The New York State Agriculture Department’s New York State Grown & Certified program has launched a new marketing campaign, “Harvested with Heart,” which is being seen by consumers across the State. The $1 million campaign highlights the stories of local farmers, the crops they produce, and the importance of local agriculture. Funded through a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant, the campaign was created to encourage a connection between producers and consumers, inspire consumers to look for the NYS Grown & Certified seal, and drive consumers to farms and retailers who offer NYS Grown & Certified products.
Launched in 2016, the New York State Grown & Certified program assures consumers that the food they are buying is from New York and produced to a higher standard by requiring participating producers to adopt food safety standards and enroll in an environmental management program. Since the program began, the New York State Grown & Certified program has expanded to cover 20 agricultural commodities and processing industries, such as fruits, vegetable, maple, honey, and dairy.
The campaign launched this summer with video shoots at Reeves Farm in Central New York and Eden Valley Growers in Western New York. The team recently went to Blue Star Farm and Beth’s Farm Kitchen in the Capital Region and the Union Square Green Market in New York City to showcase peak harvest periods and what it means for a farmer to be New York State Grown & Certified.
The campaign, which runs through September 2025, began with consumer research finding that 50 percent of respondents would pay more for New York State Grown & Certified products and that nearly two-thirds of shoppers would travel further to buy it
Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here
