The dairy industry has not only been one of the more important forces in American nutrition, but it has also helped propel New York into one of the most significant agricultural centers in the country. This month, I encourage all those in the state to consider the incredible impact the dairy industry has had on our economy and in our daily lives.

National Dairy Month is celebrated each June to highlight the many contributions the industry has made in the last 85-plus years. Created in 1937 as a way to promote drinking milk in the U.S. when production was at a surplus, the celebration was originally known as “National Milk Month.” Now, it represents a great opportunity for hard-working family farmers to reflect on the enormous impact they have had on everything from school lunches to holiday desserts.

New York is home to some great programs highlighting the generosity of our farming community. Nourish New York, for example, benefits both farmers and those facing food insecurity by facilitating the purchase and delivery of surplus farm and dairy products. And the New York State Farm-to-School Program similarly helps connect farmers with another cohort in need of affordable agriculture: students.

Unfortunately, New York’s dairy farmers are facing an uphill battle. Recent reports indicate about half of the dairy farms that existed a decade ago have closed their barn doors for good. This is likely due to an ongoing labor shortage and spiking production costs, as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While the number of cattle in the state has remained somewhat steady, the excessive consolidation of our farmland threatens the small and mid-sized farms we have come to rely upon as well as the agricultural sector as a whole. Less farmland and fewer farms are simply not sustainable if we want to continue to be a nation-leading producer.

The Assembly Minority Conference has continued to fight for the agricultural industry and family farms, which have faced a number of hurdles in recent years like changes to overtime rules that have greatly increased costs to farmers. We know how difficult it is to run a business with soaring inflation and production costs. To help mitigate the challenges dairy farmers face, Assembly Agriculture Committee Ranking Minority Member Chris Tague (R,C-Schoharie) – a former dairy farmer – and members of our Conference have offered several legislative proposals, including 

• A.5708, Tague: Establishes the New York food insecurity, farm resiliency and rural poverty initiative to provide financial assistance in the form of matching grants, hiring assistance, purchasing assistance, tax credits, tax exemptions, and reimbursements;
• A.2027, Blankenbush: Provides electronic toll collection devises for milk dealers free of charge;
• A.2321, Tague: Permits schools located within the state to purchase certain New York milk;
• A.2954, Simpson: Creates a tax credit for small businesses that sell a certain percentage of products produced in New York, including milk; and
• A.3143, Tague: Requires public schools to provide at least one flavored milk option at scheduled meal periods. 

As we consider how important our farming community is in New York, I am hopeful we can find ways to make farming in New York easier. We need these farmers as much now as we ever did. The least we can do is support them in the Legislature.