Agriculture and Markets, Department of

Agency 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 $159.4 million for the Department. This is a decrease of $3.8 million from the 2012-13 budget. The change primarily reflects reductions in local assistance resources offset by additional State Operations funding due to the E-Licensing initiative, which will provide consumers with simplified and efficient access to the Department's licensing programs.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 471 FTEs for the Department. This workforce level remains flat from the 2012-13 budget, and reflects reductions in the State workforce due to attrition offset by the filling of certain vacant positions.

Major budget actions include:

• Expand access to NY grown agricultural products. Building on the success of the last two years, the Executive Budget continues $450,000 of funding for the FreshConnect farmers’ market program, which benefits farmers and consumers alike by awarding competitive grants to create and expand farmers markets in underserved communities throughout New York.
• Appropriation of $16.7 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, Pro-Dairy, 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.
• A new $40,000 program to evaluate and test hop varieties in New York for the purpose of increasing the availability of locally grown hops for the State’s growing craft brew industry.
• Capital funding of $2.5 million from the New York Works program, to address critical capital needs at the New York State Fair, including roof and façade replacement and other infrastructure improvements.

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)

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/22/2013

Click for additional detailed appropriation tables