Ag budget uncertainty
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> Legislative and farm leaders alike are concerned about the uncertainty surrounding Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s lump-sum agriculture spending, instead of identifying how specific programs should be funded.
In his executive budget, the governor is calling for $28.4 million in Aid to Localities for numerous ag programs such as Cornell’s Pro-Dairy project, a growing farm-to-school initiative and greater promotion of New York products from maple syrup to Christmas trees.
But unlike previous years, there is no line-item designation for each program. Cuomo has left it up to state agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball to decide how money should be allocated.
“So the Legislature doesn’t get to see and approve how he’s going to spend that money,” said Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, an Assembly Agriculture Committee member. “It’s harder to negotiate for more money for certain programs because you don’t know what you’re arguing for.”
“Agriculture is still our number one industry, but it continues to struggle with commodity prices that are highly volatile and largely down,” she said. “We want to make sure that money is invested properly.”
American Farmland Trust state Director David Haight, of Saratoga Springs, said, “The farm community needs to know what the state’s priorities are. We’re hoping the final state budget will have these in their lines.”
The Assembly and Senate are currently working on budget plans of their own, which are scheduled for joint release on or about March 13. The governor’s office and Legislature then begin hammering out a final budget scheduled for adoption by
March 31.
The state’s fiscal year begins on April 1.
A farm-to-school grants program is one small example of the fiscal uncertainty in the governor’s ag budget. The competitive grant program gives money to schools to help them overcome barriers to sourcing local foods such as purchasing a new oven or freezer or hiring additional staff.
Separately, the state has allocated $10 million for a related program that rewards schools that buy goods grown or raised in New York, for school lunch programs.
“They’re working to expand resources for schools looking to buy food from local farmers,” said Samantha Levy, Farmland Trust New York policy manager.
Last year, the farm-to-school grants program was doubled from $750,000 to $1.5 million. This year, it’s unclear what might be allocated.
Mary Jean Packer, Christmas Tree Farmers Association
of New York executive director, said, “Our growers rely on the funds in the ag budget for many of our programs, most notably last year’s pilot projects with ‘ New York Ag in the Classroom’ and a BOCES youth education and career awareness program. Our plans are to use 2019-20 funding to expand these programs to reach many more youth and schools. Our grower education, consumer awareness, and wholesale coordination programs would all continue with continued funding.”
The $28.4 million Cuomo has proposed for agricultural Aid to Localities is roughly $8 million more than the figure he proposed in last year’s budget, said Jola Szubielski, state Department of Agriculture and Markets spokesperson.
But Haight said: “While it’s exciting that the governor is putting more money in Aid to Localities, the agriculture department has its own priorities. This puts all the power in the department’s hands unless it’s (spending) is lined out.”
“It’s important for the governor and Legislature to come together and have real clear allocations of funding for programs that will be in jeopardy,” he said.
Szubielski said, “We will work with the industry to develop a spending plan for historical priority programming and will work cooperatively with the budget director to best meet the needs of the agricultural industry.”
She said the governor’s budget will continue funding specialized technical assistance, industry promotion, and research investments to reduce farms’ exposure to economic and climate inconsistency statewide.
Programs with a long track record such as ProDairy are considered high priorities. Pro-Dairy is a farm education program that converts research into hands-on training for dairy farm managers and owners in topics ranging from environmental stewardship and on-farm renewable energy to day-to-day management techniques, which set them apart from dairy farms in other states and countries.
Funding will also support programs that support food access, agricultural education, farm safety, migrant child care, workforce development, and farm family assistance, Szubielski said.
Aid to Localities is only one part of the agriculture department’s total spending. Cuomo has called for a total department budget of $175 million. Much of this goes for salary and overhead.