STATEMENT BY SENATOR GEORGE BORRELLO ON THE GOVERNOR’S COMMITMENT OF $25 MILLION FOR NOURISH NY
Albany – Senator George Borrello expressed his support upon hearing the news that Governor Cuomo has committed another $25 million to sustain the Nourish NY initiative. Last week, the Senator joined Queens Assembly Member Catalina Cruz to announce legislation that would establish a permanent program for distributing surplus agricultural products to food banks, similar to the Nourish NY model.
“I applaud Governor Cuomo’s latest $25 million commitment to the Nourish NY program, a compassionate initiative that has been a lifeline for New York farmers and families left struggling because of the pandemic. Both groups were casualties of our sudden economic shutdown, a plight that was painfully illustrated by endless lines at food pantries and images of farmers dumping milk and abandoning crops as their markets disappeared virtually overnight.
“In establishing a new channel for moving fresh, nutritious New York farm products to those in need, our state has not only responded to the crisis of the moment, but revealed an ideal solution for addressing ongoing challenges with respect to food insecurity and our agricultural economy. That is why Assembly Member Cruz and I are advancing a measure that would make a farm to food bank program permanent. Such an action would provide stability for our farmers and food banks, as well as the millions of New Yorkers they support. Today’s funding announcement has added momentum to that goal, which we will continue to push for as the legislative session moves forward.”
