A second-generation Ontario County family farmer participated in a House Ways and Means Committee field hearing on Staten Island Tuesday.
Dale Hemminger of Hemdale Farms in Seneca Castle was the guest of Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. His farm includes 1,500 dairy cows, a large wholesale greenhouse operation, and over 3,000 acres of forage, grain, and vegetable crops.
Currently, Hemminger is competing to sell large volumes of dairy and other forms of produce against foreign companies across the world. With Canada’s failure to uphold its obligations as part of the USMCA, Hemminger’s business is put at a significant disadvantage. Hemminger also raised concerns surrounding New York’s labor laws and federal regulations that are making costs much higher than neighboring states and Canada. Currently, his labor cost is double what Canadian competitors are paying.
During her remarks, Tenney discussed with Hemminger the impact of Canada’s protectionist dairy policies on U.S. farmers. Tenney also asked how New York Democrats’ $229 billion tax-and-spend budget will impact him and how he can continue to operate his business under these increasingly challenging conditions. She also discussed how Hemminger is being impacted by the workforce shortage.
Following Tuesday’s hearing, Tenney released the following statement:
“At today’s Ways and Means Field Hearing in New York, we heard firsthand from farmers and industry stakeholders about how President Biden’s anti-growth and anti-small business policies are wreaking havoc on our economic prosperity,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Thank you to all the witnesses for participating and sharing their perspectives, especially Dale Hemminger of Hemdale Farms located in our district. Dale spoke on behalf of so many farmers across New York who are fed up with Washington and Albany policies that make it more costly to do business and more difficult to grow and compete. Ways and Means Republicans are committed to advocating for American First policies that protect workers and support our economy.”
