Assembly Resolution No. 57

BY: M. of A. Blankenbush

COMMEMORATING the 75th Anniversary of White's Farm
Supply, Inc.

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
applaud the leaders of commerce and industry whose accomplishments
contribute to the economic health and prosperity of the communities of
the State of New York and to the quality of life of its people; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 75th Anniversary of White's Farm Supply, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, White's Farm Supply, Inc. is a full-service Case IH, New
Holland and Kubota dealer selling new and used tractors, forage
harvesters and farm equipment with locations in Canastota, Franklin,
Lowville, Schaghticoke and Waterville, New York; and

WHEREAS, When Willard and Nettie White returned to Central New York
at the end of World War II, it was not long before they saw an
opportunity to live the American dream; and

WHEREAS, Willard White was born and raised in the Verona, New York
area, which prompted his return to his family farm; Nettie was a farm
girl from Shandro, Alberta, Canada; together, they established the
business in 1946 as the Oneida Valley Garage, pumping gas and repairing
automobiles and farm machinery; and

WHEREAS, In 1948, as the business grew, the Whites hired Roger
Gerwig, a mechanic who could fix anything; after 48 years of dedicated
service, Roger retired from White's Farm Supply, but not before
experiencing the evolution of White's Farm Supply, and the Agricultural
and Lawn & Garden Industry; and

WHEREAS, In 1949, International Harvester Company gained a dealer in
White's Farm Supply and that relationship has endured through both
companies' changes, as White's continues to sell and service the Case-IH
brand; and

WHEREAS, In 1953, White's Farm Supply became a distributor of
Nicholson Hay tedders; they were imported from England and sold all over
New England and required deliveries and an extensive parts supply and
support; and

WHEREAS, By the early 1960s, things were moving quite fast for the
business and Gehl, a company well-known for their forage equipment,
contracted with White's Farm Supply for warehousing of their parts
distribution throughout the Northeast; by the mid1960s, the new
warehouse building was built to handle the growth, as it was still
growing with White's Farm Supply taking on distribution and sales of Van
Dusen, Silo-matic and Brillion; this time was also the start of a new
direction with the sales of the Cub Cadet; and

WHEREAS, Sales in the agricultural area were growing and in 1972,
the Waterville store opened with five employees, and has since tripled
in size; and

WHEREAS, Growth was continuous and the equipment needs of the farmer
were changing; more opportunities to serve the customers came when the
Sperry-New Holland brand of hay and forage equipment was taken on, and
the same tractor brand was introduced; White's Farm Supply was the first
dealer in New York for Martin Manufacturing, a company that was later
purchased by Gehl, that pioneered a V-style spreader; and

WHEREAS, White's Farm Supply's product line offering branched into a
new area with cow stalls and gates; the business carries an extensive
inventory of barn and farm lot needs with strong relationships with
manufacturers Paul B. Zimmerman, Inc. and J. Houle & Fils, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, With the start of the 1980s, a new shop, parts department,
and offices were added to the Canastota store; then came the opportunity
to acquire a third building and in 1986, the Lowville store opened its
doors for business; and

WHEREAS, Meyers Manufacturing was added to the equipment offering
line up in 1986 and White's Farm Supply was awarded their top dealer
award for 2005; and

WHEREAS, In addition, White's Farm Supply became the first dealer
for the Ferris mowers, a local manufacturer of innovative lawn care
products for the homeowner and the commercial mower specialist; and

WHEREAS, Another strong relationship with a top industry leader,
Kubota, has propelled White's Farm Supply through the next decade in
sales of quality lawn and garden equipment, commercial mowers, and
estate and farm tractors; and

WHEREAS, In 1993, the employees of all three White's Farm Supply
stores presented Willard and Nettie White with a special plaque and
stone marker in recognition and appreciation to them as founders; and

WHEREAS, That same year, Willard and Nettie White decided to retire;
with them throughout have been their five children, Dale, Patricia,
Arthur, Arlene and Douglas, all of whom feel privileged to be a part of
their lives and rejoice in their achievements; the tradition of service
to the Agricultural and Lawn & Garden industries continues with Dale,
Doug, and Art leading the company and responding to the needs of their
customers and new demands of the market; and

WHEREAS, In 2013, a fourth location was added in Franklin, New York,
to serve the Southern Tier, and in 2016, a fifth location was added in
Schaghticoke, New York to serve the Capital Region; and

WHEREAS, As the company moves into the 21st Century, today White's
Farm Supply is proud to employ over 90 New Yorkers and has a cumulative
total of well over 600 years of experience within its staff; and

WHEREAS, White's Farm Supply is proud to have been the recipient of
numerous awards from many of the companies it represents for tops honors
in sales, as well as the quality of the sales and service from lawn
mowers to the largest of farm machinery, tractors and implements; and


WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body
acknowledges this exceptional business and its contributions to the
local and State economies, fully confident that it will continue to
enjoy the sparkling successes it has experienced thus far; now,
therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 75th Anniversary of White's Farm Supply, Inc.; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
White's Farm Supply, Inc.