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

Gendebien: “I’m here to fight for the success of rural America.”

Lisbon, NY – On Friday, dairy farmer and small business owner Blake Gendebien hosted the second town hall of his campaign to represent NY-21 in Glen Falls. 

Speaking with over 80 community members, Gendebien highlighted his campaign’s focus on lowering grocery prices, protecting funding for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Head Start programs.

See more photos from the event here

On federal spending, Gendebien said, “We all want to cut costs. If there’s fraud in my business, I want that gone – but it is not okay for possibly the richest man in the world to make cuts to rural America on the backs of us… If you bought Twitter for $44 billion, how can you understand what we’re going through in this room? You just can’t.”

On newly enacted tariffs, Gendebien talked about the wide-ranging impacts for farmers across the North Country. “Tariffs on electricity are going to make our input costs go up. Tariffs on natural gas are going to make our farm’s input costs go up… Farmers, we take a little hit on our price, and consumers are going to have to pay more for dairy products… Costs are going to go up for consumers and margins are going to go down for dairy farmers.”

On Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and VA benefits, Gendebien said, “I’m here to fight for the success of rural America and along with that, I will fight against cuts to VA benefits, which are happening. I will fight against cuts to Social Security. I will fight to support Medicare and Medicaid. Attacks to those programs are happening.”

This month, Gendebien is on the ground hosting town halls across New York’s 21st Congressional District, listening to his community and addressing the concerns of the district.

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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.