CU agriculturists and alumni are named to Clinton advisory panel

By Blaine P. Friedlander Jr.

With the 2002 farm bill looming on the congressional horizon, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) selected three prominent Cornell agriculturists and several Cornell alumni for her new agricultural advisory group.

The group, which consists of a broad spectrum of leaders in New York farming, was formed to enhance direct contact and communication with the senator's staff about improving agriculture and rural economic development.

Among the 20 advisers are: Susan A. Henry, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Cornell's New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; James E. Hunter, the associate dean of the college and director of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, N.Y.; and Cathleen Sheils '89, director of Cornell's New York FarmNet program.

Cornell alumni in the group include: Jerry Cosgrove '81, of American Farmland Trust; John Fessenden '85, of Northeast Dairy Producers Association; Irwin Davis '64 , of the Metropolitan Development Authority; Diane Eggert '79, of Farmers Market Federation of New York; George Lamont '57 of the New York state apple industry; and New York State Assemblyman Bill Magee (D-111th Dist.) '61.

"I want to make certain that our national agriculture policy helps keep New York's farms productive and profitable, our landscape beautiful and open, and our natural resources abundant and protected. The advisory group ... will help me do just that," Clinton said.

Working with the Clinton staff to assemble the advisory group has been Lee Telega, a senior extension associate in animal science at Cornell who works with the university's Pro-Dairy program. Telega has received a six-month congressional fellowship in Clinton's office.

In addition to examining the economic development of New York's agriculture and its rural communities, the advisory group will identify New York initiatives to be included in the new farm bill. The advisory group also will assist the senator in identifying outreach and research needs of the state's agricultural industry.

At the group's first meeting, Clinton sought information on milk marketing and the dairy compact, farm profitability and the need for value-added products in New York state.