A new $39 million “Grown in New York” multi-part plan has been unveiled by Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Sen. Patty Ritchie and her colleagues.

The “Grown in New York” plan has a logo to help promote the effort to meet consumers’ demands for locally grown food, support local farmers in their efforts to provide quality, fresh food, and strengthen rural communities today unveiled their.

New York is home to 36,000 family farms that contribute to the state’s more than $5.7 billion agriculture industry.

According to a press release, the 2015 Grown in New York plan includes:

· $1.75 million to create up to five local transportation cooperatives where farmers can arrange to move their products to New York City and other major populated areas

· $250,000 in New York State Thruway toll rebate aid to help lower the transportation cost of these goods.

· a Senate proposal for $10 million for agriculture programs

· an additional $10 million for “the long-overdue upgrades” to Cornell’s Geneva Experiment Station, where applied research is solving problems ranging from plant disease to improved agriculture practices, increasing yields

· $1 million to the Beginning Farmer Innovation grants, and the arbitrary acreage cap that was previously required by this program would also be removed

· $1 million increase to the Young Farmer Student Loan Forgiveness Program. This program would also be expanded to include agriculture educators as well as farm operators

· $700,000 to support school-based agriculture education, including Future Farmers of America and BOCES-based agricultural science education

· $300,000 in matching grant funding for on-the-job training to aspiring farmers through the Cornell Cooperating Farm Apprenticeship

· $1 million for the creation of a Farm Bank, which would link new farmers with public and private land owners to create better opportunities for new farmers

· a $1 million revolving loan fund to assist eligible beginning farmers finance land and buy basic farm equipment.

· $1 million in funding for a Grown in New York marketing brand to help consumers identify NY-grown and farm-made products that contain at least 75 percent local ingredients

· $1.8 million to expand the USDA’s Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program to reach more senior consumers across the state

· while the governor’s budget proposal includes a $250,000 appropriation, the Senate’s proposal includes a $2.5 million financial incentive to encourage schools to choose locally produced, healthy food choices

· $1 million of funding would aid the statewide expansion of Cornell University’s Harvest NY program, which provides commodities-based expertise to assist family farmers, with an emphasis on identifying new export opportunities and growing New York’s meat industry

· $5 million in New York State Energy Research and Development Authority grants for additional clean energy resources to farm-based projects, including the installation of solar technology and construction of new digesters.

· $200,000 in funding to create a new Farm Business Transition Program, operated through Cornell’s FarmNet, to assist the smooth transfer of up to 75 farm businesses each year to new ownership.

· $450,000 to help farmers navigate regulations and find information about programs and services that can grow their businesses.

The full report can be viewed on Senator Ritchie’s website, www.ritchie.nysenate.gov.