Commissioner Gives Annual State of Agriculture Address

LIVERPOOL, N.Y. — New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker gave the 9th annual State of New York Agriculture address at the 176th Annual Meeting of the New York State Agricultural Society in Liverpool. The Commissioner noted that although there have been remarkable changes since the New York State Agricultural Society was formed in 1832, the importance of agriculture to the State and the essential role of the Society have both remained strong.

Reflecting on last year's meeting when he was first nominated to serve as Commissioner, he said, "I arrived here that morning committed to improving the economic condition of opportunities available to our State's farmers, supported by the strong belief that New York agriculture can and will always do better. I left that evening with the same belief and commitment to our industry, and I can assure you that Governor Spitzer is equally committed to improving the State's agricultural economy and the Upstate economy as a whole."

Over the course of the year, the Department of Agriculture and Markets has worked to enhance the State's agricultural economy, while protecting consumers who are increasingly aware of what they eat and where their food comes from. The Department strengthened existing programs such as farmland protection and imported food inspections, and created new ones, including the State's first organic program and the Wine Grape Task Force.

The extreme plunge in milk prices early in the year prompted the Governor and State Legislature to provide an unprecedented $30 million in dairy assistance. While that program provided temporary relief, the New York Center for Dairy Excellence was established to improve dairy farm profitability, and the Department worked towards a long-term regional approach in the 2007 Farm Bill.