Local experts will gather at the Benton Fire House on July 31 to explore how changes in agribusiness and global trade may reshape life in the Finger Lakes region.
The event, titled “Agribusiness and the Economy: A Yates Conversation,” is hosted by Concerned Citizens of Yates County and will run from 6 to 8 p.m. at 932 State Route 14A in Penn Yan.
“This is an opportunity for members of the community to hear comments about the developments on the horizon from local experts who are their neighbors,” said Barbara Craig, one of the group’s founders.
Panelists include Klaas Martens, a Torrey-based organic farmer and agricultural consultant; Scott Osborn, owner of Fox Run Vineyards and Chair of WineAmerica; Mike Colizzi, owner of Kashong Glen Vineyards and a member of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation board; and John Kriese, a Jerusalem cattleman who serves as president of the Yates County Farm Bureau and as New York State representative to the Cattleman’s Beef Promotion and Research Board.
The conversation will address the economic, legislative, and environmental conditions shaping the future of agricultural businesses. Mike Rusinko will return as moderator.
Organizers also invited special guests from Penn Yan FFA, including members, alumnae, and their advisor, Carly Bossard.
The Benton Fire House was selected to accommodate what organizers anticipate will be a crowd as large or larger than the one that attended the first Yates Conversation on May 29. The rural location also makes it easier for farmers and others in the countryside to take part.
Technical assistance for the event will be provided by Dave Boyd of Dave Boyd Music in Penn Yan. Admission is free and open to all.
Concerned Citizens of Yates County says its goal is to keep “friends and neighbors informed on how changes in government policies affect everyone.” More information is available on the group’s Facebook page.
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