More than 250 state and local organizations are urging New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to include a package of food and nutrition priorities in her upcoming executive budget proposal, according to a letter sent to the governor.

The groups are requesting:

The 110-year-old New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) has an ambiguous name, but does critical work.

The fund was born out of one of the deadliest tragedies in New York City history: the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in which 146 mostly young immigrant women and girls perished.

Several New York and Pennsylvania House Republicans, led by Rep. Nick Langworthy, called on Gov. Kathy Hochul to end opposition to a proposed natural gas pipeline that would’ve run through parts of the Southern Tier and Western New York, according to a letter they sent Thursday.

Known as the Northern Access Pipeline, National Fuel Gas Co. proposed a decade ago to build a two-foot wide, 96-mile pipeline that would run through parts of Allegany, Cattaraugus and Erie counties, as well as one county in Pennsylvania, and carry natural gas to a variety of places in North America.

The number of clean energy jobs in New York state has reached a record high with 178,000 employees in the industry at the end of 2023, according to findings from the 2024 New York Clean Energy Industry Report.

That’s an increase of 7,700 from the year prior.

Several hemp retailers in the state who say they've been improperly accused of selling illegal marijuana products have high hopes for a state Supreme Court decision expected by the end of the month.

Hemp store owners this summer sued the state Office of Cannabis Management after police confiscated thousands of dollars of product they argue they're legally licensed to sell through the state agency.

Some New York pet stores are closing their doors for good ahead of big changes for the industry.

Two years ago, legislation was passed banning the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in New York retail pet shops and signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The legislation, according to a press release, was "aiming to end the puppy mill-to-pet store pipeline and stop abusive breeders."

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Thanksgiving is a day for traditions like turkey, football and watching the parade.

Dank dispensary owner Aaron Van Camp said in his family they had a more discreet custom as well.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Threats of tariffs by President-elect Donald Trump are raising flags for people on all sides of the border.

Trump posted Monday on Truth Social that he’d sign an executive order declaring a 25% tariff on all products coming in from Mexico and Canada if they don’t crack down on illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs.

In 1940, New York state sent 45 congressional representatives to Capitol Hill.

By the year 2000, that number had dropped to 29.

The state pension fund is estimated to be valued at $274.6 billion as of the end of the second quarter of the state's fiscal year, New York state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced Wednesday.

The comptroller said fund investments returned an estimated 4.15% during the three-month period ending Sept. 30. At the end of the state’s fiscal year in March, the pension fund was valued at $267.7 billion.

A cryptocurrency plant in Central New York can continue operating after a court rejected the state’s effort to shut down the facility, but the debate isn’t over and both sides consider the ruling a victory.

Environmental advocates have been railing against the Greenidge Generation facility for years, alleging the operation works against the state's goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The number of private sector jobs in New York decreased slightly — .01% — in October, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released Thursday by the state Department of Labor.

These put the total number of private sector jobs in the state to 8,391,200 in October, a drop of 800 jobs from the month before.

A week after winning her re-election bid, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Tuesday she's inviting President-elect Donald Trump to tour the semiconductor manufacturing industry in New York.

"So that he can see for himself that these are jobs that will last for decades and that we want to be competitive with China, something he's said publicly many times, he wants to out compete China. New York is the way to do that," she told Spectrum News 1.

The New York state Office of Cannabis Management approved a six-month extension for provisional licenses for retailers with former marijuana convictions who want to open a recreational store, the office announced Tuesday.

Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary Licenses, known as the CAURD program, was created by the state to prioritize upcoming business owners with a cannabis conviction under former drug laws or people who have a family member with a previous conviction.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- J.C. Seneca is taking over as president of the Seneca Nation of Indians after garnering more than 87% of the tribal election vote.

The business owner, philanthropist and long-time council member, who lost his previous three presidential campaigns, said the time was right.

An additional $2.4 billion makes New York's fiscal picture rosier than expected, but Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday the extra cash will help drive down the state's existing debt.

