Is New York State spending enough on food from local farms? A new report from the New York Academy of Medicine and the American Farmland Trust says the state can do more. Four years after Governor Cuomo passed the Food Metrics Law to encourage state institutions to buy fresh food from farmers, it isn’t clear how much the state is actually spending on local foods. The report estimates the number could be about 10 percent, but it recommends an increase in spending to 25 percent. The groups say purchasing local food could increase the state’s economic output and improve the health and wellness of many New Yorkers, especially those who are food insecure.
We discuss if that goal is realistic, the challenges local farmers face why trying to meet institutional needs, and projections for New York’s food future. Our guests:
- Denis Lepel, owner of Lakestone Family Farm
- Chris Hartman, founder of Headwater Food Hub
- Mark Scott, executive director for Campus Auxiliary Services at SUNY Geneseo
- David Haight, New York State director and assistant vice president for regional programs at American Farmland Trust
