April 22, 2016
Thank you to everyone who contacted their State Legislators to support the state-wide Farm to School incentive in the NYS Budget. Although it didn't get into this year's budget, together with the NY School Nutrition Association we built a grassroots coalition of support and will be ready to ask again next year!
The state budget did include funding for a pilot Farm to School program in the North Country championed by Assemblywomen Addie Russell, as well as another round of funding for Farm to School grants across the state.
Governor Cuomo also announced this week that state prisons have significantly increased their purchasing of New York grown and produced foods – an outcome of the New York Food Metrics bill that FINYS and partners rallied for in 2014. We’re excited to see tangible results from this effort, and thrilled for the economic benefits this will bring New York farmers and the health benefits for eaters in our state institutions.