COALITION ASKS GOVERNOR CUOMO TO FUND FARM TO FOOD BANK BILL
03/22/2017
Contact: Steve Ammerman, New York Farm Bureau Manager of Public Affairs
518-431-5643 (office) 518-573-3617 (cell), sammerman@nyfb.org
COALITION ASKS GOVERNOR CUOMO TO FUND FARM TO FOOD BANK BILL
The bill would encourage greater donations of fresh, local food to New Yorkers in need across the state
A broad coalition of New York legislators, farmers, anti-hunger and environmental advocates asked Governor Cuomo today to step up to the dinner plate and fund the Farm to Food Bank bill (S.1606/A.6192) in the final New York State budget. The group held a joint press conference on the bill at the Capitol in Albany. The bipartisan legislation, which has tremendous support in the legislature, would provide a refundable tax credit to farmers of 25% of the wholesale value of donated food up to $5,000 annually. The money would partially offset the costs of labor, packaging and transportation needed to get fresh food from the fields to regional food banks and pantries across the state to benefit New Yorkers in need.
The legislation has twice passed both chambers of the legislature, led by the bill’s sponsors, Senator Funke and Assemblyman Moya, only to see it vetoed by the Governor. While he expressed support for the intent of the bill, the Governor’s main objection was that it was passed outside of the budget process. This year, the bill has once again passed the Senate in a bipartisan fashion, and it was included in both […]
