Farmers across our great State wake up everyday to tend to their crops, care for their livestock, grow our beautiful flowers and produce award winning wines and craft beverages, nurturing our lives and sustaining us with the food and fiber we all need. New York’s Farmers are burdened with Mother Nature and extreme weather events, economic challenges and unequal competition with other States and Countries. Farmers also face increased input costs that they are unable to pass along, and mandates that make it economically challenging while faced with razor thin profit margins.
Yet another new government mandate is currently making its way through the State Legislature in Albany. The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, while aiming to address environmental concerns, could spell disaster for New York’s already overburdened farmers. As representatives of Long Island Farm Bureau, we stand united in our opposition to legislation which places more costs and requirements on our farmers.
The proposed legislation seeks to ban certain chemicals and place mandates and additional fees on manufacturers including farmers, while shifting the responsibility for managing packaging waste to producers. On the surface it is commendable to reduce waste, however closer examination reveals significant challenges and unintended consequences that would not only impact farmers and producers, but consumers as well.
One of the primary concerns is the inevitable rise in production costs producers would face due to this proposal. In an already challenging economic environment for agriculture such additional financial burdens would be unsustainable for many businesses. Moreover, these increased costs for producers would inevitably trickle down to New Yorks consumers and families. As prices for dairy products, wines, cider, flowers, and other foods surge, households across the State would feel the strain on their budgets. At a time when many families are already grappling with financial uncertainties and food inequity, this added burden would only exacerbate their struggles.
At the heart of the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act is a focus on restricting the use of packaging and single use products, as well as mandating source reduction of all packaging types.
While these objectives may seem laudable on the surface, the bill disregards practical consideration that will inevitably impact consumer choices and costs. For instance, the Legislation’s stringent restrictions on packaging materials could significantly reduce the safe and efficient packaging for essential food products including meat and dairy items. Spoilage of food and breakage of products during shipping could become an issue if mandatory reduction is imposed with this legislation. Notwithstanding, there was recently an amendment to exempt small businesses with up to $5 million dollar gross sales or less, but in reality, with the high costs in New York, that will not be enough to exempt our small family businesses from the requirement to register.
The legislation’s main focus is on fees charged only to businesses, mandatory reductions and required compliance and it minimally focuses on development of markets and creation of facilities for the reuse and recycling of packaging. The reuse and recycling centers would have major impact on reductions of truck traffic, transportation and emissions on our roads currently moving these products off of Long Island to out of state facilities.
Given these profound concerns, we urge lawmakers to exercise caution and prudence in their deliberations on this legislation. Rather than rushing to enact sweeping changes, we believe that a more thoughtful and measured approach is warranted. Lawmakers should take the time to conduct a comprehensive impact study, thoroughly assessing the potential effects of the bill on the agricultural industry and the broader economy.
While we share the goal of promoting environmental sustainability, reuse, and recycling we cannot afford to do so at the expense of New York’s agricultural community. The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, in its current form, poses a serious threat to the livelihoods of dairy farms, wineries, cideries, and other farmers and producers. It is imperative that policymakers recognize these concerns and take decisive action to safeguard the interests of farmers and consumers alike.
Robert Carpenter is Director of the Long Island Farm Bureau.
