Senate and Assembly Environmental Conservation Committees hosting forum in Albany on Tuesday: 'From the Ground Up: Why Soil Health is Key to Sustainable Food Production' ~ VIEW LIVESTREAM BEGINNING AT 10:30 AM

Thomas F. O'Mara

May 23, 2017

Soil health and resiliency have significant effects on the state’s agricultural industry, particularly farm productivity, profitability and sustainability. The ability of soils to resist drought, flooding and other impacts continues to emerge as a critical conservation, economic growth, environmental protection and food quality challenge in New York State and across the nation.

Albany, N.Y., May 23—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats), chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, and Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), chairman of the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee, will host “From the Ground Up: Why Soil Health is Key to Sustainable Food Production” in Albany on Tuesday, May 23.

Tuesday’s round table will feature a panel of experts in soil health and resiliency from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), state soil and water conservation district representatives from across New York, and other agriculture and conservation educators and researchers. 

The forum is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Room 711A of the Legislative Office Building.  The event is open to the public.

View a livestream HERE.

Soil health and resiliency have significant effects on the state’s agricultural industry, particularly farm productivity, profitability and sustainability.  The ability of soils to resist drought, flooding and other impacts continues to emerge as a critical conservation, economic growth, environmental protection and food quality challenge in New York State and across the nation.

O’Mara and Englebright hope tomorrow’s forum will continue to assist and spur action on the development of a New York State Soil Health Management Network modeled after the successful federal Soil Health Network.  This year’s state budget included $400,000 from the state’s Environmental Protection Fund for a “Soil Health Initiative” at Cornell University.  The initiative will facilitate additional, ongoing soil-related research as well as ultimately lead to the establishment of a state-level Soil Health Management Network.  The envisioned network would be a public-private extension and education consortium.

Stop back later today for updates.

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