04/09/2022
๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐น ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต๐น๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ก๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ด๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ!
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๐ฐ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐:
โข Statewide News
โข Taste NY Updates
โข NYS Grown & Certified Updates
โข Funding Opportunities
โข Spotlight: New York’s Source Water Buffer Program
๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ
Commissioner Ball toured maple farms across the state in March to celebrate maple season and New York’s maple industry! Throughout the month of March, maple farms opened their doors to the public to offer tours and pancake breakfasts, sell maple products, and demonstrate the syrup-making process, which includes the traditional system of hanging buckets on trees or more modern methods of production using vacuum systems to increase the yield of sap per tree. Maple Weekends took place at more than 140 maple farms and museums, boosting agri-tourism across New York State.
Commissioner Ball first joined the Upper Hudson Maple Producers Association for a ceremonial maple tapping at Brower Road Sugarhouse in Gloversville to promote the New York maple industry and encourage New Yorkers to support local maple producers. Brower Road is NYS Grown & Certified, which verifies New York’s agricultural producers and growers who adhere to food safety and environmental sustainability standards.
He next visited Crosstown Maple in Ravena, New York with Senator Michelle Hinchey, Chair of the Senate’s Committee on Agriculture, and finally headed to join the VVS FFA at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School for their annual Maple Weekend pancake breakfast, sap house tour, and maple tapping! The VVS FFA operates its own maple processing facility at the high school.
A big shout-out to all of our hosts for their hospitality and – of course – the delicious maple treats!
๐จ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ: ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ
On March 25, the Department issued an order to ban all live fowl shows and exhibitions in New York State to help prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to the stateโs poultry population. Commissioner Ball issued the order because of the continuing spread of strains of HPAI in the United States, including detections in New York State. The current outbreak has impacted 17 states so far and is rapidly expanding nationwide
The ban will remain in effect until further notice. The Department is continuing close monitoring of HPAI in New York State and plans to reassess the Notice of Order in late May to determine whether it should remain in place through the summer fair season. Learn more: https://agriculture.ny.gov/news/new-york-state-proactively-bans-all-fowl-shows-and-exhibitions-safeguard-against-avian-flu
To date, six flocks in New York State have tested positive for HPAI. The detections of HPAI in New York prompt reminders for commercial and hobby poultry farmers to increase their biosecurity measures to help prevent the spread of the disease. Poultry owners should keep their birds away from wild ducks and geese and their droppings. Outdoor access for poultry should be limited at this time. Learn more about biosecurity on farms: https://agriculture.ny.gov/animals/poultry
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/spotlights/2021-2022/bird-flu-poses-low-risk-public.htm), these recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States.
๐ฆ๐ถ๐ด๐ป ๐๐ฝ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด
The Department is conducting free virtual training sessions for individuals interested in becoming a Certified Hemp Sampling Agent. Sampling Agents are certified by the Department to work as independent contractors sampling hemp crops on farms throughout New York State.
Sessions have already been conducted on March 21 and April 1. Another session is coming up on April 13, 2022, at 2:00 pm. Training sessions are held via Microsoft Teams. After each training session, an open book multiple choice exam will follow. Successful candidates will be certified by the Department to collect regulatory hemp samples from licensed hemp growers and send the samples to an appropriate THC testing facility for compliance testing.
Learn more and sign up to get trained: https://agriculture.ny.gov/news/new-york-state-announces-certified-hemp-sampling-agent-training-sessions
๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐น๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐๐
In March, Commissioner Ball joined U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Vilsack at Teachers College, Columbia University where Secretary Vilsack delivered an address about USDA’s actions on nutrition security. The Department share’s USDA’s mission to prioritize bold nutrition security efforts that will help ensure all American children and families have consistent and equitable access to healthy, safe, and affordable food. Learn more at USDA.gov: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2022/03/17/usda-announces-actions-nutrition-security
๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ป๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐
Commissioner Ball announced the release of the New York State Dairy Promotion Order (DPO) annual report for 2020 (https://agriculture.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/02/dporeport_01.25.2022_0.pdf). In the 2020 contract year, the DPO supported the promotion and advertisement of the New York dairy industry, as well as research and educational activities highlighting the industry, through contracts with seven organizations. The funded initiatives are highlighted in the report.
