New York Farm Bureau News Bytes Episode #3 Summary

Episode Title: Interview with Renée St. Jacques on the 2025 Legislative Session
Release Date: July 9, 2025

In the third episode of New York Farm Bureau's News Bytes, host [Host Name] engages in a comprehensive discussion with Renée St. Jacques, the acting Director of Public Policy. The conversation centers around the outcomes of the 2025 legislative session and its implications for New York's agricultural community.

Overview of Renée St. Jacques’ Role

Renée begins by outlining her responsibilities within the Farm Bureau:

"At New York Farm Bureau, I am on a team, a public policy team. There are four of us who work together... we all have specific issues that we're really doing a lot of research into and following the legislation so we can make sure that we're not missing anything that's impacting agriculture."
— Renée St. Jacques, 00:32

Her role emphasizes teamwork and comprehensive monitoring of both state and federal legislative developments affecting agriculture.

Impact of the 2025 Legislative Session on Agriculture

When asked about the recent legislative session, Renée provides an optimistic assessment:

"It was a good legislative session for agriculture. We did really well in the budget... some new program funding."
— Renée St. Jacques, 01:17

She highlights that despite the late timing of the budget, the session successfully funded essential agricultural programs, although not all desired bills advanced due to time constraints.

Major Legislative Wins for Farmers

Renée details several key victories achieved during the session:

1. Farm Workforce Retention Tax Credit Extension

   "Currently it's at $1,200 per eligible employee... it was included in the final state budget. And so that will be extended until 2029."
   — Renée St. Jacques, 03:15

   This extension provides significant financial relief by supporting farmers in retaining their workforce amidst rising labor costs.

2. Farm Worker Housing Revolving Loan Fund Enhancement

   "We needed more funding to be put into that line in the budget. And thank goodness the governor and the legislature supported that and put another $5 million in the state budget."
   — Renée St. Jacques, 04:10

   An additional $5 million ensures farmers have access to no-interest loans for building or refurbishing housing for their workers, addressing a critical need for safe and adequate living conditions.

3. Overtime Tax Credit Expansion

   "Now everyone can utilize that tax credit... It was fixed in the final state budget."
   — Renée St. Jacques, 04:50

   Adjustments to the overtime tax credit broaden its applicability, allowing more farmers to benefit from reduced labor costs.

4. Resolution of State Unemployment Insurance Debt

   "The state paid off that loan, paid off that debt. And so now there won't be that surcharge that our farmers have to pay."
   — Renée St. Jacques, 05:00

   Clearing this debt eliminates additional financial burdens on farmers, aligning them with other businesses affected by the surcharge.

Legislation Opposed by Farm Bureau

Renée also discusses bills that the Farm Bureau actively worked to prevent:

1. Temperature Extreme Mitigation Plan (TEMP Act)

   "This bill... would have more paperwork for them to have a plan... farmers just are equipped to be able to judge that."
   — Renée St. Jacques, 05:30

   The TEMP Act mandated formal mitigation plans for extreme temperatures, which the Farm Bureau opposed due to existing adequate measures by farmers. Their efforts successfully halted the bill's progression.

2. Packaging Reduction Recycling Infrastructure Act (formerly EPR)

   "It just wasn't going to be workable and it was just going to add costs."
   — Renée St. Jacques, 06:20

   Concerns over insufficient exemptions for dairy cooperatives and the potential financial strain led the Farm Bureau to oppose this act, preventing its passage in the legislature.

Farm Bureau’s Grassroots Policy Development

A significant portion of the discussion centers on how the Farm Bureau develops and advocates for policies:

"Our farmers will be meeting and talking about policy development... they will bring forward, okay, we support this, this, and this."
— Renée St. Jacques, 08:39

Renée emphasizes the grassroots nature of their policy-making process, where farmers directly influence the legislative agenda through structured meetings and votes at the state convention.

Success Stories in Policy Implementation

Renée shares tangible examples of successful policies born from this grassroots approach:

1. Exemption for Maple and Birch Syrup Producers

   "There was policy passed at New York Farm Bureau state convention that supported exempting them from that license... So that solves that issue."
   — Renée St. Jacques, 10:47

   By advocating for licensing exemptions tailored to syrup producers, the Farm Bureau ensured that both traditional maple and newer birch syrup producers are fairly regulated.

2. Farm Worker Housing Revolving Loan Fund

   "It took us a couple years of talking with the governor's office and the legislature to convince them that this was a real issue."
   — Renée St. Jacques, 12:30

   Persistent advocacy led to the necessary funding increase, demonstrating the effectiveness of sustained policy efforts.

Future Legislative Priorities

Looking ahead, Renée outlines the Farm Bureau’s focus for the upcoming year:

1. Formation of an Equine Industry Board

   "There are so many different equine groups in this industry... we want to create an advisory board."
   — Renée St. Jacques, 14:01

   This board aims to unify diverse equine sectors, including racing, boarding, and lessons, to better address their unique legislative needs.

2. Expansion of Agritourism Definitions

   "We want to expand that definition so that there's a little more support for all of the types of agritourism in New York."
   — Renée St. Jacques, 14:20

   Broadening the definition of agritourism will support farmers in diversifying their income through educational and visitor-oriented activities.

Commitment to Diverse Agricultural Representation

Renée concludes by reaffirming the Farm Bureau's dedication to representing New York’s diverse agricultural landscape:

"We are representing everyone at New York Farm Bureau... New York is very diverse in its agriculture and that's unique when compared to other states."
— Renée St. Jacques, 13:58

This commitment ensures that policies cater to both small-scale producers and large enterprises, maintaining a balanced and inclusive agricultural community.

Closing Remarks

The episode wraps up with the host expressing gratitude to Renée for her invaluable contributions to the Farm Bureau and the broader farming community. The discussion underscores the pivotal role of the Farm Bureau in shaping agricultural policies that sustain and advance New York’s farming sector.

For more information or to join the New York Farm Bureau, visit nyfb.org, contact your local county Farm Bureau, or call 1-800-342-4143 and press 0.