Senator Helming Receives Farm Family Advocate of the Year Award

GENEVA – Senator Pam Helming received the Farm Family Advocate of the Year Award from NY FarmNet during the organization’s annual banquet on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at the Ramada Inn Lakefront in Geneva. NY FarmNet gave Senator Helming this honor in recognition of her leadership in obtaining increased funding for the organization in the New York State budget and strong advocacy on behalf of local farmers. FarmNet's statewide network of seasoned consultants provides critical, on-farm mentorship to farm families in need of business training and personal services. These consultation services help our farm families thrive and grow their businesses, such as assisting beginning farmers with developing their business plans. As Senate Chair of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources, Senator Helming was able to maintain FarmNet’s funding for business and financial consultant services while increasing its funding for mental health services to support our family farmers in a variety of ways.
 

“Our farmers – especially our family farmers – face a number of challenges that go beyond planting crops and raising animals. Farming is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week work operation. Often, family farmers live at their workplace, so stresses on the farm easily follow them home at the end of the day. That is why I am proud to support NY FarmNet, which helps our farmers with a diverse array of both business training and personal services. It is critical that we give our farmers every tool that they need to make their farms as productive as possible, while improving their personal well being and that of their families,” Senator Helming said.

Senator Helming represents the 54^th Senate District, which consists of Seneca and Wayne Counties, parts of Cayuga and Ontario Counties, and the towns of Lansing and Webster. For more information, please visit Senator Helming’s website, or follow @SenatorHelming on Facebook or Twitter.
 

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