ALBANY - New York Farm Bureau (NYFB) President David Fisher released the following statement regarding Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address:

“New York Farm Bureau appreciates Governor Hochul’s support of New York agriculture in the State of the State, which includes proposals that would support farmers, such as extending the refundable investment tax credit, funding for the Dairy Modernization Program grants, lowering utility costs, and payments to farmers impacted by tariffs. While this is a great step in the right direction, there remains work to be done. We look forward to working with the governor and the legislature to ensure that legislation passed this year paves the way for a bright future for the farming community in the state.” 

In addition, NYFB summarized the State of the State material directly affecting agriculture and NYFB members. Gov. Hochul’s proposals:

Extend the refundable investment tax credit.

Provide another round of funding for Dairy Modernization Program grants.

Increase support for Agri-Business Child  Development (ABCD) Centers.

Provide funding for infrastructure improvement at county fairs.

Provide $30 million in direct payments to specialty crop growers, livestock producers and dairy farmers impacted by tariffs via the Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program.

Establish a statewide network of programs for the industrial hemp industry.

Support utilizing nuclear energy and implement changes to lower utility costs for consumers.

Create a certified cannabis business incubator hub network, which includes support for cannabis farmers.

Support the hard cider industry by providing marketing support.

Support for funding to help improve food storage infrastructure at food banks and pantries.

Create the Sun and Soil Program, which builds on existing state-supported research and demonstration projects that show how solar panels can be co-located with active farming, allowing farms to generate clean energy while keeping land in agricultural use. The program identifies avenues to capitalize on solar energy development while supporting continued use of productive farmland. Work will be guided by the state’s Agricultural Technical Working Group (ATWG), of which NYFB is a member.

- Information from the New York Farm Bureau