Higher profits on Wall Street have given the state the $2.4 billion boost — shrinking next year's budget gap to $1 billion, according to the state's Mid-Year Budget update released late Tuesday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Help is on the way for three Western New York cities in the form of millions of dollars in state funding connected to a Seneca casino revenue sharing deal.

The governor's office said it will deliver more than $5.5 million to Buffalo, roughly $7.6 million to Niagara Falls and another $3.5 million to Salamanca and Cattaraugus County. New acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon said the city budgeted for $11 million in casino money.

The number of private sector jobs in New York decreased over the month by 2,900, or less than 0.1%, in September, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released Thursday by the state Department of Labor.

These put the total number of private sector jobs in the state to 8,392,500 in September. By contrast, private sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 0.2% in September, the department said.

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer announced a new $750 million preliminary investment for Wolfspeed from the CHIPS and Science Bill. Wolfspeed, located in Marcy, is the lead silicon carbide chip manufacturer in the U.S.

The funding is meant to boost Wolfspeed’s ongoing upstate expansion, as well as help to build a North Carolina facility that will send chip “wafers” to the Marcy Nanocenter to be finished.

ALBANY, N.Y. – New York's Advanced Clean Truck regulations take effect in 2025, requiring manufacturers that make vehicles 8,500 pounds and heavier to sell an increasing percentage of electric vehicles each year moving forward.

The goal, when feasible, is for all new commercial trucks by 2045 to produce zero emissions. Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said it's a critical component for meeting the state's climate goals.

Wall Street’s profits for the first half of the year were nearly 80% higher than last year. That’s according to a report from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

DiNapoli reported that Wall Street’s $23.2 billion in pretax profits for the first half of 2024 were a 79.3% increase over the same period last year. He said the increase, which he described as “dramatic” was buoyed by securities trading, underwriting and selling. The report indicated that annual profits are on pace to close out the year in a significantly stronger spot than 2023.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is stepping down from the office that he’s held for almost 20 years to become the president and CEO of Western New York Regional Off-Track Betting.

One of the reasons OTB said that it was interested in hiring Brown was for his relationships with lawmakers in Albany.

The dairy industry relies heavily on exporting their products through the East and Gulf Coast ports but with the labor strike, dairy farmers are at risk.

A.J. Wormuth, owner of Half Full Dairy in Elbridge, said he is concerned about the port strike and how it will impact the supply chain.

Fourteen New York local governments have been designated as "some level of fiscal stress," according to a new report from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's office. The state capital of Albany is one of them.

The report, recapping fiscal year 2023 in the state, shows that under the Fiscal Stress Monitoring System, 14 governments in fiscal stress is unchanged from fiscal 2022, and remains the lowest number the state have seen since the Fiscal Stress Monitoring System was introduced for fiscal 2013.

New York lawmakers said Wednesday they will introduce several proposals to regulate artificial intelligence in the state, and learn lessons from other states, like California, where concerns from tech giants squashed historic AI legislation over the weekend.

State assemblymembers held a hearing in Albany last week to examine the best way to protect New York consumers as the nascent automated technology develops.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — U.S. ports from Maine to Texas shut down Tuesday when the union representing about 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for the first time since 1977.

Workers began walking picket lines early Tuesday, picketing near ports all along the East Coast.

The New York state Division of Budget sent a letter to state agencies on Tuesday warning them to keep their funding requests flat ahead of the FY25-26 budget that New York lawmakers will have to pass in April of next year.

“While there is a growing consensus that the national economy is proceeding toward a ‘soft landing,’ New York’s status as the world’s financial capital makes it susceptible to a multitude of economic, geopolitical, and market risks,” the letter to agency commissioners from state Budget Director Blake Washington, reads. “A thorough consideration of state commitments will allow the state to be better positioned to meet planned out-year spending growth, and in the event of an economic downturn, will lessen the need for potential reduction in critical services at a time when New Yorkers would otherwise be in most need of our support. To accomplish this, agency budget requests for State Fiscal Year SFY 2026 should not exceed the total SFY 2025 Enacted Budget agency funding levels, excluding one-time investments."

New York is preparing for any impacts a possible strike at ports along the East Coast might have on the state, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday.

