The New York Farm Bureau has announced its state legislative priorities for 2026, outlining policy goals developed through a yearlong grassroots process that concluded at the organization’s State Annual Meeting earlier this month.
Delegates representing 50 counties across New York discussed and voted on a wide range of issues at the meeting. Based on that input, New York Farm Bureau public policy staff identified a set of priority legislative and budget items for the upcoming year.
Among the top priorities is support for continued funding of agricultural animal health, promotion, research, and environmental programs in the final 2026–27 state budget. The organization is also calling for a significant funding investment in Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to advance agricultural education, research, and extension services.
Other priorities include extending the refundable investment tax credit and allowing farmworker housing construction costs to qualify for the credit, moving oversight of product marketing and research orders from Empire State Development to the Department of Agriculture and Markets, and modifying labor requirements related to overtime and weekly rest periods.
New York Farm Bureau also supports the development of a Clean Fuel Standard, continued funding for the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, and exemptions for agricultural businesses from Extended Producer Responsibility legislation until a practical recycling program is established.
Additional priorities include requiring taxing districts to use agricultural assessment values when calculating property taxes and supporting renewable energy policies that account for grid capacity and realistic adoption timelines. The organization opposes all-electric mandates and bans on propane, wood, oil, or natural gas appliances, while supporting the continued use of diverse energy sources, including nuclear power.
The New York Farm Bureau said it plans to release its federal legislative priorities by early spring.
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