Farmers across the Finger Lakes are facing growing financial strain as fuel costs remain high and spring weather continues to delay planting, according to State Assemblyman Brian Manktelow.
Manktelow said agricultural producers are dealing with a combination of strain caused by rising diesel prices and increased costs for fertilizer and transportation.
“They’re getting a double whammy right now,” Manktelow said. “Diesel fuel, of course, fertilizer and the cost of transport is one thing we think about.”
He said the impact of recent weather is also being felt across multiple sectors of agriculture, from fruit growers dealing with recent frosts to crop farmers unable to get into the fields due to wet conditions.
“Onions, potatoes, corn, soybeans, that stuff should be in the ground or going in the ground pretty quick, and they’re just not able to plant because it’s so wet,” he said.
Manktelow pointed to high fuel prices as a major concern for farmers and other rural residents, saying he recently paid about $4.40 per gallon for gas in Albany.
He said some lawmakers have proposed temporarily suspending the state’s portion of fuel taxes to provide relief, arguing the governor could take executive action to reduce gas costs during what he described as an emergency situation.
He added that the idea has drawn bipartisan interest, particularly from lawmakers representing rural districts where driving distances are longer and fuel costs hit harder.
While no action has been taken yet, Manktelow said discussions are ongoing as the state continues working through a delayed budget process.
Farmers, he said, are now waiting for both better weather and potential policy relief as expenses continue to climb.
