{"id":82845,"date":"2026-10-01T22:59:40","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T02:59:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=82845"},"modified":"2026-10-01T22:59:40","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T02:59:40","slug":"wyoming-county-borrello-gallivan-host-agriculture-roundtable-with-western-new-york-farmers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2026\/10\/01\/wyoming-county-borrello-gallivan-host-agriculture-roundtable-with-western-new-york-farmers\/","title":{"rendered":"WYOMING COUNTY\/Borrello, Gallivan host Agriculture Roundtable with Western New York Farmers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Farmers discuss rising costs, labor mandates and workforce challenges threatening the viability of New York agriculture<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Press release\/provided photo
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VARYSBURG, NY \u2013 Senator George Borrello, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Senator Patrick Gallivan brought together approximately 40 farmers and agricultural leaders Thursday for a roundtable discussion focused on the rising costs and workforce challenges confronting New York agriculture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Held at Hidden Valley Lodge and hosted by Hans Boxler of Boxler Farms, the discussion included farmers from Wyoming, Genesee and Erie counties as well as representatives of leading agricultural organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAgriculture is one of New York\u2019s most important industries and an essential part of the economy and way of life here in Western New York. Yet even in the best of times, farming is a difficult business with tight margins and circumstances that are often beyond a producer\u2019s control,\u201d said Senator Borrello<\/strong>. \u201cWhat we heard today reinforced just how many pressures are converging on our farmers at once.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cThe agriculture industry is critical to our state and our region, directly and in-directly employing thousands of residents. As we prepare for a new legislative session, it is essential we hear from farmers and others in the agriculture industry about the challenges they face, from the rising cost of doing business to the burdensome regulations that threaten the future of farming in New York. I am grateful for their input, and I look forward to working with Senator Borrello and our colleagues in the Senate to improve the business climate for farmers across the state,\u201d said Senator Gallivan<\/strong>.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much of the discussion centered on the widening gap between what it costs to operate a farm and what farmers are able to earn. Dramatically higher utility rates were cited as a major source of strain, along with difficulties getting the electrical service needed to expand their farms.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other key issues they cited as difficulties were New York\u2019s high labor costs including the farmworker overtime mandate, diesel prices and declining milk prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These pressures come as New York continues to lose farms. According to the State Comptroller, the state lost 500 farms and 100,000 acres of farmland between 2024 and 2025, twice the national rate. This comes on top of the 8 percent drop in total farms and 40 percent decrease in dairy farms the state experienced between the 2017 and 2022 USDA Agriculture Censuses, marking one of the steepest declines in decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe only way for policymakers to understand the challenges of dairy farming and the volatile markets we are dealing with, especially right now, is to see first-hand the work taking place on our family farms and to have open dialogue,\u201d said Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA) Chair and dairy farmer A.J. Wormuth<\/strong>. \u201cI commend the senators and their colleagues across the state for continuing to seek out farmers to better understand the detrimental impacts rising utility, labor, diesel and other input costs have on family farms. We simply cannot rely on importing food and through conversations like these, we\u2019re able to work toward solutions that strengthen our local food supply, support the sustainability of farms, and ensure a future for the next generation of farmers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants also raised concerns about local regulations that can conflict with state protections for farms in agricultural districts, forcing farmers to seek state intervention, a process that can be especially burdensome for new and startup farms.

\u201cErie County Farm Bureau is proud to stand with lawmakers to address the local regulatory hurdles that disproportionately impact startup farms. When local town laws run counter to state protections, new farmers are forced into an exhausting and expensive NYS administrative review process simply to operate,\u201d said Jeffrey Fisher, Director of the Erie County Farm Bureau and Chair of its Policy Development and Implementation Committee<\/strong>. \u201cBy reforming these restrictive barriers, we can create an equitable landscape where startup growers can actually afford to build a business, pay their bills, and supply fresh food to Erie County families.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senator Borrello noted that despite the challenges facing New York agriculture, it has tremendous assets and enormous potential.

\u201cWe produce some of the highest-quality dairy products, meat, fruits and vegetables anywhere in the country, and our farmers benefit from the world-class research, innovation and technical expertise of Cornell CALS and Cooperative Extension,\u201d said Senator Borrello. \u201cWe\u2019re also seeing roughly $3 billion in new and expanded dairy processing investments across upstate New York. That is a tremendous vote of confidence in the future of New York agriculture and an opportunity we cannot afford to squander.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the most valuable things we can do as legislators is get out of Albany, sit down with the people affected by these policies and listen,\u201d Borrello said. \u201cThere are issues we can address at the state level, others that require action in Washington, and some where state and federal policies overlap. We will take what we heard today back to Albany and continue advocating for policies that give our farmers a fighting chance to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Farmers discuss rising costs, labor mandates and workforce challenges threatening the viability of New York agriculture Press release\/provided photo VARYSBURG, NY \u2013 Senator George Borrello, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Senator Patrick Gallivan brought together approximately 40 farmers and agricultural leaders Thursday for a roundtable discussion focused \u2026<\/p>\n

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Center and Sen.\u00a0Borrello will hold an Agriculture Business Roundtable\u00a0in Pavilion on Thursday","author":"aka","date":"August 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release PAVILION, NY\u00a0\u2014 New York State Senator George\u00a0Borrello, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is partnering with the SUNY Brockport Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to host an Agriculture Business Roundtable on Thursday, August 7th, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at BW\u2019s Restaurant, 11070 Perry Road, Pavilion,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Pavilion"","block_context":{"text":"Pavilion","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/pavilion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":72150,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2026\/02\/04\/wny-senator-borrello-announces-his-candidacy-for-re-election-in-the-57th-state-senate-district\/","url_meta":{"origin":82845,"position":1},"title":"WNY\/Senator Borrello announces his candidacy for re-election in the 57th State Senate District","author":"aka","date":"February 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Senator George Borrello today officially announced he is seeking re-election to represent the 57th District in the New York State Senate. 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Borrello hosts Genesee County Roundtable on emergency shelter, calls for state to take greater role","author":"aka","date":"June 30, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Senator Borrello speaking at the roundtable. From left to right, Rachael Tabelski, Batavia City Manager; Sen. Borrello; Sheriff Joseph Graff; Chair of the Legislature, Christian Yunker and Matthew Landers, Genesee County Manager. 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