Issues: Agriculture

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I – Schenectady) announced the New York State Senate recently passed three bills to help farmers succeed by improving agricultural marketing efforts and better connecting farms to consumers across the state.

The “Buy From the Backyard Act” (S978) requires state agencies with food contracts to buy at least 20 percent of their food from New York sources. The bill expands upon an existing law that encourages state agencies to purchase local food products. Mental health facilities, prisons, universities, and state institutions that have food contracts would be required to purchase at least 20 percent that is grown, produced, harvested or processed in New York State.

(Upper West Side, NY) – Senator José M. Serrano joined Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal to co-sponsor Maple Day for students from multiple Upper West Side schools. Students in attendance were provided with a tour of the “Maple Van,” a 28-foot trailer, built for activities and demonstrations including “tapping” trees to extract the sap that is later refined into syrup. With New York State being the third largest producer of maple syrup in the world, the event was an interactive opportunity for students to learn first-hand how maple syrup is extracted and processed in New York.

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R – Schenectady) reported the New York State Senate recently passed legislation (S2149) that would create a farm-to-senior program to promote the purchase of New York State farm products by senior centers and other institutions for the aging.

The program would replicate a similar effort, the farm-to-school program, which was established in 2002 to enable schools to purchase locally-grown farm produce for school children. The bill would give that same access to seniors.