A bill to encourage more people to pursue careers as agriculture educators could attract more individuals in the North Country to teach young people about the importance of farming by forgiving student loans for those who commit, according to the bill’s sponsor.

State Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, whose 48th District covers northern and western St. Lawrence County, says “there are so many talented individuals across our state who are passionate about farming and have the potential to share all they know about the industry with young people who will one day become part of New York’s next generation of farmers.”

“The continued success of our state’s leading industry depends on encouraging more young people to one day become involved in agribusiness, and this legislation continues my efforts to do just that,” said Ritchie, who serves as chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

The Senate also passed three other measures aimed at boosting agriculture and supporting new and beginning farmers. They include:

· a measure (S.7180-A) to allow vehicles registered for agricultural purposes to travel on public highways from their point of sale to a farm. Currently, they are only allowed to travel on public highways to certain destinations that are less than 25 miles away, creating a burden for farmers who are unnecessarily forced pay for a trailer to transport their farm vehicle

· legislation (S.1793) to establish a revolving loan fund program for beginning farmers, which would help support those who are just starting out, as well as attract new people to the profession; and

· Senate bill 2531-B, which would establish a program aimed at helping farmers—especially vegetable growers—manage costs associated with removing excess water from land that hampers cultivation.

The measures were sent to the Assembly.