New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has launched several initiatives to help keep the dairy industry strong in his state.
Among the initiatives announced by Cuomo is the Dairy Acceleration Program, making $1 million in funding available to help dairy farmers develop individualized business and environmental plans.
Through the program, farmers will be able to tap into the expertise of the Cornell Cooperative Extension network, Cornell PRO-DAIRY and other agricultural programs to facilitate and grow their business and in turn increase production on their farms.
Cuomo also pointed to recent legislation supporting farmers in their efforts to concern farm waste into renewable energy through anaerobic digesters.
“New York’s dairy farms are in a unique position to benefit from the exciting ascension of the yogurt industry as they supply healthy, local milk to the yogurt makers in their own “backyard.” Governor Cuomo’s new initiatives will not only help our farms grow in a responsible way, but in turn, will help our rural economy grow as well. We appreciate his continued recognition that New York’s diverse farms are an integral part of the business community Upstate and on Long Island,” said Dean Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau.
Source: Dairy Herd Network