SURE program (see: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=diap&topic=sure) are virtually worthless, paying pennies on the dollar on our losses. We are asking Sen. Schumer to waive the usual exemption for crops to be covered by FEMA and instead to get our crops to be considered as "inventory," just like the products at a hardware store or a lumber yard are considered inventory and are covered by FEMA.

Sen. Schumer has a long history of being a good friend and fierce advocate for NY agriculture and NY farmers and if anyone can get it done, it is him and his partner, Sen. Gillibrand, who is also a great friend of NY agriculture and NY farmers.

Category:

News & Politics

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• flood
• onions
• News 12
• Hurricane Irene
• crop insurance
• disaster aid
• Wallkill River
• Orange County New York
• Chris Pawelski
• Sheri Bottino
• Pine Island
• black dirt
• 50 year flood
• FEMA
• SURE Program
• Farm Bill
• inventory