We need your help to restore Ag IPM funding to the NYS IPM Program. This is a critical moment, and a phone call from you could make all the difference.
Here is an update from Julie Suarez, Assistant Dean of Governmental & Community Relations, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, regarding our situation in Albany. I want to reiterate our request in this email—a call for action to any of you who are willing and able to seek support from your state representatives.
The back story, as we understand it, is that the Senate wanted to add $500,000 to the Agricultural IPM budget, to restore us to the historical $1million dollar level. However, that intention was not included in the Senate’s budget that was released earlier this week. We are told that some people were confused by the Community IPM funding ($550,000) that was included in the Senate budget, and thought that Ag was taken care of.
What you can do:
- Call your Senate and Assembly representatives. Constituents matter.
-Explain who you are, and your role in agriculture
-Thank them for their support of Agriculture
-Say something like "Please restore agricultural IPM funding in the Ag and Markets budget to $1million by adding $500K to the governor’s proposed budget.” This aligns with the request made in a letter from Senators Funke, Ritchie, Ortt, Gallivan, Marchione, O’Mara, Larkin and Nozzolio.
*We are told that bringing up Community IPM might just further confuse the issue, so please stick with Ag IPM.
- Pass this request to others who care about agricultural IPM, so they can call too.
NYS Senate Switchboard (ask for your Senator’s office): 518-455-2800
NYS Assembly's Public Information line: 518-455-4218
Thank you so much for your support!
Juliet E. Carroll
Fruit IPM Coordinator, NYS IPM Program, nysipm.cornell.edu
Cornell University
jec3@cornell.edu
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