“The ribbon cutting today at Agri-Mark for their new cheese plant is a great day for Chateaugay and the North Country region. For over 100 years, North Country dairy farmers have been part of the Agri-Mark dairy cooperative right here in my hometown of Chateaugay, producing high- quality cheese products to put on our dinner tables. This plant is deeply personal to me because my family and many other North Country families have been bringing milk to Agri-Mark for generations. During a time when many farmers are struggling to make ends meet, North Country farmers continue to persevere. Agri-Mark is the fabric of our community and with this modernization and expansion, generations will continue to have the cheese plant as the backbone of the community. This project has been years in the making and we are here today due to the hard work and dedication of local dairy farmers who continue to produce the best dairy products. I am proud to have helped them secure state funding and I want to thank all the farmers, Commissioner Ball, the Executive, local leaders, and the Agri-Mark team for their steadfast support that made this project possible.”