By Blake Jackson
New York Farm Bureau (NYFB) has announced its legislative priorities for 2026, reflecting months of grassroots policy development by its members across the state.
The priorities were finalized at NYFB’s State Annual Meeting earlier this month, where delegates representing 50 counties met to debate and vote on a broad range of agricultural and rural issues. Based on those discussions, NYFB’s public policy team identified key focus areas for the upcoming legislative session.
A central priority is securing adequate funding in the final FY 2026-27 state budget for essential agricultural programs, including animal health, research, environmental initiatives, and commodity promotion.
NYFB is also calling for a substantial increase in state investment for the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to strengthen agricultural education, research, and extension services.
The organization supports extending the refundable investment tax credit and expanding eligibility to include construction costs associated with farmworker housing. NYFB is also advocating for shifting the oversight of product marketing and research orders from Empire State Development to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Labor and regulatory reforms are another focus. NYFB supports eliminating overtime pay requirements for a weekly consecutive 24-hour rest period when total weekly hours remain below the overtime threshold.
The group also backs legislation to establish a Clean Fuel Standard and supports funding for the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health to study and educate on heat-related working conditions before new temperature-related regulations are enacted.
Additional priorities include exempting agricultural businesses from Extended Producer Responsibility laws until a practical, state-funded recycling program is available, and requiring local taxing districts to use agricultural assessment values when calculating property taxes.
Finally, NYFB supports renewable energy policies that align with grid capacity and realistic timelines, while opposing all-electric mandates and restrictions on propane, natural gas, oil, or wood-burning appliances.
Photo Credit: new-york-farm-bureau
Categories: New York, Government & Policy