Press Releases
For Release: Immediately 9/29/09
SAYWARD: THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW!
To all people who are concerned about food quality and safety: The time for action is now. The agricultural industry is the largest industry in New York state. A significant portion of that is derived from the dairy industry. The dairy industry in our area represents more than just a food supply. It also represents a significant employment base and a major economic impact to all of our communities. Currently, our dairy industry is suffering greatly. Farmers are losing money at an unprecedented rate. If this continues without Governor Paterson’s intervention, we will lose many, if not all, of our farms. This will not only change a way of life in our area, but will destroy the local economy for many of our communities.
An even greater price will be paid by all of us in terms of food quality and food safety. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. A question often posed to me by consumers is, “what can we do?” The answer is simple: contact Governor Paterson and demand that he protect our food source and food safety and provide the immediate financial relief to the dairy industry that has been requested of him.
This relief will help stabilize pricing until the federal government can make long overdue adjustments to the manner in which farmers are compensated for their products. The second thing consumers can do is demand that the state and federal governments mandate that all food products are labeled with Country of Origin. This will help all of us make more intelligent buying decisions and better protect our families. If you have any questions or wish to learn more about how you can help, please feel free to contact me at 518-792-4546 or email me at saywart@assembly.state.ny.us.
