U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) announced Friday afternoon that Cornell researchers will receive $4.6 million from the United States Department of Agriculture to encourage research in technological advances to the wine and grape industries. The majority of the money will be devoted toward improving production in cold climates in the Upper Midwest and Northeast. The remainder of the funds is set to be used to improve genetic technology.
“Grape farmers are the backbone of the Rochester Finger Lakes’ proud agricultural community,” said Schumer, in the official press release. “This investment is great news for both farmers and researchers at Cornell University alike.”
Senator Schumer has lately shown a liking for wine and the wine culture of upstate New York. This summer, he urged the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to speed up their process for approving new labels for wine bottles. He has also spent time fighting against wine tariffs and other international issues of interest to wineries.
Those democrats, always quantity over quality.