Young to Inspect Storm Damage
In response to extensive damage caused by recent hail storms to food and vegetable growers around the region and state, Senator Catharine Young, (R,I,C – Olean), Chair of the State Senate Agriculture Committee, will be touring storm-ravaged farms in Chautauqua County to survey the devastation, is spearheading communication between the federal government to help alleviate the situation.
Last week, Senator Young urged growers from around the state who sustained damage from severe wind and hail storms to report any damage to their crop loss adjusters and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
“This Sunday, I will be touring two farms in Chautauqua County to inspect the damage and begin to lay the groundwork for a course of action,” said Senator Young. “I’ve formally asked the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer to include our recent storm within the scope of the disasters covered by the newly-adopted disaster assistance program. We also need to ensure that the recently re-authorized Tree Assistance Program will apply to New York’s devastating storm event.”
Senator Young organized 13 state senators co-sign a letter she penned to Secretary Schafer to ask for his help. These senators represent regions around the state that also were storm damaged.
On June 16, 2008, hail and wind storms swept through New York State, from the farthest western reaches of Chautauqua and Erie Counties to the lower Hudson Valley, leaving behind sporadic but devastating damage for growers. Reports have reached our offices of grape growers whose vineyards appear to have been attacked by machine gun fire, of corn and soybeans literally shredded by golf ball size hail, and fresh vegetables, apples, peaches and cherries pockmarked by hail.
“New York farmers were looking forward to one of their best years with increasing demand for locally grown produce and forging new marketing opportunities on a daily basis,” the Senator said. “Without immediate action, that stability is threatened by weather-induced losses that have affected grapes, vegetables, corn and soybeans. We must act quickly to ensure further economic damage isn’t done.”
Young will be touring the farm of Ed and Ruth Szumigala of Sheridan on Sunday, June 29 at 11:00 a.m. at Route 39 and 20 near Newell Road with a representative of the New York Farm Bureau. The Senator will then go to Craig Lembke’s operation at 3167 Route 39 in Forestville to inspect the damage.
Last week, Senator Young urged growers from around the state who sustained damage from severe wind and hail storms to report any damage to their crop loss adjusters and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
“This Sunday, I will be touring two farms in Chautauqua County to inspect the damage and begin to lay the groundwork for a course of action,” said Senator Young. “I’ve formally asked the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer to include our recent storm within the scope of the disasters covered by the newly-adopted disaster assistance program. We also need to ensure that the recently re-authorized Tree Assistance Program will apply to New York’s devastating storm event.”
Senator Young organized 13 state senators co-sign a letter she penned to Secretary Schafer to ask for his help. These senators represent regions around the state that also were storm damaged.
On June 16, 2008, hail and wind storms swept through New York State, from the farthest western reaches of Chautauqua and Erie Counties to the lower Hudson Valley, leaving behind sporadic but devastating damage for growers. Reports have reached our offices of grape growers whose vineyards appear to have been attacked by machine gun fire, of corn and soybeans literally shredded by golf ball size hail, and fresh vegetables, apples, peaches and cherries pockmarked by hail.
“New York farmers were looking forward to one of their best years with increasing demand for locally grown produce and forging new marketing opportunities on a daily basis,” the Senator said. “Without immediate action, that stability is threatened by weather-induced losses that have affected grapes, vegetables, corn and soybeans. We must act quickly to ensure further economic damage isn’t done.”
Young will be touring the farm of Ed and Ruth Szumigala of Sheridan on Sunday, June 29 at 11:00 a.m. at Route 39 and 20 near Newell Road with a representative of the New York Farm Bureau. The Senator will then go to Craig Lembke’s operation at 3167 Route 39 in Forestville to inspect the damage.
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