This new cow law is total bull.
State lawmakers from the Big Apple want to limit the number of cows on dairy farms in their latest green push – a proposal that opponents argue would cripple the industry.
The legislation, whose backers include members of the Democratic Socialists of America, would prohibit new or expanding dairy farms from reaching or exceeding 700 cows, a measure supporters said would improve the environment and help smaller family farms across the Empire State.
But the proposed moo-ve has sparked an upstate-downstate beef between lawmakers from rural and urban districts — with even Gov. Kathy Hochul viewing the bill as “insane,” according to a source close to the Democratic leader.
“Let’s be clear: this bill makes no sense,” Sen. Mark Walczyk (R-Jefferson) said in a statement.
“By restricting dairy farm expansions, we are undermining successful farmers in an industry that is already incredibly challenging. Why are New York City lawmakers trying to create mandates for farmers in our rural communities? They have no business doing so.”
Among the backers of the bill are a pair of DSA legislators, state Sen. Jabari Brisport (D-Brooklyn) and state Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher (D-Brooklyn), as well as Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan), Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon (D-Brooklyn) and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Westchester.)
The lefty lawmakers argue large-scale factory farms, which are given Concentrated Animal Farming Operations permits, cause numerous environmental problems, including manure that runs into waterways and greenhouse gases.
They also claim sprawling dairy farms hurt smaller, family-run farms – a claim that was rebuked by critics.
“Factory farming is rapidly taking over in New York, and it’s creating dangerous contamination of our water and air. We have to stop the out-of-control growth of these industrial mega-farms,” Brisport said in a statement.
The senator’s office said the state has lost about two-thirds of family-scale dairies between 2002 and 2022 because of the rise of factory farming.
The bill, which would not force farms to lose any cows they already have, has little chance of clearing the state Senate and Assembly — and even if it did, Hochul would not sign it, according the source close to the governor.
The governor’s office declined comment on the legislation.
Critics claim Brisport and Rosenthal – the two sponsors of the bill – don’t understand how farming and upstate agriculture work.
“Our family-run, sometimes women-owned farms take great pride in caring for our land, animals, and communities,” said Jefferson County Agricultural Coordinator Jay Matteson in a statement provided by Walczyk’s office.
“Many of these farms provide important income to minorities and disadvantaged people.”
GOP House Rep. Elise Stefanik, who is eyeing a run for governor, called out the legislation.
Stefanik called the proposal an “ant-farm bill” while Democrat Blake Gendebien, a St. Lawrence County farmer, complained “New York City Dems don’t get agriculture.”
Walczyk said state lawmakers from the city should focus on the five boroughs and “leave Upstate out of it.”
“Our farmers deserve support, not obstacles,” he stated. “This legislation will drive farms out of New York altogether.”
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