The 2017 Annual Report of the Senate Agriculture Committee,
released by the committee’s chair state Senator Patty Ritchie, highlights
record funding for agriculture, new programs to secure the future of family
farming and new funding to promote New York’s booming, farm-based craft
beverage industry.
“In every corner of New York state, agriculture is helping
to boost local economies, create jobs and of course, feed hungry consumers,”
Ritchie said.
To ensure that agriculture remains as our state’s
leading industry, we need to support the efforts of our hardworking farmers. In
2017, that’s just what the Senate Agriculture Committee did, and I’m pleased to
share the results of our efforts through our Annual Report,” she said.
In 2017, the committee helped to secure — for the third year
in a row — record budget funding for agriculture totaling $51 million, reversing
$10 million in cuts that were proposed in the governor’s Executive Budget.
As chair of the ag committee, Ritchie in 2017 also
continued her tradition of welcoming agriculture leaders to public committee
meetings in an effort to highlight agricultural trends, challenges and
opportunities confronting the industry, as well as to raise awareness of the
importance of farming to New York’s future.
Individuals and groups welcomed to
the meetings included FFA members, Cornell University, the American Farmland
Trust, NY FarmNet and others.
Other
highlights of the report include the following:
**
A new law, backed by the committee, that
created a “New York State Young Farmers Advisory Board” to identify challenges
to meeting a goal of attracting 100,000 beginning farmers nationally — including
tens of thousands in New York — over the next decade to secure the future of
family farming;
**
Support for “F.A.R.M.” camp, a new,
Cornell-sponsored, regional training program to provide assistance to new and
existing farmers, with a special emphasis on veterans in the North Country;
**
Funding for a fourth round of “New
Farmer Grant Fund” grants providing financial help to farmers who have been in
business for less than 10 years and who are looking to purchase land, buildings
or supplies;
**
New funding to help promote New
York’s growing, farm-based craft beverage industry, including brewers,
distillers and cideries;
**
Funding for FFA programs that
provide students with opportunities to learn about agriculture and develop
leadership skills;
**
New funding to establish a
“Farm-to-Table Trail,” which will help consumers more easily locate local food
and drink and help boost the bottom line of farmers;
**
Funding to prevent the spread of
diseases such as wildlife rabies and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE); and
**
Renewed funding for student loan forgiveness
for beginning farmers.
In addition, at the close of 2017, the Agriculture Committee
hosted a public hearing at the capital to solicit ideas from farmers and
industry representatives on additional ways to help New York agriculture
succeed.
More than 18 farmers and their representatives — covering a broad
expanse of agriculture products, regions and interests — offered testimony on
challenges and opportunities for the future of agriculture.
Information from the hearing will be used to
form future actions and potential legislation affecting New York’s agriculture
community.
A copy of the full report can be viewed by visiting Ritchie’s website at https://www.ritchie.nysenate.gov this link. Those interested in having a copy mailed to them can call (315) 782-3418.
