This initiative is an important step forward

The Northeast Dairy Producers Association thanks Governor Andrew Cuomo and NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets Commissioner Richard Ball for recognizing the challenges family dairy farms, cooperatives, and processors face during the COVID-19 pandemic. The launch of Nourish New York will help connect excess dairy products to consumers and food banks throughout the state, while bridging the gap between farmer and consumer.

This initiative is an important step forward as we continue to work with our partners in government and within the dairy industry to process and package products for New York families. New York’s nearly 4,000 dairy farms are essential, and continue to work every day to produce high quality milk, but the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted everyone, including some of the largest buyers of milk, butter, and cheese. Since schools, restaurants and other retail locations have closed, the demand for dairy products has reduced significantly. Instead of bulk packaging that many of these locations require, there’s now a greater need for food bank and household-size quantities like a gallon of milk or pint of yogurt.

We are all in this together, and by working in partnership with the state through the Nourish NY Initiative, we will be able to save excess milk, package it appropriately, and deliver even more nutritious food and beverages to families that need it most.