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Continuing his strong commitment to New York State agriculture and family farms, State Senator Mike Nozzolio today announced a new plan designed to help farmers preserve their farms for future generations. The Young Farmers plan provides the training, expertise and support needed to encourage our young people to carry on the legacy of our local farm community.

“In the Finger Lakes region and throughout New York State agriculture is the backbone of our economy. Virtually every business, family and individual in our region directly or indirectly depends on agriculture, the single largest job producing enterprise in New York State,” said Nozzolio. “The Young Farmers Plan will help to provide the training and resources needed to encourage and support the next generation of farmers so they can continue the family farm operation and provide the agricultural products that we all need to sustain our families. By providing our young farm community the skills and resources they need to be successful, we can create opportunities for job growth and continue to expand our agricultural markets beyond New York State to the rest of our country and to virtually every country in the world.”

The Senate Young Farmers Plan includes:

• Young Farmer Apprenticeship Program: Provides funding to local BOCES programs to establish hands-on training partnerships between schools and area farmers to give our young people the experience and training they need to work in the agricultural industry
• Estate Tax Reform: Increases the threshold amount needed to trigger an estate tax. This measure would help protect family farms and small businesses thereby allowing future generations to continue to operate their family farms;
• Young Farmer Revolving Loan Fund: Provides start-up loans to eligible farmers for the purchase of farm land and equipment
• Funding for Agriculture Education: Increases funding for the in-school Future Farmers of America (FFA) program.  This educational program gives students the opportunity to learn about the variety of careers open to them in the field of agriculture
• Young Farmer Farm Preservation Tax Credit: Provides eligible farmers with a personal income tax credit when they sell or lease land or equipment to a new farmer
• Farm Savings Accounts: Allows saving intended for the purchase of farm land or equipment to grow tax-free in an account that is similar to a retirement or college savings account

“The Young Farmers Plan is the next step in our continuing efforts to make New York’s agriculture more competitive, and will encourage our farmers to  invest and create job opportunities right here in the Finger Lakes region. As the State Senator  representing one of the largest agricultural districts in all of New York, I will continue my efforts to do everything possible to support our local farmers and those who are involved in the agricultural industry,” said Nozzolio.

Nozzolio has been named to the 'Circle of Friends' by the New York Farm Bureau each year since he was elected to the State Senate in recognition of his long-standing support of New York State agriculture. As State Senator, he worked to establish the Ag Tech Park at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, a state-of-the art food laboratory that focuses on the research and the development of the agricultural industry.

Nozzolio secured the State funding needed to build new greenhouse facilities used for agricultural research at the Geneva Experiment Station and led the effort to create the Finger Lakes Viticulture Center, which is being constructed on land near the Ag-Tech Park in Geneva. The Finger Lakes Viticulture Center will support the growing wine and grape industry in our region, create new exciting job opportunities and continue to put the Finger Lakes region at the forefront of agricultural research and development. The Viticulture Center will serve as a permanent location for Finger Lakes Community College’s groundbreaking Viticulture and Wine Technology Program - the only program of its kind in the Northeast.

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