U.S. Senate Plans to Take Action on Farm Bill After Summer Recess

One of the main pieces of legislation the U.S. Senate will take up once members return to Washington next month is a new five-year Farm Bill. That from Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer during his recent visit to the Town of Portland to push for relief funding for New York State's Concord grape growers. The New York Democrat says he's been in touch with Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman and ranking Democrat Amy Klobuchar...

Charles Schumer: spoken with committee members

Chautauqua County Farm Bureau President Robert Patterson says progress has been slow in approving the bill, and he pushed Schumer to get his colleagues to pass it...

Robert Patterson: hoping to get it done

Another concern among grape growers is tariffs. Chad Schofield of Schofield Farms in Westfield says they've been decimated by them...

Chad Schofield: prices are not sustainable

Another key issue for grape growers is the migration of the spotted lanternfly. That was raised by Chautauqua County Legislator Fred Johnson, who says federal lawmakers could really help in that regard. It's already devastated grape and other specialty crops elsewhere.

Image and audio from Chautauqua County Government