At issue is a contract dispute between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) with the current contract expiring Tuesday. The ILA is demanding significantly higher wages and a total ban on the automation of cranes, gates and container-moving trucks that are used in the loading or unloading of freight at 36 U.S. ports.

More than $33 million has been allocated to help farmers address the impacts of climate change as part of New York’s Climate Resilient Farming grant program, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday.

“This program gives farmers the resources they need to mitigate their impact on the environment, prepare for and respond to whatever weather events the future holds and continue their critical work contributing to our local economies,” Hochul said in a statement.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law aimed to increase transparency and accountability in public utility rate changes, she announced Wednesday.

One piece of legislation will require the Public Service Commission to publish certain information prior to a major rate change by a public gas or electric utility, explaining why the rate change is requested and a summary of how the proposed revenue will be spent.

About $27 million in Department of Defense funding will go to the New York-based consortium known as the Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub (NORDTECH) to boost semiconductor research and development and workforce training at upstate universities and research institutions, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Wednesday.

The funding comes from the $2 billion CHIPS for America Defense Fund, part of the CHIPS and Science Act that passed Congress in 2022 and on which Schumer was a lead architect. It will go to upstate research labs focused on semiconductor chips, quantum computing and other critical technology part of the defense industry.

Local sales tax collections in New York grew by 3.8% in August compared to the same month in 2023, according to data released Tuesday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office.

DiNapoli said collections reached $1.85 billion, which is up $68 million year over year.

The state Legislature authorized up to three new casino licenses in the downstate region back in 2022, but progress has been slow. Now one lawmaker is saying enough with the delays, as the state Gaming Commission says decisions on where those casinos will be are still over a year away.

State Sen. Joe Addabbo told Spectrum News 1 that it is taking way too long to get these casinos up and running. He hopes Gov. Kathy Hochul will take action on a bill he sponsored, which passed late last session, to codify deadlines into law.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- In Western New York, two small movies will begin shooting before the end of the year and Buffalo Niagara Film Commissioner Tim Clark said there are a number of big projects in the works for 2025.

"Two of them in particular are studio films so chances are they'll be major motion pictures with major stars," Clark said.

State business groups expressed disappointment Monday that Gov. Kathy Hochul didn't heed concerns about negative impacts a new law to strengthen protections for retail workers from theft rings and related violence will have on small employers.

Hochul signed legislation, known as the Retail Worker Safety Act, over the weekend as part of a package of legislation to commemorate New York City's annual Labor Day parade on Saturday.

Rail technology company Siemens Mobility will build a first-of-its-kind high-speed rail manufacturing facility in Horseheads, in Chemung County, New York, creating about 300 new jobs, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Monday.

The facility will build high-speed trainsets for Brightline West, which will build 218 miles of new track along the Interstate 15 cooridor, which will connect Las Vegas to Southern California. The seven-car trains, designed for speeds of up to 220 miles per hour, will carry up to 450 passengers. The trains would run faster than those on other high-speed lines in the U.S.

Nuclear energy is unique in a lot of ways. While it doesn’t emit greenhouse gasses, it is extractive since it relies on uranium mining. While nuclear waste is radioactive and must be carefully transported and stored, nuclear power is efficient and a greenhouse gas emissions-free alternative to oil and gas.

The state currently has three aging nuclear plants in Central New York, but they continue to produce 20% of New York’s energy.

Does New York’s climate plan need more nuclear energy? Nuclear New York answers that question with a resounding “yes."

With the state’s climate targets lagging at least three years behind, and its electricity needs increasing thanks to Artificial Intelligence; economic development projects like Micron; and crypto currency mining, there are stakeholders who feel investing further in nuclear power is the best way to meet the state’s energy goals within a reasonable timeline.

The New York state Office of Cannabis Management is implementing a new reporting tool to allow licensees authorized to cultivate to meet the state's climate goals.

Licensees can now use the PowerScore platform, a state-specific tool that provides detailed insights into resource consumption and aims to help businesses understand the relationship between their operating costs and yield. It is available at no cost, ensuring that all participants have the tools necessary to monitor and reduce resource consumption, potentially lower operating costs, and meet state environmental standards.

