NYS Legislative Commission on Rural Resources

09/21/2026

We spent last Wednesday at the Hyde Collection in Glens Falls where the Adirondack Research Consortium put together a day of programming to discuss the role of AI in rural areas.

It was a really informative day that offered some promise and critical considerations as the technology advances. This is something we look forward to grappling with in the next legislative session!

09/09/2026

Yesterday we traveled to Cortlandt Manor to visit Hemlock Hill Farm with Senator Pete Harckham.

Hemlock Hill received a NYS Grown and Certified Infrastructure and Technology Grant. Administered by NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and New York Farm Viability Institute, the grant allows farms to continue their ability to access markets and expand their contribution to the region’s food system.

Thank you to the entire Hemlock Hill team for the warm welcome and for showing us around your facilities. We appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the work you are doing to connect New Yorkers with locally grown food.

08/24/2026

EMS has been one of our priorities for years now, so we were honored to be invited last Wednesday to Assembly Member Paula Elaine Kay's Rural EMS Legislative Tour in Sullivan County.

We toured multiple facilities and had great conversations about ways that we can support EMS agencies to improve recruitment and retention, reduce response times, and bolster the system as a whole.

We look forward to getting to work, and thank you to Assembly Member Paula Elaine Kay for the invite!

08/11/2026

The deadline for tariff relief applications has been extended for one more week. Eligible farmers now have until August 18 to apply.

For more information, visit https://agriculture.ny.gov/agricultural-resiliency-against-tariffs-program.

New York farmers can start submitting applications for up to $25,000 in relief from the state as part of a $30 million aid effort aimed ​at easing the hit to farmers from Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's ‌tariffs, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul said on Monday.

07/14/2026

Proud to see Governor Kathy Hochul step up to implement the nation's first statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers while we take the time to study their impacts on our water supply, air quality, and utility bills.

The governor's executive order will bypass legislation that had proposed more restrictive measures on data centers that use large amounts of energy.

06/30/2026

Eligible New York State farmers (including dairy farmers and those working with livestock, specialty crops, and aquaculture) can now apply for payments between $1,000 and $25,000 to help offset increased prices due to tariffs!

The funding comes from a $30 million allocation in this year's State Budget. Read more below!

New York farmers can start submitting applications for up to $25,000 in relief from the state as part of a $30 million aid effort aimed ​at easing the hit to farmers from Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's ‌tariffs, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul said on Monday.

06/25/2026

We had a great trip to Plattsburgh yesterday to see the Northway Solar agrivoltaics project in action. The 36 acre community solar site hosts over 12,000 bifacial solar panels that power 1,000 homes and result in a 10-15% reduction in local utility bills.

Look underneath the panels and you'll see sheep doing their part!

Thanks to Alliance For Clean Energy New York for the invitation!

06/22/2026

NYS Grown & Certified is ten years old!

To celebrate, the New York Farm Viability Institute is now accepting applications on a rolling basis through the NYS Grown & Certified Research and Development Grant.

$1.36 million in funding is available, and grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 will be awarded to support Grown & Certified farmers, food processors and distributors in covering the research and development costs needed to launch new NYS Grown & Certified food products, or increase the production and/or distribution of existing NYS Grown & Certified food products.

For more info, visit the link below!

$1.36 million Available for Research and Development of New York State Grown & Certified Food Products The New York Farm Viability Institute is pleased to announce that the 2026 NYS Grown &…

06/17/2026

We always want to keep our rural communities informed about how the decisions being made in Albany will impact them.

So, after a whirlwind end to the legislative session this year, we are excited to publish our annual summary of the NYS Budget. It focuses on rural-related policies and spending items enacted this year.

Take a look:

Albany, NY--On Wednesday, June 17, the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources released their fourth annual summary of the New York State Enacted Budget. The annual report offers a summary of rural-related items in the Budget and includes background and analysis across all issues and sectors.

06/03/2026

Another great Dairy Day yesterday!