ICYMI: North Country Dairy Farmer Blake Gendebien, Democrat for NY-21, Hosts Town Hall in Potsdam

Lisbon, NY – On Saturday, dairy farmer and small business owner Blake Gendebien hosted the fourth town hall of his campaign to represent NY-21 in Potsdam.

Speaking with over 90 community members, Gendebien discussed his campaign’s focus on strengthening the North Country’s agriculture workforce, securing the border, and winning over voters across the political spectrum.

See more videos and photos from the event here

On immigration reform, Gendebien said his campaign is focused on “securing the border, but not with offense. It’s by hiring additional immigration judges. It’s by giving ICE and border patrol officers the resources they need to do their job. It is also by allowing state and local police to communicate with border patrol and ICE officers. One of the advantages of having [representation] from the North Country is that we have friends who are border patrol, state police, local police, and ICE officers, and they offer common-sense advice.” 

On strengthening the agriculture workforce, Gendebien said, “There’s too much bureaucratic red tape… It’s way too difficult to manage and work through. We need a farm worker modernization program that will be easier to navigate, easier to work with, and it will drive food costs down.”

On his campaign, Gendebien said, “This is a campaign for the North Country. It is not a campaign for one side or the other. We’re a pragmatic reflection of the North Country, and that’s what’s different about this campaign and that’s why we’re having so much success. We’re redefining what it means to be a Democrat running in rural America. We’re there for the working man, working woman.”

On Congresswoman Stefanik, Gendebien said, “She already has one foot out of the door. She is not interested in coming home.”

This month, Gendebien will continue his town hall series with events in Rome and Canajoharie to meet and listen to the needs of people across NY-21. 

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Born and raised on a farm in the North Country, Blake and his wife Carmen have raised their three sons on the Twin Mill Farm in Lisbon, growing the farm to 500 head of cattle. Blake and Carmen also started The Jules of Life Foundation, which provides resources and support to North Country families battling pediatric cancer. For the past 10 years, Blake has served as the Vice Chair of the Cooperative Board of Agri-Mark where he represented the interests of farmers from across the region. He is a former member of the Lisbon Central School Board, and was a longtime junior varsity basketball coach.