The state’s energy summit will continue on Thursday in Syracuse with panel discussions on next generation technologies and nuclear power, among other issues.

Protests are planned around the event by those groups who were not invited to participate: communities on the front lines of the climate crisis, including environmental justice organizations.

Gavin Donohue, president and CEO of the Independent Power Producers of New York (IPPNY), is hoping to hear that the Hochul administration will be investing more in workforce development to ensure that New York can quickly bring online any new energy technologies.

He spoke with Capital Tonight’s Susan Arbetter about the issue from the governor’s energy summit in Syracuse.

When Jerome Powell delivered a high-profile speech last month, the Federal Reserve chair came the closest he ever had to declaring that the inflation surge that gripped the nation for three painful years was now essentially defeated.

And not only that. The Fed's high interest rates, Powell said, had managed to achieve that goal without causing a widely predicted recession and high unemployment.

Zoe McGrady makes her living as a beauty and print model. She loves the industry, but says it's missing structure, like consequences for bad actors.

She says she still hasn't been paid for a job she did a year ago.

A three-month push to shut down unlicensed cannabis stores has led to hundreds of shops seeing their doors padlocked and issued notices of violation, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday.

The Illicit Cannabis Enforcement Task Force was launched on May 21. In accompaniment with several other statewide agencies and law enforcement groups, more than 150 investigators have been sent to inspect, padlock and seize products from illicit cannabis operators since that time.

As voters prepare to go to the polls this November, small business owners are taking a close look at the issues and policies that are most urgent to them.

Thousands of small business owners in New York state participated in a survey ranking issues they say rank as the most severe for them.

Cidermaker Chris Jackson says that at the height of the pandemic, shipping cider to customers who didn’t want to leave their homes helped keep the century-old Fishkill farms afloat.

“Obviously, that really saved a lot of cideries through COVID," he said. "The biggest thing was that it proved that it's not a big deal to do that. It's easy to manage. It doesn't take away from anybody else's business, and it really helps some of these cideries stay in business."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed a bill into law that will allow small craft manufacturers of spirits, cider and mead to ship directly to consumers, a practice put in place temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic that will now be allowed again for good.

The new law will expand opportunities for the craft beverage industry by allowing them to ship their products to consumers within and across state lines.

A surge in optimism by Democrats over the prospects of Vice President Kamala Harris lifted U.S. consumer sentiment slightly this month.

The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index edged up to 67.8 after coming in at 66.4 in July. Americans' expectations for the future rose, while their assessment of current economic conditions sank slightly.

The number of private sector jobs in New York increased over the month by 10,800, or 0.1% in July, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released Thursday by the state Department of Labor.

These put the total number of private sector of jobs in the state to 8,401,600 in July. Private sector jobs in the U.S. also increased by 0.1% in July, the department said.

This week, Vice President Kamala Harris came out in favor of a proposal to eliminate taxes on the tips that subminimum wage workers receive.

The vice president’s support of the proposal comes after former President Donald Trump announced his support for the same thing.

New York state’s infrastructure spending is higher than expected on multiple projects due to inflation. Additionally, a recent report out by the state comptroller found that the condition of one in 10 local bridges in New York is rated poor.

At the same time, the Citizens Budget Commission is projecting outyear budget gaps ranging from $5 billion in fiscal year 2026 to $9.9 billion in fiscal year 2028.

New York farmers have been working with state agencies to improve efficiency and safety to reduce the need for overtime hours amid changes to the threshold.

Introducing a lean management style on farms was one way that the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health is using to improve efficiency.

Edwards Vacuum invited government leaders Tuesday to the future site of its newest facility at the Genesee County Science Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park to break ground on the construction project it began in April.

Edwards parent company, Atlas Copco Group, said it expects to begin production by late next year and will hire 280 new employees as part of Phase 1.

Some state lawmakers are hoping to make it so debt collectors cannot use your social media accounts to collect that debt. The bill passed this session and is awaiting a decision from Gov. Kathy Hochul.

