Committee advances Good Food New York resolution after Tompkins Food Future briefing

The Tompkins County Planning, Energy and Environmental Quality Committee voted unanimously April 2 to advance a resolution urging the New York State Legislature to pass — and the governor to sign — the Good Food New York bill, after a briefing from Tompkins Food Future.

Tompkins Food Future director Katie Hollis told the committee the bill would ease the ability of public institutions such as schools, hospitals and correctional facilities to buy from local farmers by allowing institutions to select a bid that is within 10% of the lowest price if that higher bid meets specified “values-based” criteria such as environmentally sustainable practices, worker protections and animal welfare. “The Good Food bill is a way to make it easier for institutions like schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, and local farmers to work together,” Hollis said.

The committee spent substantial time asking how the measure would work in practice. Rachel, who introduced the resolution on the committee floor, summarized the mechanics: if an offer from a local grower is within 10% of the lowest bid and meets criteria listed in the bill, an institution could choose that supplier. “One really important part of it is that it does allow municipalities and these institutions … if another bid is within 10% of that lowest bid and it meets one of the values listed in the bill, they are allowed to choose that bid instead,” Rachel said.

Hollis also used the committee time to describe Tompkins Food Future’s programs, including the Finding Funds pilot that provides one-on-one grant coaching. She told members the program has supported more than 150 participants and helped submit over 40 grant applications totaling about $2.5 million; roughly $655,000 has been awarded so far and many applications are still pending. Hollis noted county seed funding had helped launch the work and described ongoing needs — including updating the food system baseline assessment, exploring a local food-justice fund and securing flexible operating dollars.

Committee members raised operational questions the bill would leave to the state: who certifies or documents that a bidder meets the bill’s stated values, how existing incentives (such as New York’s 30% initiative, which increases school meal reimbursements for purchases from in-state farms) would interact with the bill, and which local institutions would be affected. County staff and Hollis said the Department of Agriculture and Markets would likely produce guidance and that some values already map to recognized certifications.

After clarifying edits to the revised resolution’s text, the committee approved the measure unanimously and agreed to forward it to the full legislature for consideration at the next indicated meeting. The committee chair encouraged supporters to attend the full-legislature meeting to speak during public comment when the resolution is considered.

The committee’s action is advisory — the resolution asks the state legislature and governor to act — and the county will now transmit its support to the full legislature for formal consideration.