It’s time to renew the national Farm Bill, a federal legislative plan that sets policy at five-year intervals. Upstate New York is always in a battle to obtain benefits and protections in this bill, particularly through the MILC, or Milk Income Loss Contract, program.

In recent years, cutbacks or elimination have been proposed for MILC, although these suggestions were generally rebuffed during the legislative process. Maintaining the program is vital to area farmers, who have smaller farms than national conglomerates but are still productive and remain major economic forces in New York.

However, upstate should have a powerful ally in this year’s negotiations: Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand. The first-term Democrat is on the House Agricultural Committee along with Hammondsport Republican Rep. Randy Kuhl. As the last Congress had no New Yorkers on the House Ag Committee, prospects are much brighter for upstate.

That’s where we look for Gillibrand to deliver. This committee assignment is a powerful indication of the confidence the party has in her, and we expect her to wield that influence to produce the best possible bill -- including a stronger MILC program.

We acknowledge that even her best efforts could be erased when the House and Senate will get cracks at the Farm Bill. Furthermore, the bill could be vetoed by President Bush for an unrelated reason. However, the committee’s opinion carries weight and establishes a template for any farm-related legislation.

In past years, the excuse could be that upstate had no representative, as Rep. John Sweeney was not on the committee, and the Northeast as a whole was lightly represented. That’s no longer the case. Considering that the MILC program has been preserved throughout that time, it would seem that expectations should be raised, and improvements should be made in this session of Congress.

To her credit, Gillibrand has introduced a bill extending MILC through 2012 at a 45 percent payment rate. The legislation, which has been stuck in committee since March, would also double the maximum production under which MILC applies and raises the price minimum to $15.58 per hundredweight.

That bill appears to be a step forward, but it’s clear that it is not going anywhere as a standalone. Thus, it remains to Gillibrand to best use her influence to push pro-upstate legislation through the Ag Committee.

Committee legislation as of July 17 does list an extension of the MILC program through 2012. However, it is simply an extension at current terms. While that’s better than nothing, it’s not an outcome many upstaters would call satisfactory.

We call upon Gillibrand to redouble good-faith efforts to enact a stronger MILC program and convey to fellow representatives the priority it carries for much of her district.