(CNSNews.com) – Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.-N.Y.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D.-N.Y.) announced yesterday that the federal government will spend up to $18,000,000 to buy Concord grape juice in an effort to increase the price that New York farmers can get for their grapes.
In a letter to Agricultural Secretary Sonny Perdue urging him to have the government buy the grape juice, Sen. Schumer noted that there are “more than 280 growers with over 9,700 acres” of Concord grape vineyards in New York State.
“I write to encourage the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) to utilize its statutory authority under Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 to conduct a bonus buy purchase of Concord grape juice as soon as possible,” Schumer wrote Perdue. “This critical bonus buy would help ensure the continued success of Concord grape growers in New York and nationwide, while also helping to supplement the USDA’s supply for nutrition programs.
Government manipulating the free market, picking winners and losers based upon favors for constituents.
That would make a shit load of Mogen David Wine!
Why doesn’t the state of New York pay, they are the one’s who benefit? Scum government throwing tax dollars around to grease the skids for friends.
Repeal ALL “New Deal” legislation, every damned bit of it.
Why don’t they subsidize my tax bills??
Yes, that’s a rhetorical question.
While raising prices for poor consumers.
You pay twice,
1st- Schumer is using your tax $18 million dollars to prop up a free market NY Industry.
2nd- the price you pay for grape products (grape drinks, wine, jams, jellies, etc.) will cost more.
Schumer is repaying the taxpayers generosity with higher costs while he benefits personally and politically.
Typical Schumer democrat.
So Agricultural Secretary Sonny Perdue, a Trump appointee is greasing Schumer and feathering his bed?
And Schumer is doing what?
He denigrates and obstructs Trump, his agenda, legislation, the Administration, appointees and feeds fake news to the media.
Yeah, Dept. of Agriculture, Good move assholes.
1975. President Ford to New York: Drop Dead! Daily News Headline.
2017. President Trump to Chuck Schumer: Kiss my Ass. I hope.
Why doesn’t Schumer just come out and make the announcement, “Hey, suckers, I’m the crookedest son of a bitch on Earth!”
I’m for it as long as the cost of my ‘Mogen David’ goes down….
And who owns vineyards?… Rich democrat assholes.
Which one of his relatives owns a vineyard?
This is the definition of pork. Why spend 1855.67 per acre or 64,285.71 per grower for democrats Schumer and Gillibrand’s pet projects. This is a New York state issue, let them pay for it. I’m tired of pols dipping into the treasury like it was their own personal piggy bank and increasing costs for the taxpayer as a result.
I don’t know about New York, but from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean the amount of acreage planted with grapes is incredible. How much wine can we possibly consume? Falling prices are the natural consequence, and as always the government is expected to provide the safety net. Next up? Marijuana farmers.
What the heck is the government going to do with $18,000,000.00 worth of grape juice?
So the USDA is going to “utilize its statutory authority under Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 to conduct a bonus buy purchase of Concord grape juice”, huh?
I guess that makes all of us consumers victims of statutory grape.
What the hell is wrong with Trump? We’re on the verge of bankruptcy and those two New Yorkers are yucking it up because 49 other states got screwed? Both those senators belong in prison.
cfm990— Pelosi does, in SF. Im sure a lot of them have part ownership in something like that.
why aren’t they selling off the grapes to soap makers, cosmetics companies [shampoos,face creams, body lotions], and dairies? There are people who buy grapes just to keep their red hairdye fresh. Don’t tell me that can’t sell that shit off. Sell the townspeople some bags for a fixed price and tell them to come pick whatever fits in the bag.
My grandparents owned 3 small vineyards in Europe. They were big raisin producers, but they also sold grapes to use for oil, wine, soap and some kind of vinegar.
You can use 100% of every grape vine, right down to the wood.
Dept. of Ag better not even be thinking of paying for schumer’s bullshit.
MJA: it’s already been approved. What a great deal, growing grapes in NY; guaranteed income!
Wow…his polling must reeeeeeeeeally be bad in New York state.
He’s trying to buy votes with $18 million of our dollars.
Sonny Perdue was a lying, gutless, immoral, coward of an political hack when he was governor of GA. Obviously, nothing has changed. I was extremely disappointed when Trump appointed him to anything and this article proves exactly why.
Phuckem Danno.
I wonder if I can get in on that deal? I have a couple of Concord vines on my 1/4 acre house lot in Utah, produces about 10-20 pounds of grapes. (/sarc).
Why only in New York? Other states also grow grapes. That is a lot of grape juice for that huge sum.