Agriculture opportunities
Opportunities abound for New York agriculture
CAPITALREGION, N.Y. >> The Capital Region is a microcosm of New York’s diverse $5 billion agriculture industry, which ranks nationally as a leader for goods such as yogurt, cheese and sour cream (first); apples and maple syrup (second); and milk production (third).
Many more opportunities such as farm-to-school initiatives, urban gardening and enhanced marketing of products ranging from hemp to concord grapes are also on the horizon in 2019.
The state’s 35,000 farms encompasses more than seven million acres and are responsible for nearly 200,000 jobs.
“There are a lot of positive trends,” state Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said. “We need to exploit these opportunities.”
But there are challenges as well, such as bringing state leaders, who make crucial budget decisions, up to speed on high-priority issues confronting farmers today.
Democrats now control the upper house of the Legislature so Sen. Jen Metzger, of Ulster County, has replaced Sen. Patty Ritchie, of St. Lawrence County, as chair of that body’s agriculture committee. In the Assembly, Donna Lupardo of Broome County, succeeds fellow Democrat Bill Magee, of Oneida County, as committee chair.
Lupardo is new to the agriculture panel, but has championed legislation to support New York’s fast-growing hemp and craft beverages during her 14 years in office.
“My initial goal will be to build on the relationships I already have with the many farming interests around the state,” Lupardo said. “I don’t presume to know all the challenges they are facing, but will listen and try to offer a fresh perspective. I’ll continue promoting farm viability, workforce retention and development, and new market access for New York products and services.”
“I will also be supportive of the many existing programs, research institutions, and farming associations throughout the state,” she said. “We will also need to be mindful of the impact of climate change on our farms, adjusting policies and supports to address extreme weather events, resiliency, and farm management practices.”
However, the most serious agricultural issue in New York is the ongoing plight of dairy farmers, who are struggling to make ends meet in an era of extremely low milk prices, caused by global factors largely outside the control of state leaders.
The price farms get for milk has been stuck in a low trough for the past several years. Many farms are operating below the cost of production, faced with ceasing operations if conditions persist.
Ball leads a state Milk Marketing Advisory Council comprised of stakeholders such as farmers, processors, cooperatives, consumers and Cornell University educators aimed at helping dairy producers survive this difficult period.
He said the state has invested $50 million to modernize and increase production capacity so more fluid milk can be used to
make yogurt, cheese, butter, and dry milk.
Such efforts are critical because dairy is the largest sector of the state’s agricultural industry and a major contributor to its rural economy.
On another front, Ball said he’s pleased with elements of the recently adopted U. S. Farm Bill. One of the main highlights is an improved dairy insurance program that gives farmers coverage during periods of low-profit margins.
“Under the former Margin Protection Program, many farms that paid in didn’t get their money’s worth,” Ball said.
About 80 percent of the Farm Bill spending is for nutrition programs such as SNAP (formerly called Food Stamps), as opposed to actual ag-related initiatives. Last year, in preparation for the Farm Bill’s adoption, state and federal leaders held a series of listening sessions that gave farmers a chance to provide input on things they need.
During this process, Ball said both farm and social program advocates “realized they need each other,” and didn’t call for spending cuts that would hurt their respective interests. Nutrition programs, geared toward lower- income residents, create demand for farm products. At the same time, financially strong farms are needed to raise the goods such programs rely on.
Ball is extremely inter- ested in expanding the “No Student Goes Hungry” and similar farm-toschool efforts in 2019. The huge New York City school system alone presents a significant opportunity for helping children develop good eating habits with local foods, while creating a market for New York farmers
he state will provide 25 cents per meal to schools that obtain at least 30 percent of their agricultural products from New York sources, Ball said.
During the past year, his department hosted summits in the Southern Tier and Western New York for the wood products and concord grape industries, respectively. These events mere patterned after similar events the state has hosted in recent years to promote the craft beverage and yogurt industries.
The New York Grown & Certified and Taste NY programs are designed to boost all types of farm products as well.
Industrial hemp is an emerging crop that gives farms a chance to diver- sify and improve revenue streams.
“We are currently the fifth largest producer of hemp in the country and first in the Northeast,” Lupardo said. “Now that the federal government has fully legalized industrial hemp, New York is positioned to take complete advantage of this multiuse crop. By carefully coordinating growers, processors, manufacturers and researchers, we will have a new agricultural commodity with vast economic and research potential.”