In conjunction with the release of its annual report, the DPO is also launching a new YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVLDmg9cebJetbPVfZCe7Rw). The page will serve as a central location that will make it easier to find DPO meeting recordings, video proposals, and presentations submitted by contracted organizations, as well as educational videos about the DPO and New Yorkโs dairy industry.
The DPO Advisory Board advises the New York State Department of Agriculture and Marketsโ Commissioner on the disposition of approximately $15 million a year in funds collected from milk producers under the producer-approved New York Dairy Promotion Order. The DPO Advisory Board also makes recommendations on promotion and nutrition education programs, and various dairy product and research projects. Learn more: https://agriculture.ny.gov/dairy/dairy-promotion-order.
๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐น๐
The New York State Apple Marketing Order (AMO) Advisory Board (https://agriculture.ny.gov/farming/marketing-order-administration) is seeking proposals to enhance the competitive position of New Yorkโs apple industry, identify new or emerging market opportunities, or develop innovative promotional initiatives to increase the sale and consumption of New York apples. Any proposal(s) selected through this request would be funded by the AMO, which collects funds annually from apple growers.
The Board is seeking interest from organizations capable of performing market research or those with experience implementing marketing strategies to increase produce sales. If interested in applying, an organization must submit a detailed proposal to the Department, which administers the AMO. The full solicitation, including eligibility, submission instructions, and proposal requirements can be found at: http://www.nyscr.ny.gov/adsOpen.cfm?ID=E613213A-9D4A-4345-AB1C-5F33D5E6CBDF.
For more information on the proposal requirements, or to submit a proposal, email William.Shattuck@agriculture.ny.gov or call (518) 485-7306. Applications must be submitted by April 11, 2022, to be considered for this funding.
๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ด๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ
Did you know that you can support agricultural learning in New York State by purchasing a custom New York Agriculture in the Classroom license plate? A portion of the fees from this plate supports the New York Agriculture in the Classroom Fund. Agricultural education highlights the diverse career options available within our industry, from animal and vet science to food science, conservation, biotechnology, agribusiness, and so much more. Weโre excited that this plate helps to support continued learning, inspiring students to choose ag and ensuring the future of agriculture in New York State. Learn more: https://dmv.ny.gov/plates/agriculture-classroom.
๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
New York State is fast-tracking permits for craft beverage manufacturers! New permits allow for manufacturing and selling alcoholic beverages while a liquor license is pending. New York’s craft beverage industry benefits our farmers who supply fresh ingredients and high-quality agricultural crops for unique – and delicious – beers, ciders, wines, and much more. Learn more about this new program: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-applications-now-available-fast-tracked-permits-craft-beverage.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ง๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐-๐๐ผ-๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐
Taste NY at the Adirondacks Welcome Center is hosting 2022โs first in-person Business-to-Business event! The event will take place at SUNY Adirondack on April 28 from 12-4 pm in the Northwest Bay Conference Center at 640 Bay Road in Queensbury. Restaurant, hotel, bar, institution, cafรฉ, and retail buyers are encouraged to attend to meet with local agricultural food, beverage, and gift producers to sample new wholesale products. Admission is free. Booth space for producers is just $25 and includes a breakfast networking event and two morning workshops to help producers expand their reach in the marketplace. For more information and to register, contact the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce at (518) 487-0045 or visit lakegeorgechamber.com/tasteny.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ก๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป & ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด!
Spring means it’s time for flowers, and there’s no better way to enjoy the coming warm season than with an NYS Grown & Certified bouquet! Sunwarm Gardens in Vermontville, New York is now accepting orders for their 2022 subscription season. Bring beauty into your home or business with handcrafted bouquets delivered to your door weekly, June through September. Choose from full season or a-la-carte subscriptions. Or send a gift subscription to a special person! And since Sunwarm Gardens is #NYSCertified, you know that their beautiful blooms were grown with sustainable practices. Learn more at https://www.sunwarmgardens.com/, or find another fresh-cut flower producer at https://certified.ny.gov/.
