Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C,I-Schoharie) today concluded his third annual tour of New York state farms, agribusinesses and agricultural facilities attended by a large, bipartisan group of Senate and Assembly legislators from across the state.

The tour highlighted the various facets of the agricultural industry within New York and the unique challenges they face in their businesses. From the production of food to the growing of Christmas trees and the brewing of craft beer, the tour provided legislators a thorough look into everything New York state agribusinesses have to offer, how goods are produced from start to finish, and the real experiences of New Yorkers who work in agriculture.

“Agriculture is something that needs to be seen and experienced to be fully understood, so it has been a true privilege to have the opportunity to take legislators of both parties around upstate New York to see just how food makes it from our farms onto our plates,” said Tague.

The tour visited several businesses during the two-day tour, including Heather Ridge Farm in Preston Hollow, B&B Forest Products in Cairo, Veeder's Tree Farm and Honey Hollow Brewing Company in Earlton, Boehm Farm in Climax, Story Farms in Catskill, New York Hemp Service and Hudson Valley Fisheries in Hudson, Salem Farm Supply in Claverack, and Golden Harvest Farms in Valatie. Notably, Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin made an appearance as the group stopped in Freehold to visit Story’s Nursery.

 “The tour also showed participants just how expansive an industry agriculture is outside of the production of meat, dairy, grains and produce. It is a living and changing industry, underpinned by tradition and generations of farmers, producers, craftsmen and farm workers, working hard to stay operational even as laws, policies and the world we live in shifts. So giving the opportunity to professionals in the industry to relay their experiences and concerns to lawmakers directly was a very productive endeavor,” said Tague.