Statement by Senator George Borrello on Nourish NY Passing the State Assembly

ALBANY – Senator George Borrello released the following statement on the passage of A.5781, the Assembly companion bill to legislation sponsored by Senators Hinchey and Borrello that would establish the farm-to-food bank initiative, Nourish NY, as a permanent state program.

“Today’s passage of legislation that would permanently establish Nourish NY is a victory for its Assembly champions, Catalina Cruz, Donna Lupardo and Chris Tague, and another stride forward for this invaluable relief program. While Nourish NY’s roots were founded in the tremendous economic hardships that resulted from the pandemic and our state’s lockdown, it quickly became a lifeline for food insecure New Yorkers as well as struggling farmers. When longstanding supply chains failed, the Nourish NY program built new ones between rural farms and urban food banks, helping countless families in the process.

“During the state’s lockdown, Nourish NY helped over 4,000 New York farms and it provided nourishing, New York-produced food to over 1.3 million households in need. It was one of the silver linings of this crisis and the advocacy for its continuation has come from all corners.

“Special thanks go out to Senate Agriculture Chair, Senator Michelle Hinchey, with whom I am proud to be a co-prime sponsor on the legislation in our house, and its Assembly sponsors, Cruz, Lupardo and Tague. Our input and voices have been united in support behind this measure, which has the potential to expand the impact of this program many times over. I urge Governor Cuomo to sign this bill as soon as possible, so that permanent implementation can begin and all those involved can move forward with certainty.”

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