State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn insists the experience of using social media free from debt collection agencies trying to get in touch, or worse, is something all New Yorkers should have.

A new Siena College Research Institute poll, in partnership with Feeding New York State, indicates strong support for a package of legislative and Farm Bill proposals active in Congress.

According to the poll of 1,000 U.S. residents aged 18 and older, there is 80% support for increasing SNAP benefit levels; 77% support for the Universal School Meals Program and 82% support for making the local Food Purchase Assistance Program, or LFPA, a permanent program.

New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a report Monday on the potential of benefits and risks associated with artificial intelligence in anticipation of the Legislature drafting future legislation or regulations related to the new technology.

The AG's office has led conversations about the use of AI, including lawmakers and academic experts as part of a symposium held Monday.

In a second funding round, six New York farmers markets have been awarded a combined nearly $250,000 to strengthen their markets and make products more accessible to customers, the state Department of Agriculture and Markets announced.

“The Farmers’ Market Resiliency Grant Program continues to help our farmers’ markets by providing them funding they need to expand online sales, improve infrastructure and create stronger ties between New York farmers, their products and New York consumers,” said Commissioner Richard Ball in a press release.

New York's tourism industry has rebounded in a big way since pandemic lockdowns began more than four years ago, according to a new state report on travel released ahead of an extended Fourth of July weekend.

An analysis of travel by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli found people are visiting New York state close to pre-2020 levels. But there are still some challenges to face.

Whether New Yorkers are buying a new outfit for a special occasion at a local boutique, or getting everyday food items from area grocers, they rely on small businesses. Yet many of those businesses face challenges, and need support to stay afloat.

"Things are going in the wrong direction, particularly for independent retailers," said Ashley Ranslow, New York state director of the National Federation of Independent Business.

According to a National Economic Impact study by WineAmerica, New York’s wine industry poured $15 billion into the United States economy in 2022. With a new National Grape Improvement Center on the way in New York, officials believe that number is only going up.

“We’re here in Geneva to break ground on a facility that will make this region the center of research and innovation for the future of America’s entire wine industry," said Democratic U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. -- Neighbors of the Digihost crypto mining operation in North Tonawanda said they are burdened by constant noise from the plant, similar to living next to a busy airport or Niagara Falls.

Resident Mark Polito said it keeps him, his guest and even pets from spending extended periods outside and is worse at night.

There are updates to homegrown cannabis cultivation in New York state.

According to the state’s Office of Cannabis Management, adult-use cannabis has been legal in New York state since March 31, 2021.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — In the day and age we live in, we see development and revitalization through overhauls, but there's something to be said for keeping historic architecture and places intact.

"For every dollar that's given back through these tax programs, $4 is invested," said Preservation Buffalo Niagara's lead preservationist Brandon Kennedy.

Albany lawmakers are doubling down.

The state Senate and Assembly passed legislation to, in essence, try to force the governor’s hand.

Many of New York state’s mayors celebrated a long-awaited bump in state funding for their municipalities in the recently passed state budget.

AIM, or aid and incentives for municipalities, will see a $50 million boost in unrestricted funding for cities, the first in 15 years.

New York dairy farmers will get $21 million to implement on-farm projects to protect water quality and mitigate the impacts of climate change, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said Tuesday.

The funding will help CAFO-permitted farmers to help offset some of the cost of implementing projects for better manure management systems that reduce carbon and preserve nutrients used as fertilizer on fields. It can also fund precision feed management programs that reduce methane emissions.

Gov. Kathy Hochul made three new leadership appointments to the New York Office of Cannabis Management, her office said Monday, following an assessment of the office targeted to find opportunities for improvement amid the legal cannabis rollout.

Among the appointments is Felicia A. B. Reid as the executive deputy director and acting executive director. A nationwide search is underway for a permanent executive director and Hochul said the governor’s office will work with an experienced recruitment firm to identify qualified candidates from across the state and the country.

The New York state Assembly on Friday passed legislation related to the state's new farmworker overtime law that, if signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, would make it easier for some farm businesses to receive reimbursement.

