Darrel J. Aubertine

Now more than ever, New York State’s farm families need our attention.

Over the past 30 years, the number of farms in New York State has dropped from more than 48,000 in 1980, to just 36,352 in 2007. Extremely low milk prices, volatility in the credit market and foreign competition have since driven hundreds more out of business.

To put that in perspective: Every day over the past three decades in New York State, at least one farm has gone out of business—more than 400 every year.