From left, in front, are Jon Greenwood, Mary Kelly, Keith Pierce and Phil Randazzo; in back, Allen Kelly, Jay Matteson, Dave Fisher, Eric Behling, Dr. Jack Zeh, Sen. Ritchie, Kevin Acres and Ron Robbins.

State Sen. Patty Ritchie met recently in St. Lawrence County with members of her Agriculture Advisory Council, a group of farmers and agriculture professionals from throughout Central and Northern New York, to hear their concerns and listen to their suggestions for what can be done to improve the state’s leading industry.

“Making real progress when it comes to strengthening our agriculture industry and boosting the bottom lines of farmers across the state depends heavily on the feedback we’re able to gather from the farmers and agribusiness owners on the ground level,” said Ritchie, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Attendees discussed priorities for the 2016 Legislative Session, including advocating for additional funding for key agriculture programs, as well as continuing to cut red tape for farmers.

During the meeting, Ritchie showcased the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Annual Report, which highlights work done by the committee in 2015, including record budget funding for agriculture, efforts to make locally grown foods more readily available for consumers and an expansion of initiatives that encourage young people to pursue careers in farming.