Legislative leaders and Governor Kathy Hochul concluded a protracted negotiation on a new state budget more than five weeks past the April 1 statutory start of the State’s new fiscal year.
The new budget totals $254 billion, the largest in state history. Both houses began consideration and passage of each of the nine primary remaining bills on Wednesday, May 7, and debate and voting on each bill continued into Thursday, May 8. Highlights of the 2026 final budget include:
Farm Workforce Retention Credit. The final budget extends the Farm Workforce Retention Credit for an additional three years. The credit is available through tax years beginning before January 1, 2029.
Farm Employer Overtime Credit. The final budget creates the Farm Employer Overtime Credit Program under a new Article 25-C of the Agriculture and Markets Law and amends Section 42-a of the Tax Law. The program provides tax credits equal to 118% of certified overtime expenses to qualified farm employers for overtime expenses paid to eligible farm employees, effective for taxable years starting January 1, 2026.
Farm Labor Specialist. The final budget includes $702,000 for the farm labor specialist program.
NY Farm Viability Institute. The final budget allocates $2.15 million for this program.
Cornell University Ruminant Center. The final budget allocates $375,000 to support the Cornell University Ruminant Center.
On-Farm Health. The final budget includes $1.25 million for the on-farm health and safety program administered by Mary Imogene Basset hospital.
New York State Occupational Health Clinic Network (OHCN) and New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH). The final budget includes $9.56 million for OHCN and $1.25 million for NYCAMH.
PRO-DAIRY. The final budget includes the following support for the Cornell Pro Daily Programs:
Core Program: The final budget includes $1,463,000 to support the Pro-Dairy core program.
Dairy Profit Teams: The final budget appropriates $374,000 for the Dairy Profit Teams.
Dairy Advancement Program: The final budget includes $700,000 for the Dairy Advancement Program.
PRO-LIVESTOCK. The final budget appropriates $250,000 for the pro-livestock program.
Dairy Farm Modernization Grants. The final budget includes a $10 million capital appropriation to implement the dairy farm good and growth fund to allow for increased investment in on-farm milk storage capacity and improvement in efficiencies in milk transfer systems and cooling technologies.
NY FarmNet. The final budget includes $1.5 million for NY FarmNet.
Agricultural Education and Outreach Programs. The final budget includes $2.5 million for agricultural education and outreach programs. These funds support the following programs:
$1 million for Future Farmers of America.
$500,000 for Agriculture in the Classroom.
$500,000 for Agricultural Educators.
$250,000 for Cornell 4-H.
$250,000 for the New York City Urban Agriculture education and outreach.
Weigh-in-Motion Technology. The final budget amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law to authorize the use of WIM technology by the New York State Department of Transportation, Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, New York State Bridge Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York City Department of Transportation, and New York State Thruway Authority, on agency or authority facilities including roadways, bridges, and highways. This takes effect immediately.
Farmworker Housing Program. The final budget allocates $5 million to support the services and expenses of the Farmworkers Housing Program.
Tax Disclosure for CLCPA. The final budget amends the Tax Law to authorize the Department of Taxation and Finance (“DTF”) to disclose certain data from the returns of petroleum or fossil fuel businesses to the DEC or NYSERDA to implement programs to be created pursuant to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (“CLCPA”) and the New York State Climate Change Superfund Act.