Maloney Announces Nearly $250,000 to Grow Agriculture Economy in the Hudson Valley
Newburgh, NY - Representative Sean Patrick Maloney announced that Glynwood Center, an agricultural nonprofit in Cold Spring dedicated to making agriculture more profitable and sustainable, will receive a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) investment of $249,839 to develop educational and promotional activities to increase local food sales. The investment will be made through the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), which is funded by farm bill programs Maloney pursued after meetings with his Agriculture Advisory Committee.
“I am thrilled that we secured this investment to support our local agriculture producers, and I will continue working with these farmers to bring more resources to the Hudson Valley to generate economic activity and create jobs,” said Rep. Maloney, a member of the House Committee on Agriculture. “Hudson Valley farmers grow top-quality produce, and as markets throughout the state continue to demand fresh, local foods, our agriculture producers have an opportunity to capitalize on these developments to bring even more good-paying jobs and investments to our area.”
"Farmers and producers are facing unique challenges as demand for locally grown produce proliferates. We are excited and honored to receive support from the USDA, which will help Glynwood further develop and manage a coalition of farmers in our region,” said Kathleen Frith, Glynwood’s President. "This critical funding will allow us to create a collaborative marketing strategy to benefit regional farmers and educate consumers. It is especially gratifying that Congressman Maloney championed the Farmers Market Promotion Program, which will benefit Hudson Valley farmers."
The investment will help Glynwood increase sales to ten counties throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond by providing tools to improve market access to those areas. Glynwood is an agricultural nonprofit with a mission to ensure that the Hudson Valley is a region defined by food, where farming thrives. The organization works to advance regenerative agriculture that benefits the natural environment, energizes local economies, enhances human health, and strengthens rural communities.
Immediately after joining Congress in 2013, Rep. Maloney hosted his first Agriculture Town Hall where he heard that Congress and the USDA must do a better job protecting hardworking farmers in the Hudson Valley – especially in the aftermath of devastating storms like Hurricane Irene. In response to this Town Hall, Rep. Maloney introduced his first bill, the bipartisan CROP Act, which aimed to reform crop insurance and invest in the specialty crop farmers who drive the Hudson Valley’s agricultural economy. Rep. Maloney’s CROP Act, along with other key priorities for the Hudson Valley, was included in the 2014 Farm Bill. Maloney is also a cosponsor of the Young Farmer Success Act, legislation designed to incentivize careers in farming. The bill would designate farming as a public service under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, and allow qualified applicants to receive full federal student loan forgiveness after ten years of on-time payments. In July, Maloney announced new legislation to help beginning Hudson Valley farmers, which includes expanding funding for programs which expand access to locally-grown foods.