New York Gov. Hochul’s Proposed Budget Addresses AFT Priorities for Protecting Farmland, Strengthening Farm to School, and Investing in Climate Resilient Agriculture
Albany, NY — American Farmland Trust (AFT) commends Governor Kathy Hochul’s FY26–27 Executive Budget to advance key agricultural investments that align with AFT’s priorities to protect irreplaceable farmland, strengthen New York’s local and regional food systems, and support climate resilience.
New York agriculture is at a defining crossroads. In five years, the state has lost nearly 364,000 acres of farmland and 2,788 farms, while 35% of New York farmers are over age 65, stewarding almost two million acres that are expected to change hands this decade.
AFT applauds the continuation of $25 million in funding for the Farmland Protection program within the $425 million Environmental Protection Fund. This has protected 134,800 acres over the past 30 years and returns up to $2.00 to regional economies for every dollar invested. Farmland protection can also be an important tool to facilitate affordable land access from one generation to the next.
Although funding for Farmland for a New Generation New York (FNG-NY) was not included in Gov. Hochul’s Executive Budget proposal, AFT urges the legislature to restore funding to at least $700,000 and include it in their One-House Budgets. FNG-NY is a nation-leading farmland linking program dedicated to supporting farmland succession and land access. AFT and a network of 40 Regional Navigator organizations work in every region of New York to provide one-on-one support to retiring farmers, help new and beginning farmers secure long-term land tenure, and sustain agricultural production on at-risk farmland. Since 2018, the program has facilitated 234 successful land matches on 11,285 acres, demonstrating its role that prevents farmland loss and ensures the next generation can take root in New York agriculture.
AFT commends Gov. Hochul’s support for farm to school initiatives, including proposed funding for the Farm to School Grant Program at $1.5 million and the 30% NYS Initiative incentivizing local food purchasing at $10 million. Despite growing interest in the 30% NYS Initiative, significant barriers limit broader participation with only 10% of eligible school districts qualifying for the incentive – leaving more than 70% of available reimbursement dollars unused despite strong demand for fresh, New York–grown food in school cafeterias. Addressing these challenges—identified directly by school food authorities (SFAs)—is essential to expand statewide participation, strengthen New York’s farm to school supply chain, increase student access to fresh, locally grown food, and create more reliable markets for New York farmers.
To unlock the full potential of this nationally recognized program, AFT and the New York Grown Food for New York Kids Coalition urge the legislature to modernize the 30% NYS Farm‑to‑School Initiative. This proposal includes creating a one‑time 25–29% on‑ramp (with $0.25/meal reimbursement) for new SFAs, counting breakfast and reimbursable snacks alongside lunch, increasing reimbursement to $0.30/meal (with a 1.5% CPI adjustment for five years), adding a three‑year hold‑harmless transition for existing participants, and clarifying that the reimbursement is separate and additive to existing state and federal meal funding. With 29% of allocated farm to school reimbursement dollars used in 2025, New York has an enormous opportunity to bring more fresh, nutritious, New York–grown food to students while generating new markets for farmers.
The Governor’s proposal continues New York’s leadership in climate smart agriculture by maintaining $19.1 million for the Climate Resilient Farming Program, and $18.65 million for Soil & Water Conservation Districts. These funds support soil carbon sequestration, flood mitigation, improved manure management, and whole farm climate planning—programs indispensable to long-term viability as extreme weather accelerates.
In Gov. Hochul’s State of the State address and executive budget, a new “Sun and Soil Agrivoltaics Program” was proposed to integrate solar energy with active farming — a critical step toward climate resilience and farm viability. AFT supports this farm-centered approach to advance the state’s renewable energy targets while keeping farmers on the land.
AFT also calls on the Legislature to adopt a statutory definition of agrivoltaics to help safeguard New York’s farmland. AFT’s recommended agrivoltaics definition ensures projects support simultaneous agricultural production and solar generation for the life of the project, are intentionally designed with producers and agricultural experts, and maintain soil health and farm flexibility.
“Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget aligns with the core of AFT’s 2026 priority agenda,” said Julian Mangano, New York Policy Manager at AFT. “Maintaining strong investments in farmland protection, climate resilience, and farm to school positions New York to safeguard the land that feeds us, withstand severe weather events, and strengthen regional supply chains. We look forward to working with state leaders to ensure that these critical programs, including support for land access and transition and a modernized 30% NYS Initiative, can help more New York farmers thrive.”
If enacted, these actions and investments will enable more schools to feed kids healthy, locally grown food, protect more of New York’s valuable farmland resources, and support a new generation of farmers to steward the land with climate resilient practices.
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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.
