NY Transportation Dept. Rejects Proposed Rural Road Truck Ban

Albany—New York Farm Bureau is applauding the state Department of Transportation (DOT) for dropping a proposed regulation that would have severely restricted truck traffic from New York's rural roads.
New York Farm Bureau, the state's largest general agricultural advocacy organization, vigorously protested the idea since it was first proposed in 2008.

"We're extremely grateful the DOT re-evaluated the proposal and dropped it, based on the harmful unintended consequences of the regulation to farm families and agricultural businesses which rely on trucks to deliver inputs to the farm and truck products to consumers," said Dean Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau.

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Truck Ban Rejected

Too Soon to Bloom for Apples

TROY — Unusually warm weather has apple trees around the state budding especially early this year, and fruit growers now worry that a hard frost could wipe out the crops...



Peter Gregg, spokesman for the New York Apple Association, said the early budding isn’t a problem just yet for most apple growers in New York, and it may not become one if temperatures stay up. Once the trees bloom, if temperatures dip too low, that’s when growers could see some losses, he said.


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Too Soon to Bloom

Yates Supports Wine in Grocery Stores

PENN YAN — The Yates County Legislature took a supportive stance Monday on a proposal to sell wine in grocery stores across the state.

People with opinions on both sides of the issue spoke to Legislators before they voted on the resolution, which supports the state budget initiative, “The Wine Industry and Liquor Store Revitalization Act.” The act was part of Gov. Paterson’s budget, though it was not part of the state Assembly or Senate budgets.

First up was Peter Martini, president of the Yates County Farm Bureau and vineyard manager for Anthony Road Wine Co. in Torrey. He said the farm bureau has championed the proposal for over 30 years, noting that grape growers in the county have been hurt by decreasing outlets to sell wine.

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Yates Supports Wine in Grocery

Wine Sales

Expanding Outlets Benefits Consumers

Gov. David A. Paterson's proposal to allow wine sales in grocery stores will be good for consumers and wineries while providing badly needed revenue to the state.

Enacting his proposal will open up 16,000 new outlets for wine sales in delis, bodegas, mom-and-pop stores and gas stations licensed to sell beer. Consumers can expect lower prices from the competition. The governor's proposal would lift Prohibition-era regulations restricting wine sales to liquor stores. Vintners will have the incentive to invest in expanded operations and employment opportunities to meet demand for their locally produced wines.

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Wine Sales