AFT Applauds Governor Hochul’s Commitment to Farms, Food Security, and Climate Resilience in State of the State
Albany, NY — American Farmland Trust (AFT) commends Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2026 State of the State for recognizing the critical role of agriculture in feeding New York’s families, strengthening rural economies, and advancing climate-smart solutions. The Governor’s proposals align with many of AFT’s priorities for protecting farmland, supporting farm families, and modernizing food systems—but urgent action is needed to ensure these make a lasting impact.
Gov. Hochul’s priorities list a $425 million commitment to the Environmental Protection Fund, which includes critical funding for farmland protection, as well as increased food security through additional funding for food banks, investments in childcare for farm families, expanded support for dairy farmers, and a $30 million Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program to offset rising costs and market disruptions. The Sun and Soil Agrivoltaics Program is also proposed to integrate solar energy with active farming—a critical step toward climate resilience and farm viability.
“Governor Hochul’s agenda reflects a strong commitment to agriculture and food security,” said Julian Mangano, New York Policy Manager for American Farmland Trust. “Now is the time to pair these proposals with bold legislative action—protecting farmland, supporting farm families, and modernizing programs like the 30% Initiative to ensure more New York students have access to fresh, local food. AFT looks forward to working with state leaders to make these priorities a reality.”
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American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms No Food® message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.
