Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara (D-Rotterdam) is urging the governor to sign legislation that will expand the amount of farmland available to new farmers and strengthen the state’s agriculture economy for future generations (A. 1571/S. 1824).

“Farming is a vital part of our region’s economy and it’s critical that the next generation of farmers have the ability to start and grow their own operations. Expanding the amount of farmland is a common-sense way to create new opportunities and ensure the future of agriculture in New York,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara.

A new generation of farmers is needed to maintain the state’s agriculture economy. The challenges of transferring ownership of farmlands have hindered the ability of new farmers to access land. This legislation addresses this issue by creating an inventory of state-owned land that is viable for farming and make it available to new farmers.

“Opening up opportunities for new farmers is critical to growing our farm economy. Whether it is finding new ways to access land or providing technical assistance, the efforts of this legislation will benefit those who are considering a career in agriculture,” said Dean Norton, New York Farm Bureau President.

Assemblyman Santabarbara is a strong supporter of local farmers and worked to increase agricultural grants in the state budget and passed a bill in the Assembly to establish a Farm Investment Fund.