Since 2005, the infection rate in St. Lawrence County from Lyme, which is spread through the bite of tiny ticks, has grown 95 times, from virtually zero to more than 100 victims a year. Meanwhile, the statewide rate has increased by about half that amount. According to a 2015 report, Jefferson County saw 60 reported cases of Lyme disease, while Oswego County documented 51 cases of this tick-borne illness.
National Dairy Month started in 1937 to promote drinking milk and has evolved into a way to celebrate our dedicated dairy farmers who produce milk, award-winning cheeses, and value-added dairy products. Dairy farming represents the largest component of the state’s agricultural sector and accounts for nearly half of all agricultural receipts in New York.
I know how devastating the high water levels are for so many people in our region and I want to share new information to help homeowners, municipalities and businesses impacted by flooding on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.
During these last weeks of the 2017 Legislative session, I am pushing for increased penalties for synthetic drug dealers, legislative ethics and rules reform, oversight of economic development programs, and financial assistance for flood victims.
Across Central and Northern New York, women are breaking glass ceilings and devoting their time to improving our region. Recently, I had a chance to honor 30 of these amazing individuals at my annual “Women of Distinction” ceremony. Those recognized through the program, which honors women’s history in the Empire State by paying tribute to outstanding leaders and everyday citizens from today who are making a difference, represent a wide variety of ages, talents and professions.
Since April, property owners along Lake Ontario spanning from Western New York to the North Country have been battling record-breaking lake levels and have experienced widespread flooding and significant property damage. Entire communities have been working non-stop to protect homes, businesses and public infrastructure. In communities where residents rely on private wells and septic systems there is equal concern that flooding will comprise systems creating a public health danger.
Since Civil War times, our country has set aside a time in the late spring to honor brave men and women who have fought and died to protect our American freedoms and rights. Americans have kept the tradition for nearly 150 years.
As chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I’m pleased to report the new state budget includes $51 million in overall funding for many vital agriculture programs, including more than $9.8 million specific to helping the dairy industry. This much-needed funding will assist programs like the Cornell Dairy Center of Excellence and Cornell Pro-Dairy
New York State is a leader in the arts but one of the things that our region has traditionally struggled with is obtaining funding to help support the arts. Since New York City is so big and provides much by way of culture and entertainment, much of the state funding for the arts has been driven downstate. However, in recent years there has been a shift in how funding has been made available.
When most people think of dangerous jobs, farming probably does not immediately come to mind. However, the fatality rate for farmers is 800 percent higher than all other American workers, with the leading cause of death on a farm being tractor rollover incidents. In the past few years, I have been proud to have secured $1.2 million in funding, including $250,000 in the new state budget, for a program that helps to protect farmers from tractor rollover incidents.
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