Report: Governor Hochul convenes working group to support New York farmers

ALBANY, NY- Governor Hochul announced recently that a special working group of state agencies and agricultural community stakeholders will collaborate to support New York farmers and help boost the agricultural industry.

"We are working hand in hand with the agricultural community to support the needs of both workers and employers and ensure the prosperity of farming in New York State," Governor Hochul said.

"This working group will be critical to tackling several challenges within New York's agricultural industry, and my administration will continue to work with farmers to address their needs and reimagine farming in our state."

The group will work alongside representatives from commodity sectors of agriculture to identify challenges and to ensure agencies that interface with the state's farmers communicate clearly, interact efficiently, and reduce burdensome requirements by focusing on future development.

Based on the conversations, and feedback received through the four roundtable sessions, the Task Force will initially focus on, but not be limited to, the following topics:

• Transportation - address challenges involving the movement of agricultural commodities and products while understanding the needs for investment in roads, bridges and other vital infrastructure to bring products to market.
• Labor - identify and build the next generation of farmers and farmworkers to support a diverse industry with the skills and workers required to operate modern farms.
• The environment - address and remove obstacles to capital investments in manure management, on-farm energy production, and the transition to alternative fuel sources that limit the ability of some farms to meet the State's climate goals and become carbon neutral.
• Housing for workers - increase worker housing to provide workers with a safe living environment that is close to farms and assures for sustained and daily production.
• Taxation - provide clearer guidance on property tax administration and improve access to existing tax relief programs.
• Farmland protection - review existing programs and identify ways that the State can ensure that productive farmland remains accessible, in production, and continues to feed New Yorkers.
• Expand procurement - of local food products by various state agencies to build local food supply chains and better connect with New York farms.

A final report will be provided to the Governor's Office and will identify actions, as recommended by the working group, that state agencies can take to help streamline business for New York's farmers.

Image via New York’s Agriculture Department.