Currently, some farms are ineligible to file for the reimbursement if they have a management company or LLC for payroll purposes or if they go through a thrid-party contractor for paycheck services.

With jobs waiting to be filled, some argue that it’s a no-brainer to allow undocumented immigrants to take professional licensing exams.

But according to New York state Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, legislation to do just that is having a hard time navigating the Legislature this late in the session.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- At the crux, the arguments for and against bills the state Legislature is considering to expand corporate liability in New York are simple.

Opponents like the Lawsuit Reform of Alliance in New York said they will make living in the state more expensive.

As New York is slated to become the first U.S. state to regulate social media algorithms and young New Yorkers' addiction to the digital platforms, legislation amended late Monday is expected to clear the state Legislature at the end of the week to require people under the age of 18 to verify their age and mandate parental controls for minors who use the platforms.

The bill, known as the SAFE for Kids Act, would require social media companies have addictive algorithms turned off for New York users under the age of 18 — making the chronological feed the platform default for minors — unless a parent or guardian gives consent.

Before the legislative session ends in Albany this week, dairy farmers and advocates are pushing for a change to the language of the overtime tax credit that so far has excluded some farm businesses from getting reimbursed.

Keith Kimball, owner of La Casa de Leche, a dairy farm in Alexander, Genessee, is one of the farmers currently ineligible for a tax credit that offsets increased overtime costs due to new state regulations.

Many of New York state’s mayors celebrated a long-awaited bump in state funding for their municipalities in the recently passed state budget.

AIM, or Aid and Incentives for Municipalities, will see a $50 million boost in unrestricted funding for cities — the first in 15 years.

People living with disabilities have a tough time finding work. But in New York, there’s another issue: If a person with a disability finds a job, there’s a chance that he or she will be paid a subminimum wage.

In 1938, during the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt signed section 14C of the Federal Labor Act into law, allowing the lower wage. Many people living with disabilities think it’s time for New York state to make the subminimum wage for people with disabilities a thing of the past, as 16 other states have done.

Environmental advocacy groups like We Act 4 Change are making passage of the NY HEAT Act their top priority as legislative session nears its close.

Climate Justice Campaign Manager Annie Carforo said the legislation aims to align state policy with climate goals already on the books.

There have been many uncommon and historic aspects of the economy over the past several years. Experts say the job market is only now starting to resemble pre-pandemic conditions. What does that mean for those looking for employment opportunities?

The nation’s unemployment rate has remained below 4% for more than two years. Hiring at the beginning of 2024 was more robust than all of 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The New York Farm Bureau’s new CEO Deanna Fox grew up on family farms in Chenango and Madison counties in Central New York, where her family raised dairy cattle, tapped maple sugar and raised horses.

In her new role, Fox told Capital Tonight that the organization is strongly supporting one bill and strongly opposing another in the few weeks left in the current legislative session in Albany.

Last year, New York state expanded its film tax credit to $700 million a year. The hope was that filmmakers would opt to make their movies here in New York rather than in Los Angeles or Vancouver or Atlanta.

The problem is that the film tax credit is paid for with taxpayer money, and several studies have come out showing that the return on this kind of investment isn’t that good. One consulting group the state paid to figure out whether the tax credit was worth it said that it is "at best a break-even proposition and more likely a net cost for the state.”

The House Committee on Agriculture released a nearly 1,000-page document drafting the long-awaited 2024 Farm Bill totaling $1.5 trillion – the first trillion-dollar farm bill in history.

“The Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2024 is the product of extensive feedback from stakeholders and all members of the House and is responsive to the needs of farm country through the incorporation of hundreds of bipartisan policies,” House committee chair Glenn Thompson, a Republican, said in a press release.

A bankruptcy court judge has approved a plan by the cryptocurrency lender Genesis Global to return about $3 billion to its creditors and investors, including thousands of people who New York regulators say were defrauded by the company.

The plan and settlement approved Friday by Judge Sean H. Lane includes up to $2 billion to settle a lawsuit by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who said the company misled investors about the risks of putting their money into a company program known as Gemini Earn.

