Josh Riley Launches Upstate Agriculture Advisory Board

Binghamton, NY - Today, Congressman Josh Riley (NY-19) launched the Upstate Agriculture Advisory Board to provide advice, recommendations, and input for Rep. Riley's work on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. The Upstate Agriculture Advisory Board is made up of farmers, producers, elected officials, and local stakeholders from across New York's 19th District.

The committee held its first meeting on Thursday, February 20th, at SUNY Oneonta to discuss the needs, priorities, and current economic conditions for growers and producers across Upstate New York.

"For too long, DC politicians have ignored the voices of the hard-working farmers who put food on our tables and drive our economy," said Congressman Josh Riley. "I'm proud to launch the Upstate Agriculture Advisory Board so our community-not just the Big Ag monopolies-are heard and have a seat at the table."

Congressman Riley is one of just two New Yorkers on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, which writes a Farm Bill every five years. This legislation allocates vital funding for crop insurance, conservation initiatives, rural development, and food assistance programs like SNAP. Through his Upstate Agricultural Advisory Board, Riley will ensure that the priorities of Upstate farms are front and center in the FY2025 Farm Bill.

In just his first two months in office, Congressman Riley has championed bipartisan efforts tolower costs, strengthen dairy farm resilience, stop price gouging, boost family farms, and stop the spread of avian flu. Riley was also appointed to serve as the Vice Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture, which has jurisdiction over the apple industry, among other things.

"Josh Riley is already hitting the ground running to deliver for Upstate agriculture," Eric Ooms, former Vice President of the NY State Farm bureau. Josh is bringing a wide range of voices to the table and I look forward to working with him to tackle issues important to farmers and consumers, not only for NY-19, but all of upstate New York."

"We are now in our second year without a farm bill and the timing couldn't be worse," said Mike McMahon," Owner of EZ Acres Farms. New York farmers are facing increased challenges from proposed tariffs with our largest trading partner to funding freezes on funding that we were promised . At the same time the USDA and Farm Service Agency are being gutted by DOGE. We need Congress to address these issues. I'm pleased that we have Josh Riley to advocate for agriculture in the House."

Full List Of Members of Riley's Upstate Agriculture Advisory Board:

• Julie Suarez, Assoc. Dean for Land Grant Affairs at Cornell University
• Eric Ooms, Former Vice President of NY Farm Bureau
• Rick Zimmerman, Former Ag and Markets, NYFB, NYAFA, etc
• Richard Stup, Agriculture Workforce Specialist at Cornell University
• Mike McMahon ,Chair of Cortland County IDA and owner of Ez Acres Farms
• Allyson Jones-Brimmer, Government Relations Director of Northeast Dairy Producers Association
• Karen & Chuck Kutik, Owners of Kutik's Honey
• Jim Norton, Vice President of Plant Operations at Stewart's Shoppes
• Todd Earling, Executive Director of Hudson Valley Agrobusiness Association
• Dale Ila Riggs, President / Owner of NYS Berry Growers Assoc / The Berry Patch
• Max Finberg, Vice President of Government Relations at Chobani
• Martha Hilton, Vice President of Produce and Floral at Wegmans
• Eugene Thalmann, Agriculture Program Advisor at Catskill Mountainkeepers
• Beth Roberts, Executive Director of CCE Broome County
• Josh Young, Director of New Lebanon Farmers Market
• Sarah JP DeFrank , Director of Policy, Partnerships, and Programs at The Food Bank of the Southern Tier
• Senator Michelle Hinchey, Chair of the New York State Senate Agriculture Committee
• Assemblymember Donna Lupardo, Chair of the New York State Assembly Agriculture Committee

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