Ag Literacy Week is March 19-23

This year's Ag Literacy Week book

Ag Literacy Week is March 19-23.

Second-graders throughout New York will read about what it takes to get food grown on the farm to the plates on their tables by reading a book called "Before We Eat -- From Farm to Table."

According to the Agriculture in the Classroom website, the book takes student on "the journey from farm to table to understand different aspects of agriculture and the many possible careers involved. This is a captivating glimpse on what it takes to bring the food we eat to us in order to nourish our bodies and spirits."

"From the busy hub of New York City, to the mountains of the Adirondacks, and to the fertility of the Finger Lakes our state is expansive and encompasses all types of agricultural industries," the website states. "Careers and post-secondary education opportunities are abundant in traditional and developing food-centric industries."

Agriculture in New York state brings in more than $37 billion to the economy. New York is known throughout the country as a leader in apples, maple syrup, yogurt, cottage cheese, grapes, onions and many other products.

"These products and industries create careers essential to the food system that are not always initially thought of: arborists, soil engineers, animal geneticists, butchers, aquaculturists, truck drivers, grocers and more," the Ag in the Classroom website states.

Ritchie Releases New York State Agriculture Report

From state Sen. Patricia Ritchie's office:

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.

'Fall Into Farm-to-School' Campaign Begins in NYS

From the state Department of Agriculture and Markets:

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball on Thursday Oct. 6 announced the ‘Fall into Farm-to-School’ campaign to encourage school districts across New York state to participate in the Farm-to-School program, which helps schools buy and serve locally-grown and produced foods on school menus. 

Throughout the month of October, schools are encouraged to learn more about starting the program in their district through the Farm-to-School website and related resources found http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/Press%20Releases/HOM_Toolkit.pdf, http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school and http://www.farmtoschool.org/. 

Districts already participating in the program are encouraged to share how they are celebrating Farm-to-School Month using the #FallintoF2S on social media.

Farm to You Fest

Farm-to-School Month is highlighted by the annual Farm to You Fest held Oct. 3 to 8. 

Farm to You Fest is a week-long annual celebration of local food and agriculture. During the promotion, school officials, parents, nutritionists, farmers and others are encouraged to organize fun and educational activities focused on New York agriculture. 

To celebrate, many schools feature New York farm products on their school lunch menus, hold taste tests of locally-grown fruits and vegetables, take field trips to nearby farms, conduct hands-on cooking demonstrations using local ingredients, and much more.  

New York State Farm-to-School Efforts

New York state’s Farm-to-School program is aimed at developing and strengthening relationships between farmers and schools to increase the amount of New York-made products offered to students and to expand markets for local farmers. 

The program also looks to educate students about New York’s specialty crops and increase their preference for these healthy meal options.

Since 2015, New York state has provided $850,000 for its Farm-to-School grant program, including $500,000 announced this past September, a nearly 43 percent increase over last year. 

Kindergarten through grade 12 school food authorities, charter schools, nonprofit schools, other nonprofit entities and Indian Tribal Organizations may apply for this funding to increase their use of homegrown specialty crops. 

Last year, six Farm-to-School programs in the state were awarded funds, benefiting 45 school districts and thousands of students. The funding helped the districts employ local or regional Farm-to-School coordinators, purchase equipment needed to increase the capacity of the school kitchen and food service staff, and make capital improvements to better transport and/or store those crops. 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average New York State school district spends 11 percent of its budget on local foods. To date, those schools have invested more than $45 million, with the majority being used to buy New York fruits, vegetables, and milk.

The New York State Office of General Services also recently announced that school districts across the state have made a commitment to dedicate at least $2.5 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture funds toward the federal agency’s Pilot Project for the Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables during the 2016-17 school year. 

This investment represents a 400 percent increase over the $500,000 commitment by schools in 2015-16.

 
The state has also been a key partner in the New York Thursdays program, a new approach to bringing locally grown or produced foods directly to students in New York City Department of Education schools every Thursday. 

Part of a nationwide initiative being spearheaded by the Urban School Food Alliance, New York Thursdays boosts student health and education, while improving the district’s budget, strengthening the local agricultural economy, and cutting carbon emissions. 

The state Department of Agriculture and Markets is working to bring a similar program to schools throughout the state. 

Farm to Table -- Is It Working?

Interesting read from the New York Times on Farm to Table.

Go to http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/opinion/sunday/what-farm-to-table-got-wrong.html?from=opinion to check it out.