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ALBANY, NY — Congressman Paul D. Tonko announced today that two local nonprofit organizations, Capital Roots and Schenectady Greenmarket, have been awarded a combined $848,737 in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service. This funding, distributed through the Local Agriculture Market Program’s (LAMP) Farmers Market and Local Food… Read more »

AMSTERDAM, NY—Congressman Paul D. Tonko is calling on U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to explain why disproportionate amounts of federal COVID funding went to large farms in the Midwest and elsewhere with a greater focus on row crops, reducing the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) funding available to other types of agricultural operations… Read more »

WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko voted in the House today to advance H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, bipartisan legislation that provides needed support to local farms and dairies through reforms that improve and streamline the temporary visa program and strengthen protections for agricultural workers. “As the grandson of dairy farmers, I recognize firsthand the… Read more »

“This farm bill strikes the right balance, giving certainty to our farmers while protecting our most vulnerable by rejecting harsh food assistance cuts in the original House Republican bill,” said Rep. Tonko. “I am particularly pleased with provisions we were able to secure that will benefit New York’s dairy farmers and producers of specialty crops, and others that expand broadband access particularly to those that don’t have access to a high-speed connection. The final bill is far from perfect, but it is a major bipartisan step forward in areas of urgent need. I look forward to building on the progress we achieved here in the next Congress.” Read more »

"The President’s Executive Order on this issue is more than bad policy, it is a critical failure to respond to a real and proven threat to the lives and livelihood of millions of American families. This bill would stop it in its tracks.” - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »

"As Ranking Member of the Environment Subcommittee, I will continue to fight for protections for our air, investments in water infrastructure to keep our families safe, and policies that slow or reverse the devastating effects of climate change that threaten America’s industries and the jobs and opportunities that depend on them." - Rep. Paul Tonko Read more »