Fresh Guys
Farmers are adding the Internet to their timeless toolkit of plows, harrows and scythes.
With an “all-local breakfast” highlighting the possibility of regional farms providing both agricultural and economic bounty, the Northern Dutchess Alliance welcomed state agricultural Commissioner Patrick Hooker to its annual breakfast Feb. 25. And the commissioner touted the Web as a powerful new aid to the business of farming.
Hooker said he loves the Hudson Valley for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is its leadership in the local food movement. “It”™s a wonderful to come to a place that talks about eating local and people actually do eat local,” said Hooker. He was addressing about 125 farmers, entrepreneurs and officials at the Wallace Center at the FDR historic site in Hyde Park. “You folks are actually leading the way.”
Though describing himself as optimistic, he warned that the growing state budget deficit and the problematic global economy will affect his department”™s ability to aid farmers. That means regional initiatives will be an increasingly important element in creating a successful local farm economy.
Hooker expressed support for Gov. David Paterson”™s controversial plan to allow wine to be sold in grocery stores and other retail outlets beyond liquor stores. He said the plan would help New York”™s wine industry, which he said was the third largest in the nation.
Hooker also urged attendees to support what is known as the Bigger Better Bottle bill. That is an ongoing effort to require a deposit on non-carbonated drinks such as bottled water that come in plastic or other containers. He said the deposits would provide funding for the Environmental Protection Fund and provide about an additional $220 million annually for environmental projects in New York state. “It is an important source of revenue,” he said.
Funding is going to be critically important in upcoming budget years, he said, noting the state is facing a roughly $14 billion budget deficit for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
But mostly Hooker focused on agriculture initiatives, such as the plan by farmers and chefs in Dutchess County to pool resources through a new soon-to-be-launched Web site, dutchesscountybounty.com.
Hooker praised the partners in Dutchess County Bounty for working together. The groups include Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corp., Dutchess County Economic Development Corp., Dutchess County Tourism and the Northern Dutchess Alliance.
The Web site hopes to promote local food connections by allowing for a search through more than 160 listings to find products or opportunities that foster commerce. If a farmer is selling produce at a restaurant in Rhinebeck, for example, the data base listings could provide information on other nearby restaurants that might also want products. And chefs can use the site to find fresh produce for their seasonal menus.
Hooker noted there is growing economic opportunity lately for agricultural interests, with, for example, increased appreciation for local food. He said this awareness presents an opportunity for farmers to profit from their labor. It also presents an opportunity for what could be called economic synergy, where scenic farms provide visual attractions to draw tourists, who can then visit local restaurants to enjoy the food they produce.
“Locally owned feels right to me for many reasons,” said Hooker. “It goes beyond soil and water quality to public health and nutrition and the economic and social viability of our rural communities.”
Hooker also cited “food security” as a key element people should consider when prices for oil products such as pesticides and the gasoline needed to transport them from field to table could again rise precipitously.