Agriculture and Markets, Department of
skip breadcrumbsAgency Web Site: http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/
Mission
The Department of Agriculture and Markets is charged with fostering a competitive and safe New York food and agricultural industry for the benefit of producers and consumers. The Department encourages the growth and economic health of the State’s agricultural and food industry and conducts various inspections and testing programs to enforce laws on food safety, animal and plant health, and accuracy of labeling. The Department also acts to preserve agricultural resources and improve soil and water quality, and operates the annual State Fair near Syracuse.
Budget Highlights
The Executive Budget recommends $159.3 million for the Department. This is a decrease of $7.3 million from the 2011-12 Budget. The change primarily reflects reductions in local assistance funding, a 2.5 percent year-to-year reduction in General Fund State operations funding (principally through attrition and the use of enterprise shared services), and the elimination of certain non-recurring expenses (e.g., information technology).
The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 488 FTEs for the Department. This is a decrease of 7 FTEs from the 2011-12 Budget. The decrease primarily reflects reductions in the State workforce due to attrition.
Major budget actions include:
- Restructuring the Consumer Food Program. Food safety expenses and licensing revenues currently deposited into a special revenue account will be redirected to the General fund, in order to correct an account imbalance and maintain existing levels of food safety inspection and oversight.
- Appropriation of $16.6 million in local assistance funding for various programs that provide educational, scientific, promotional and marketing support to the agricultural community. Many core programs, including Migrant Childcare, the Wine and Grape Foundation, the Cornell Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, and other core Cornell programs will be funded at current year levels. Funding for the Farm Viability Institute will be reduced from $1.2 million to $400,000, and certain one-time initiatives will be eliminated.
For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:
Briefing Book – Environment and Energy (PDF)
| Category | Available 2011-12 |
Appropriations Recommended 2012-13 |
Change From 2011-12 |
Reappropriations Recommended 2012-13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Operations | 126,209,000 | 119,645,000 | (6,564,000) | 140,226,000 |
| Aid To Localities | 37,329,000 | 36,630,000 | (699,000) | 81,039,000 |
| Capital Projects | 3,000,000 | 3,000,000 | 0 | 33,720,000 |
| Total | 166,538,000 | 159,275,000 | (7,263,000) | 254,985,000 |
| Program | 2011-12 Estimated FTEs 03/31/12 |
2012-13 Estimated FTEs 03/31/13 |
FTE Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 55 | 72 | 17 |
| Agricultural Business Services | |||
| General Fund | 138 | 136 | (2) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 33 | 11 | (22) |
| Private Purpose Trust Funds | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Consumer Food Services | |||
| General Fund | 69 | 147 | 78 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 118 | 40 | (78) |
| State Fair | |||
| Enterprise Funds | 54 | 54 | 0 |
| Total | 495 | 488 | (7) |
Note: Most recent estimates as of 1/17/2012