With declining membership, rising costs and heavy impact legislation debated in the halls of the state capitol and Congress, the new New York Farm Bureau leader says she hopes to push for new youth career initiatives and advocate for support for Empire State farmers.

CEO Deanna Fox grew up on a dairy farm in Chenango County, and many of her family members were farmers.

Through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New York will offer $14.7 million in funding for farmers and food businesses to strengthen the infrastructure of the food supply chain, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul's office.

“The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program provides critical funding to support our food supply chain by investing in projects that modernize agricultural facilities, improve training and facilitate the purchase of new equipment,” Hochul said in a statement.

There are a variety of worker protections that New York advocates are pushing hard to pass during the final few weeks of the legislative session.

Rochester Democratic state Assemblyman Harry Bronson, who chairs the Assembly Labor Committee, is the lead sponsor of many of them.

The Central New York Regional Market Authority's financial position has deteriorated and will continue to see annual net losses if measures are not taken to increase revenues and reduce expenses, according to an audit released Tuesday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office.

The audit found the Syracuse-based public authority, which operates a farmers market and flea market to help vendors sell their products and has programs and services to promote agriculture in the region, has seen a total net decline from $6 million at the start of fiscal year 2020-21 to $4.9 million at the end of fiscal year 2022-23. Cash available to pay operating costs declined from $502,807 to a deficit of $6,539 over the same time period.

In 2015, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued new rules requiring state and local governments to disclose certain tax abatements in annual financial reports. This new requirement makes information about tax abatements at the state and local government levels available for the public to review, according to the Tax Policy Center.

The organizations Good Jobs First and Reinvent Albany recently published an analysis of that public information.

CLYMER, N.Y. — Brittany Gerould is the general manager of The Dutch Village Restaurant in Clymer, one of seven completely dry towns and villages in New York state, meaning there's no selling or buying of alcohol.

"The business model has really functioned quite well without it," said Gerould.

Rochester's Genesee Brewery is set to undergo a $50 million modernization project, its parent company FIFCO USA announced Monday.

The project will increase the brewery’s capacity with the installation of new tanks and equipment. Plans call for the facility to help supplement the Canadian production and shipment of Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light lines of beer, making this the first facility to produce these lines in the United States.

State lawmakers want to expand the types of alcoholic beverages that can be directly shipped to New York consumers and how restaurants buy alcohol in the state before legislative session ends in about five weeks.

The $237 billion state budget extended to-go alcoholic beverages for five years through 2030, and allows movie theaters that serve food to get a liquor license. Several lawmakers plan to make alcohol-to-go permanent in the future.

BUFFALO, N.Y. - An April report by the New York Civil Justice Institute finds in most cases, the insurances costs in the state are higher than anywhere else in the country.

Scott Hobson, of Big I New York, an industry advocacy group, said while high premiums are always an issue, the report lays out an even bigger concern.

Many of New York state’s mayors are celebrating a bump in state funding for their municipalities in the state budget.

AIM, or aid and incentives for municipalities, will see a $50 million boost in unrestricted funding for cities, the first in 15 years.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Non-competes are clauses in employment contracts meant to stop employees from working for or starting with competing companies within outlined geographic and time limits.

Hodgson Russ litigation partner Jody Galvin said the agreements are traditionally legislated by states.

President Joe Biden signed a bill last week that could lead to a ban of TikTok nationwide.

While the potential of a TikTok ban is still a little way’s away, small business owners are concerned that banning the app could negatively impact their businesses.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- New York state has already announced its Empire AI Consortium, named the University at Buffalo as the program's hub and even secured private contributions.

However, UB Vice President of Research and Economic Development Venu Govindaraju said it wasn't until lawmakers passed the budget over the weekend, including $250 million for the initiative, that it officially became a reality.

A TikTok video put Abbey Kowalec and her business on the map.

“I find that when someone reaches out to me, the first thing they say is, ‘Oh, I found you on TikTok,’” Kowalec said. “I would say 70 to 80% of my customer base comes from TikTok.”

New York local government sales tax collections increased 1.6%, totaling $5.6 billion, in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office said Wednesday.

It is the lowest rate of growth in the first quarter since 2021, the comptroller added.