Senate Urges Dairy Farmers To Apply For Relief

Senator Thomas P. Morahantoday alerted dairy farmers in the lower Hudson Valley that they must apply to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets by April 27, 2007 for direct financial relief provided by the Dairy Assistance Program. The Senate successfully fought to include $30 million in the State budget for relief assistance for dairy farmers.

"This program comes at a critical time for New York’s dairy farmers with checks coming just in time for spring planting," said Senator Morahan

The applications must be postmarked by April 27. Applicants should visit the Department of Agriculture and Markets website -- www.agmkt.state.ny.us/DI/dairyassistanceprogram.html -- to download their application, call 1-800-554-4501..

Dairy Producers will receive payments from the State in the form of a separate check based on pounds of milk produced during the 2006 calendar year.

Dairy farming is a vital part of the fabric of the state’s rural communities, generating tens of thousands of jobs both on and off farms, and productively employing millions of acres of farmland. Unfortunately, high fuel and feed costs, labor shortages, flooding, low milk prices and an outdated price control system have created a "perfect storm" scenario that has had a devastating economic impact on many milk producers.

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