Supporting Local Farmers
Predatory trade is killing our nation’s family farms. New York’s farmers and growers are victims of the predatory trade policies of countries like China and Chile and our own government is not doing enough to protect fair and open markets.
New York used to be the top producer of both dairy and apples in the United States - we are now third in dairy and second in apples.
I don't have any problem with domestic competition because the rules are the same across the country and as the country expanded more land was opened up, etc. We call that progress and we celebrate it.
The problem is that now the United States imports milk and dairy protein from Europe and South America, and we are importing apples, frozen apples and apple juice concentrate from China and South America.
The importation alone isn't the problem, it's the unfair competition because of currency manipulation and crop supports by our foreign competitors. Our farmers aren't necessarily looking to sell globally, but when you compare apples to apples; say New York's to Chile's or China's; our farmers are at a real disadvantage because of unfair trade practices.
Worst of all, because the competition isn't fair these imports aren't lowering the prices of milk and apples here at home. Milk now costs four dollars a gallon in western New York - think of what that does to a young family or to the budgets of local school districts.
Here's what it boils down to - working people in a struggling economy are not getting the benefits of a global economy that the career politicians promised free trade would bring. We need a change in policy in Washington, and that's why I am running.