Last week, Queens County Farm Museum and the New York Farm Bureau co-hosted a reception highlighting the importance of agriculture, farming and local food production across New York state.
The Aug. 11 reception brought together federal, state and local lawmakers with farmers hailing from upstate New York and Long Island to have a crucial conversation in light of food system challenges during the pandemic.
Reports showed that COVID-19 had an impact on food-insecure individuals, food pantries, soup kitchens, gig workers and the SNAP program, among many others in New York City.
Those at the reception discussed the importance of agriculture in New York state and how lawmakers could better support the needs of farmers and improve food access for those in the city. Other topics they explored included distributing excess farm products to communities in need through programs like Nourish New York; COVID-19 challenges; better broadband access; labor issues; and mental health support.
