The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has $600,000 in the 2015-16 New York State budget to support its continuing research and technical assistance for North Country agriculture.

NNYADP Co-chairs Jon Greenwood of Canton acknowledged the leadership of New York State Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Patty Ritchie (R-Heuvelton) and Sens. Betty Little (R-Queensbury) and Joe Griffo (R-Rome) as well as Assembly Agriculture Chair Bill Magee, other North Country representatives, and Assembly Agriculture Committee members for securing the funding.

“The State budget support of the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program encourages growth and innovation in the regional farming industry with benefits not only here but statewide, from production efficiencies and cost-saving practices to enhanced animal health and environmental stewardship,” said Greenwood, a dairy farmer in St. Lawrence County.

“Farming is our state’s leading industry, however, in northern New York, it is much more than that: it is a way of life, passed down from generation to generation, and a major driver of our rural economies,” said Ritchie, whose district includes western St. Lawrence County. “This support will be tremendously important in helping farmers here in the North Country to increase efficiency, expand their businesses and boost their bottom lines.”

“The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is farmer-driven. It does great work and will no doubt make great use of this state assistance in the year ahead,” said Sen. Little, who represents people in eastern St. Lawrence County.

“When farmers can make the most of their land, crops and livestock as efficiently and as cost-effectively as possible, then the farming sector is better for it and we all benefit,” said Griffo, whose district includes a swath of the county from Massena and Brasher to Clifton and Pitcairn. “This funding will help develop better ways to enhance, expand and sustain our state’s farm-based businesses.”

More than 130 farmers participate as committee members of the NYADP. Research and technical assistance trials are conducted on farms throughout the six-county North Country region.

The program has 27 research projects underway in 2015 focused on

. dairy, livestock and field crop production

. .agricultural environmental stewardship

. continuing the alfalfa snout beetle control project success with selective breeding of beetle-resistant alfalfa varieties and extension of the beetle control protocol to more NNY farms

. engaging younger farmers

. crop and livestock pest and disease mapping and control

. birch syrup production as a niche opportunity for NNY maple producers

. NNY fruit and vegetable production, including cold-hardy grapes, apples, and juneberry, and

. exploring the potential for edamame production in NNY.

The 2012 Census of Agriculture showed growth in northern New York agricultural industry with total farm product sales valued at more than $750 million and a farm worker payroll that nearly doubled to $67.1 million over 2007 figures.

An economic impact report on the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program’s 2014 projects, a complete list of 2015 NNYADP projects, research reports, and event notices are online at www.nnyagdev.org.