Unlikely duo looks to extend New York's farm to food pantry program

ALBANY — During a week when the country's partisan divide seemed more unbridgeable than ever, a conservative Republican state senator from the second-most Trump-friendly district in New York traveled to the deep-blue confines of Corona, Queens, to promote legislation he’s sponsoring with the area’s progressive Assembly member, a onetime undocumented immigrant. 

Sen. George Borrello (R-Chautauqua) and Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz (D-Queens) have joined forces to support a state program that seeks to purchase excess products from struggling farmers and then distribute them to food banks.

Borrello is optimistic he can find similar cross-aisle issues to work on in the future. “Right now our focus has to be recovering from the pandemic, and getting New York’s economy back up and running, so I’m hopeful that this is just one example of how we can put aside politics to work in the best interest of the people," he said.