All seven of the Assembly and Senate members who represent parts of St. Lawrence County have been named to the New York Farm Bureau's annual "Circle of Friends," among a total of 158 state legislators so recognized out of 212 members in both houses.

Farmnet’s 2015 “Farm Family Advocate Of The Year” Award is given “in recognition of her unwavering support of NY FarmNet and its mission to help the state’s farm families,” a press release from Ritchie’s office said.

In the 2015 Farm Bureau Circle of Friends are Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, who represents the western half of St. Lawrence County including Ogdensburg, Canton and Gouverneur; Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, whose district includes a swath running through the middle of St. Lawrence County, from Massena to Fine, including Potsdam; Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, whose district includes Parishville, Clare, Colton, Hopkinton and Piercefield in St. Lawrence County; Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, R-Black River, whose district includes the towns of DeKalb, Gouverneur, Hermon, Russell, Edwards, Fowler and Pitcairn in St. Lawrence County; Assemblyman Marc Butler, R-Newport, whose district includes St. Lawrence County towns from Norfolk and Madrid south to Colton, Clifton and Fine; Assemblywoman Addie Russell, D-Theresa, whose “River District” includes all St. Lawrence County towns along the St. Lawrence River (Massena, Ogdensburg, Louisville, Waddington, Lisbon, Oswegatchie, Morristown, and Hammond) plus the towns of Canton, Potsdam, Rossie, Macomb, and DePeyster; and Assemblywoman Janet Duprey, R-Peru, who represents the easternmost townships in the county.

The award is an indication of the individual lawmaker’s support of New York agriculture and the Farm Bureau.

The “Circle of Friends” depends on each legislator’s voting record on issues in agriculture and other evidence of legislative support for the Farm Bureau, including sponsorship of bills that the bureau has either supported or opposed during the most recent legislative session.

The honor “is not an endorsement, and this distinction only recognizes the 2015 legislative session,” the Farm Bureau said.