Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D, I-Utica/Rome) visited Baldor’s Specialty Foods at Hunt’s Point Market in the Bronx on Wednesday, Sept. 29, as part of her efforts to connect upstate food producers with downstate businesses.

“Pairing downstate businesses with upstate farmers and food producers is a winning combination for New York State,” Buttenschon said. “It expands access to fresh and healthy food while supporting an industry that’s the backbone of our state’s economy. I’ll continue working to foster cross-state partnerships and support critical local industries so our economy can rebound as we continue battling this pandemic.”

The meeting was a follow-up to a farm tour that Buttenschon hosted last week for fellow Assembly members to highlight some of the issues that New York farmers and rural residents face. During her tour, a bipartisan contingent of six lawmakers visited six farms within Buttenschon’s district and learned firsthand about the challenges faced by Mohawk Valley food producers.

As a member of the Assembly’s Committee on Agriculture, Buttenschon has worked to provide relief to New York’s agricultural industry during the pandemic and develop innovative solutions to support this vital economic sector. That has included introducing this bridge program in the 2021 budget to support our upstate farmers, and designating July as Dairy Month to help boost sales for New York dairy farmers.