Priority Issues for 2023
New York Farm Bureau works every day to advocate for agricultural industry and our rural communities. We identify key issues that directly and indirectly impact agriculture through a structured, grassroots policy development process that reflects the collective interests of our members. These policies determine the focus of our advocacy discussion and action for the year ahead.
New York Farm Bureau's Board of Directors has established the following state and national priority issues for 2023:
- 2023 State Priority Issues
- 2023-2024 Executive Budget Analysis
- 2023 State Policy Book
- 2023 National Priority Issues
- 2023 National Policy Book
- 2023 State Priorities Press Conference
2023 State Priorities
- Support legislation and budget appropriations that would allow New York to replenish the Unemployment Insurance (UI) trust fund without overburdening businesses with high UI tax bills, specifically the interest assessment, as businesses recover from the pandemic.
- Support critical funding for current agricultural animal health (such as the Avian Disease Program), promotion, research, and environmental programs in the final FY 22/23 state budget.
- Support farmers in their efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate change through funding of critical programs in the Environmental Protection Fund and legislative programs that support on-farm renewable energy.
- Solar development and the aggregate value of solar lease payments should be utilized as potential development value when property is appraised for PDR values or similar farmland preservation programs.
- Support the development of solar energy that balances private property rights and the current and future land needs of agriculture in the state. Whenever possible, prime soils and actively farmed lands should be avoided in favor of previously disturbed or fallow lands and rooftop development for distributed generation.
- Oppose any alteration to Soil and Water Conservation District laws that would change the make-up, mission and function of the State and County Soil and Water Conservation Districts without the statutorily required inclusion and input from County Boards of Supervisors, or county legislatures, New York Farm Bureau, the New York State Grange, NYS Department of Ag & Markets, and the four-way partnership (NRCS, NYACD, the State Committee, and the Employees Association) of the Soil and Water District system.
- Continue funding support the Nourish-NY program to help farmers provide local, healthy food to underserved and food-insecure communities in the state.
- Oppose legislation increasing the state’s minimum wage, until there is a national wage standard to allow New York’s businesses to compete on a national basis.
- Oppose legislation that prohibits the use of agricultural chemical protectants and support strong DEC’s regulatory authority over pesticide registration in accordance with sound science.
- Support legislation allowing direct to consumer shipping for all New York-produced farm beverages, including beer, cider, and distillates.
- Oppose Extended Producer Responsibility legislation that doesn’t require consumer responsibility for packaging they receive and doesn’t unduly burden New York’s food and wine manufacturing businesses.
- Incentivize more locally produced food purchases by public entities without values-based purchasing requirements.
- Target federal and state infrastructure funding for rural roads, bridges and broadband.
2023 National Priorities
