New York farms are under threat due to a reduction of assistance programs and impacts of federal immigration policy on the agricultural workforce, a report from the New York comptroller\u2019s office found.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is real concern in rural New York about federal cuts, tariffs and labor shortages. New York\u2019s farms are a vital part of the state\u2019s economy and our local food supply, and we need policies that strengthen, not undermine their production and that lower, not drive up, prices in the grocery story,\u201d said state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli in a statement.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Department of Agriculture helps farmers through a variety of different methods such as grants, loans and subsidies. The three programs that New York farmers utilized the most were the Natural Resource Conservation service, the Farm Service Agency and Rural Development.<\/p>\n
In 2024, New York farms received $382 million in payments from these three programs which accounts for about 1% of the $36.9 billion nationally. These programs are used to fund a mix of projects, including housing, community water systems, guaranteed farm loans, conservation programs and renewable energy projects.<\/p>\n
Many of the programs under the USDA are funded through the Farm Bill. However, the current legislation expired in 2023 but has been extended twice. Funding was allocated through a resolution passed in November of last year with cuts to critical programs. The FSA had the largest funding cut of $84.3 million for fiscal year 2026.<\/p>\n
Tariffs<\/p>\n
\u201cTariffs imposed by the federal government, and reciprocal tariffs implemented by other nations, affect the ability of farmers to sell their products, to obtain inputs needed for production and ultimately, the profits of enterprises that are already operating on very thin margins,\u201d the report reads.<\/p>\n
New York\u2019s largest agricultural sector is dairy, and exports have decreased by about 12% for the first half of 2025 compared to 2024. In 2022, milk from cows accounted for $3.8 million of the $8 billion value of agricultural products sold by farmers in the state. Tariffs limit the foreign markets available to farmers, the report says.<\/p>\n
Additionally, tariffs impact what farmers pay for fertilizers, equipment and other necessary products, leading to increased input costs while profit margins remain thin, the report found. Fertilizer prices have increased anywhere from 4.7% to 37.6% depending on the type of production from January 2025 to July.<\/p>\n
In response to federal tariffs, Gov. Kathy Hochul included $30 million in the 2027 state budget for payments to farmers who have been negatively affected by this trade war.<\/p>\n
Immigration policy<\/p>\n
\u201cFarms in New York and across the country rely heavily on immigrant labor due to a lack of local labor to meet workforce needs. While it is difficult to know the exact size of the farm labor force, the New York State Department of Labor estimates that the industry employs between 40,000 and 80,000 farm workers every year,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n