NY Farm Bureau Statement on Gov. Hochul's State of the State Address

NY Farm Bureau Statement on Gov. Hochul's State of the State Address

Contact: Amanda Powers, Director of Communications (518) 573-3617 / [email protected]

For Immediate Release: January 14, 2026

Albany, NY - New York Farm Bureau (NYFB) President David Fisher today released the following statement regarding Governor Kathy Hochul's State of the State address:

"New York Farm Bureau appreciates Governor Hochul's support of New York agriculture in the State of the State, which includes proposals that would support farmers, such as extending the refundable investment tax credit, funding for the Dairy Modernization Program grants, lowering utility costs, and payments to farmers impacted by tariffs. While this is a step in the right direction, we need to ensure that all sectors of agriculture have the same level of protection and support, so there remains work to be done. We look forward to working with the governor and the legislature to ensure that legislation passed this year paves the way for a bright future for the farming community in the state."

In addition, NYFB summarized the State of the State material directly affecting agriculture and NYFB members. Gov. Hochul's proposals:

• Extend the refundable investment tax credit
• Provide another round of funding for Dairy Modernization Program grants
• Increase support for Agri-Business Child Development (ABCD) Centers
• Provide funding for infrastructure improvement at county fairs
• Provide $30 million in direct payments to specialty crop growers, livestock producers and dairy farmers via the Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program
• Establish a statewide network of programs for the industrial hemp industry
• Support utilizing nuclear energy and provide help lower utility costs for consumers
• Create a certified cannabis business incubator hub network, which includes cannabis farmers
• Support the hard cider industry by providing marketing support
• Create the Sun and Soil Program, which builds on existing state-supported research and demonstration projects that show how solar panels can be co-located with active farming, such as grazing and crop production, allowing farms to generate clean energy while keeping land in agricultural use. The program identifies avenues to capitalize on solar energy development while supporting continued use of productive farmland.
• Commit to working with the state's Agricultural Technical Working Group (ATWG), of which NYFB is a member.

Click here to access the State of the State book, which provides specifics on the above proposals.

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New York Farm Bureau is the State's largest agricultural lobbying/trade organization. Its members and the public know the organization as "The Voice of New York Agriculture." New York Farm Bureau is dedicated to solving the economic and public policy issues challenging the agricultural community.