|
stand up for new york farms
Governor Paterson has proposed devastating cuts to programs that protect farmland, increase consumer access to nutritious food grown in New York and strengthen economic opportunities for farmers.
Program |
Proposed Cuts |
Environmental Protection Fund |
-33% |
Farmland Protection Program |
-53% |
Farmers Markets Grants |
Funding eliminated |
New York Farm Viability Institute |
Funding eliminated |
| Integrated Pest Management Program |
Funding eliminated |
| Organic Agriculture Program |
Funding eliminated |
These drastic cuts are only a small part of the Governor’s proposed $130 billion state budget, but they will have big impacts on farmers and our food system. There are other solutions than cutting state programs that invest in our farm and food industry which annually contributes more than $23 billion to New York’s economy, while producing nutritious foods, and maintaining beautiful landscapes and clean water.
Send and email to your state legislators now and let them know that protecting farmland is crucial to our supply of local food and clean water as well as New York’s economy.
More than ever before, we need your help to tell the Governor and state leaders why they have to invest in New York's farms, food and agricultural land. On March 15th we will deliver this message with a No Farms No Food Rally and Lobby Day at the Capitol in Albany.
This is a critical opportunity to join New Yorkers from across our great state to rally at the Capitol and lobby our legislators. We will hear from state policy makers and farm, food and environmental leaders and meet directly with legislators to talk about the critical importance of state programs that invest in farms, food and farmland.
Get the Agenda!
*Who:* |
Farmers, Land Trusts, Food and Community Groups, Environmentalists, Local Governments And Others. |
*What:* |
No Farms No Food Lobby Day
Lobby state legislators to restore funding to critical programs that:
• Protect farmland for future generations
• Help farmers protect water and the environment
• Strengthen the farm and food economy
• Increase consumer access to nutritious foods grown in New York
|
*When:* |
March 15th from 9:30am to 4:00 pm
| 9:30 |
Arrival and Sign-In, Meeting Room 1, Empire State Convention Center |
| 9:45 |
Speakers |
| 10:20 |
Orientation |
| 11:00 |
Appointments with Legislators |
| 12:30 |
Lunch, Third Floor Terrace, Legislative Office Building (LOB) |
| 1:30 |
Appointments with Legislators |
| 4:00 |
Debrief & Departure, Third Floor Terrace, LOB |
|
| *Where:* |
The State Capitol in Albany, New York. |
*Why:* |
Severe and disproportionate cuts to New York’s farm, food and environmental programs have been proposed in Governor Paterson’s 2010-2011 state budget. Some cuts eliminate programs that help farmers make a good living and give consumers access to local foods, such as the Farmers Market Grants program and the New York Farm Viability Institute. Other programs have been slashed. The Farmland Protection Program, the premier state program for protecting irreplaceable farmland from development, may be shut down for at least two years.
Current funding for farms and food represent far less than one percent of the state’s $130 billion budget yet are being targeted for severe funding cuts. There are other solutions to the state’s budget crisis than to disproportionately cut programs that provide support to the farm and food system, which contributes more than $23 billion annually to New York’s economy. |
| *How:* |
Register today by sending an email to newyork@farmland.org |
Become an Advocate!
Join the New York Action Alert Network!
|
|
Farm policy newsdesk
The Farmland Policy Summit brought together over 60 representatives from land trusts, local governments and environmental groups. Download materials located in the left column above to learn more.
focus on the Farmland Protection Program in NY
New York’s farmers and communities are ready for the state government to take a fresh look at the way it approaches farmland protection.
A report released by AFT, titled Picking Up the Pace: A Road Map for Accelerating Farmland Protection in New York [PDF, 1.21MB], finds that the state loses about 10 times more farmland to development than it protects annually. Each year, 26,000 acres of farmland are developed in New York while the state’s Farmland Protection Program has protected 2,192 acres annually.
 New York Policy Update Archives
Back to New York Home
|
