Assemblyman Andy Goodell (R,C,I-Chautauqua) and Sen. Cathy Young were recently honored by the New York Farm Bureau with the prestigious “Circle of Friends” designation, based on their voting records and support for issues of importance to the New York agriculture community during the 2018 Legislative Session.

Goodell noted the critical importance agriculture plays in Chautauqua County. According to the latest federal agricultural census, Chautauqua County has 236,546 acres of farm land and 1,515 farms. The market value of products grown and produced in Chautauqua County exceeds $161 million.

Chautauqua County ranks first in New York State for grape production, second in the production of fruits and berries and sixth in the production of hay and silage. Both Goodell and Young supported several important budget initiatives that are critical to local agriculture, including funding for the Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Wine and Grape Foundation, the New York Farm Viability Institute, FarmNet, the Cornell Future Farmers of America and the Pro-Dairy program.

The Farm Bureau is a non-partisan organization that supports the best interests of farmers across New York state and nationally.