The New York Farm Bureau and Northeast Dairy Producers Association are lauding the inclusion of multiple important agricultural funding items in the New York state budget.

“New York Farm Bureau works hard all year to protect agriculture in New York state. It’s often a difficult process, but because we make our voice heard, we were able to secure these wins,” said David Fisher, president of the organization.  

Dairy farmers spent months advocating for a change to the overtime tax credit which excluded some farms from being eligible based on how they structure their business. Increased access to the farm overtime tax credit was included in the budget.  

The Department of Agriculture and Markets will play a significant role in this correction, which ensures all farms are eligible for the tax credit. In addition to the overtime tax credit expansion, the farm workforce retention tax credit was extended to 2029, which gives farms a $1,200 credit per eligible employee to offset labor costs.  

Five million dollars was allocated for the Farmworker Housing Revolving Loan fund, which allows farmers to receive no-interest loans to improve or construct new housing for farmworkers.  

“While more funding and an increase to the loan cap are needed for the Farmworker Housing Program, NEDPA recognizes progress made by the $5 million investment that brings the revolving loan fund to $20 million,” said Keith Kimball, president of the Northeast Dairy Producers Association, in a statement.  

The budget included funding for environmental stewardship practices to benefit dairy farmers.  

“Level funding provided for Cornell PRO-DAIRY and its Climate Leadership Specialists, Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, and an increase for the Agriculture Waste management program and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts will support dairy farms’ ongoing efforts to protect and preserve our natural resources,” Kimball said in a statement.  

The $425 million environmental protection fund includes $90 million for agricultural stewardship programs, including farmland protection and farm water quality projects.  

Other key wins the New York Farm Bureau highlighted were funding for universal school meals, $55 million for the Nourish NY program, $10 million for the Dairy Farm Modernization Grant program and $375,000 for the Cornell University Ruminant Center.