Dear Editor,
At a time when dairy farmers in New York are facing severe economic hardship, with the lowest milk prices in eight years, a surplus of milk resulting in widespread dumping of milk, and skyrocketing costs, it is hard to understand why any elected representative from Upstate New York would propose a bill that will increase the cost of energy and affect the price of dairy feedstock.
Senator David Valesky is sponsoring a bill (S.7553-a), which requires that all heating oil sold in New York contain biodiesel. The primary source of biodiesel is soybeans. Soybeans are an important crop for livestock feed. Passing a law mandating the use of biodiesel will not only raise the cost of energy, but leads to speculation on the commodities market, forcing soybean prices higher.
For New York dairy farmers, it’s a lose-lose proposition. The same is true for any livestock producer, including hogs and chickens. Who will this benefit? Huge corporate soybean farms from the Midwest, as well as a well-connected New York City billionaire processor of the fuel who will receive a check from the federal government of $1.00 for every gallon of the millions of gallons he produces, on top of the profits he will make with a captive market.
Dairy farms in particular form the backbone of many rural communities in New York, and make up a large portion of the New York agricultural economy. Senator Valesky has over 600 dairy farms in his district. This is a senseless proposal at best, and at worst, it reeks of crony capitalism. As President of a county farm bureau a majority of whose members are dairy farmers, mandates for specialty fuels that cost more and deliver little environmental benefit are the last thing the struggling dairy industry and upstate New York families’ need.
Sincerely,
Kevin Frisbie
President
Tioga County Farm Bureau
