FARMING: Hochul announced nearly $50 million in funding via the Farmland Protection Implementation Grants Program. The program, which recently marked reaching 100,000 acres of farmland protected, offers financial help to counties, soil and water conservation districts, municipalities and land trusts so they can carry out farmland protection activities. As part of the funding, $4.5 million will be distributed to each of the state’s 10 economic development regions. “New York's Farmland Protection Program is a critical tool in our efforts to protect the state's agricultural heritage and ensure a sustainable food supply for future generations," Hochul said in a statement. "With over 100,000 acres of farmland already protected through this program and with this new nearly $50 million in funding, we will continue to work with farmers to conserve land and keep farms in production —supporting our economy, our environment and the long-term stability of New York's agricultural industry." — Madina Touré HEALTH CARE: State lawmakers announced the introduction this week of a bill that would require insurers to pay home care agencies a set amount as determined by the Department of Health. The legislation, which is sponsored by Sens. Rachel May and Gustavo Rivera and Assemblymember Amy Paulin, is meant to address allegations by home care operators that a substantial portion of Medicaid funds given to managed care plans to raise home care workers’ hourly wages are not being passed through to the agencies themselves. “Last year, New Yorkers made the single largest investment in home care wages by any state, ever. That investment of public money is meant to pay home care workers a dignified wage, in order to help consumers and working families recruit and retain the aides they so desperately need,” May said in a statement. “Unfortunately, we have spent much of the last eight months fighting to ensure the money flows as it was meant to.” — Maya Kaufman NYSUT’S RENEWED PUSH FOR LESS TESTING: On Friday, the New York State United Teachers announced support for a federal bill sponsored by Westchester County Rep. Jamaal Bowman that would limit the number of tests required of students, give state’s more flexibility on assessments administered and open up a new stream of funding. Union President Melinda Person spoke at the Representative Assembly making a renewed push on behalf of the union for relaxed testing requirements. Person called on the group to consider policies that limit the use of high stakes testing, program placement, high school graduation decisions, teacher evaluations and school rating systems. — Katelyn Cordero EDUCATION: Mayor Eric Adams and schools Chancellor David Banks announced an $8.4 million state grant to buy school food from local farmers. The Department of Education’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services (OFNS) has received the money through the Local Food for Schools grant. The DOE plans to use the funds, allocated through the state Education Department, to buy locally grown foods from local producers, small businesses and historically disadvantaged farmers and producers. “From introducing Plant-Powered Fridays to launching our inaugural Chefs Council, the changes we’ve made to our school menus have been nothing short of transformative,” Adams said in a statement. “Now with this new grant, we will deepen our efforts to ensure all our children have access to healthy, nourishing, culturally appropriate meals, in partnership with our local producers.” The Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, between SED and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), seeks to support the purchase of local and regional foods so that they can be used in schools and help local producers. — Madina Touré
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