By Blake Jackson
American Farmland Trust (AFT) welcomes the focus on agriculture and food systems in Governor Hochul's 2024 State of the State Address. AFT is particularly encouraged by her commitment to:
- Protecting health and safety: AFT applauds the Governor's focus on the well-being of all New Yorkers, including farmers and food system workers.
- Boosting farm jobs: AFT is excited to see her dedication to creating more agricultural jobs and strengthening the state's economy.
- Combating climate change: AFT appreciates her attention to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture through alternative waste management and precision feed programs. This aligns with New York's ambitious CLCPA goals and positions farmers as key players in climate solutions.
- Expanding food access: AFT applauds the Governor's focus on expanding summer meals and youth agricultural education. Increasing access to healthy food, including New York-grown produce, is crucial for our state's youth and farmers alike.
To further strengthen these initiatives, AFT urges the Governor to consider:
- Expanding the 30% Reimbursement Incentive Program: This program encourages schools to purchase local food. Expanding it to all federally reimbursable meals and across all child nutrition programs would significantly boost farm-to-school efforts and benefit both students and farmers.
- Simplifying access to local food funding: Revising the program's eligibility criteria to include all schools, regardless of their participation in other programs, would make it easier for more schools to access valuable resources and support local agriculture.
AFT looks forward to collaborating with the Governor and legislature to turn these promising commitments into concrete actions. AFT believes that by investing in farm-to-school, supporting new farmers, and promoting climate-smart practices, we can build a stronger, more resilient food system for all New Yorkers.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-sisoje
Categories: New York, Education